Nutrition-specific interventions are aimed at improving the food, health, and care environment for women and children during the first 1000 days. These interventions span pregnancy, postnatal, and early childhood periods and include food and micronutrient supplementation, nutrition education and/or counselling, growth monitoring and promotion, as well as routine immunization, deworming, and care during illness. At 90% coverage, these interventions can contribute to 20% reduction in stunting and 61% reduction in severe wasting. India’s policy framework for health and nutrition is robust and includes most evidence-based nutrition and health interventions. Two large-scale national program platforms – the Integrated Child Development Services and the National Health Mission – together deliver these interventions across the country. India’s efforts at scaling up nutrition interventions are now also bolstered by the National Nutrition Mission. This Data Note describes the coverage of key nutrition and health interventions for which data are available in the National Family Health Surveys for 2015-2016 and 2019-2021. To examine coverage of interventions, indicators were created based on global definitions and making adaptations to Indian policy context where necessary. Data on women of reproductive age (15-49 years) with a child below five years of age from the most recent birth was used to compute these indicators. Indicator definitions are provided in Annex 1 of this Note.

India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, which was launched in 1975, offers nutrition and health services across the continuum of care in the first 1000 days of life. Universalization was mandated in 2006 and implemented thereafter. This Data Note describes the coverage of core ICDS interventions during pregnancy, lactation and early childhood at the district level in 2016, as seen in the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) data from 6401districts of India.

A set of diet-related global non-communicable diseases (NCD) targets, to be achieved by 2025, was endorsed by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 2013. A sub-set of those targets are directly nutritionrelated. This Data Note describes the current levels of a set of key NCD-related outcomes at the districtlevel in India, summarizing data from the recently released district fact sheets of the National Family Health Survey.

A set of global nutrition targets for maternal and child nutrition together with diet related non communicable diseases ( to be achieved by 2025 was endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 2013 These targets provide goals against which progress towards ending malnutrition in all its forms can be measured and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals This data note describes trends in multiple forms of malnutrition and NCD outcomes at the national, state, and district levels for India using survey data from NFHS 3 2005 06 NFHS 4 2015 2016 and NFHS 5 2019 2021 Insights on other malnutrition targets such as anemia and breastfeeding will be forthcoming

Early life nutrition sets the stage for the health, nutrition, and development of young children. Optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices begin with timely initiation of breastfeeding, followed by exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding. This Data Note provides an overview of trends and patterns in IYCF practices in India at the national-, state-, and district levels based on the 2015-16 and 2019-21 National Family Health Surveys (NFHS) data. IYCF indicators were created following World Health Organization and UNICEF’s 2021 guidelines.

In May 2016, the Health Secretaries of the States and Union Territories of India gathered in the capital and issued “The Delhi Commitment on Sustainable Development Goals for Health”. Among others, the document acknowledged the need to invest in health data collection, analysis and research so that these can properly inform government policies and strategies necessary to address the various challenges facing India’s healthcare. Such commitment is imperative, given that the success of global SDGs over the next 15 years will largely depend on India’s performance. Measuring progress closely to ensure mid-course corrections when needed should be key to India’s health strategy. To examine the issues related to insufficient, district-level data for customised and evidence-based planning, the Observer Research Foundation organised a panel discussion in July 2016, bringing together experts in the field. This paper builds on the key themes discussed by the panel, and from these, draws policy lessons for the road ahead.

A monthly published in Hindi and English. The journal is devoted to all aspects of rural reconstruction and village democracy. The journal carries educative and informative articles on rural development and is useful for scholars, academicians and students preparing for civil services and other competitive examinations.