The Lancet study has pointed to the “golden interval of intervention” that ranges from pregnancy to two years of age. After the age of two, undernutrition would have caused irreversible damage to the child’s development. This should not come as a surprise either: it is a fact that has been pointed out by countless studies and nutrition experts within India.

Does the government have a plan in place to help the faces behind these alarming statistics? The ICDS, which works towards the promotion of maternal and child health and nutrition, includes a range of other interventions — health, immunisation and early education needs of those under six along with nutrition supplements for pregnant and adolescent girls. It operates through an aanganwadi centre in every village manned by an aanganwadi worker.

Despite the Supreme Court playing a key role in monitoring and prodding the government, the status of the programme is far from encouraging. According to the latest reports of the Supreme Court-appointed commissioners, only 35.5 per cent children under six receive supplementary nutrition under the ICDS. Only about 25 per cent of the eligible pregnant women and nursing mothers are being reached under this programme. The worst states are Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, where aanganwadis barely exist.

In respect to the golden interval of intervention pointed out by The Lancet, the ICDS programme is flawed. There is virtually no stress on children below three. The programme focuses on the supplementary nutrition component, which mainly reaches the 3- to 6-year age group. Even this food tends to be erratic, of poor quality and unimaginatively prepared. Reports of the SC-appointed commissioners have pointed out that the 0-3 age group should have access to not just foodgrain, but specially prepared weaning foods made from nutritious locally grown cereals, fortified with essential micro-nutrients.

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