The President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee launched the nationwide Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Campaign against Malnutrition at a function organized by the Ministry of Women & Child Development in Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi today (November 19, 2012).

While launching the campaign, the President said that creating increased public awareness of the different dimensions of malnutrition is a key requirement for the success of such a campaign. The mobilisation of public support is a critical requirement for preventing malnutrition through early action, he said. The President stated that community awareness would further motivate effective utilization of child care and health services and encourage communities to identify with and supplement Government efforts.

The President was happy to note that the launch of the campaign coincided with the Government's approval of strengthening and restructuring of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) as this would impact directly and positively the lives of nearly 8 crore young children under 6 years of age and 1.8 crore pregnant and lactating mothers in 13.2 lakh habitations across the country, reaching the most vulnerable and deprived. He recalled that it was the determination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi that resulted in this programme being launched in 33 community development blocks in 1975 to become today the world's largest and most unique programme for integrated early childhood development.

In his concluding remarks, the President congratulated the Ministry of Women and Child Development for undertaking the campaign in pursuance of the initiative of the National Council on India's Nutrition Challenges led by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju, Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Smt. Krishna Tirath, Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development (Independent Charge), Mr. Louis Georges Arsenault, Country Head UNICEF, Shri Aamir Khan, Film Actor and Mr. Prasoon Joshi, CEO McCann Worldwide.

This release issued at 2020 hrs