AAP's Atishi Marlena To Be Delhi's New CM: Her Key Takeaways On Nutrition Policy From 2023 Poshan Summit

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi Marlena, who currently serves as Delhi’s Minister of Education, has been unanimously chosen to succeed Arvind Kejriwal as the new Chief Minister of Delhi. This decision follows Kejriwal’s statement after being granted bail in the Delhi liquor policy case, where he announced his resignation, stating, “This case will go on for many years... I will not sit on the CM’s chair unless people deliver their verdict. Your every vote will be my certificate of honesty.”

With her appointment, Atishi becomes the third woman to hold this position in Delhi, after Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dikshit.

In light of her leadership, it’s worth revisiting her impactful speech at the 2023 Poshan Summit organised by Onlymyhealth X Jagran New Media, where she discussed the core challenges in India’s nutrition policies. Here are the key takeaways.

Also Read: Cabinet Minister Ms. Atishi Speaks on Education's Role in Nutrition

Highlighting India's Nutrition Paradox In Three Facts

Hon'ble Minister Atishi opened her speech by highlighting one of India's most significant nutrition issues and shared three key facts, calling it one of the biggest ironies.

The first and most important fact is that India is one of the leading food producers in the world. She shared that India is the second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugarcane, cotton, and groundnuts and the largest producer of pulses and milk globally.

Despite that, India is one of the countries with the highest number of malnourished children in the world, she noted, adding that a global hunger index is released after every few years an international report comes, and India is placed as 107th out of 121 countries. It is one of the lowest-ranked countries, and our neighbouring countries, which we consider much less developed, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, etc., all score better than India on the global hunger index.

And fact number three is that India has the second largest number of diabetics and obese people in the world.

So, despite being a leading food producer, India also has the highest number of undernourished and malnourished people, and the country also has the highest number of overnourished or overconsuming obese diabetic people.

“These facts demonstrate that the issue is not a shortage of food but poor policy implementation and mismanagement,” she emphasised, adding, “We are not effectively distributing the food we produce.”

How To Address These Concerns: Path To Finding A Solution

While lack of accessibility due to poor policies and poor management are key issues, Atishi highlights that even those who do have access do not have proper understanding of nutrition, which is why we see many lifestyle diseases.

However, the Hon'ble Minister discussed the solvable nature of nutrition problems in India, highlighting the importance of existing large-scale nutrition programs like midday meals and Anganwadis.

She shared that despite criticisms, these programs play a crucial role in addressing malnutrition. She emphasised that even if parents send their children just to receive a meal, it is still a significant achievement.

Nutrition Awareness Is Key

Reiterating the fact that many people with access to food often lack proper knowledge about nutrition, the Oxford-educated minister discussed ways to increase nutrition awareness among people.

According to her, there is a widespread knowledge gap on what constitutes healthy, nutritious food, especially among lower-income groups who often rely on misleading marketing of processed foods.

She recommended nationwide awareness campaigns focused on educating families about nutritional choices, especially emphasising natural and wholesome foods over processed foods. This, she believed, would help address both malnutrition and obesity.

Also Read: Obesity Is More Than Just An Aesthetic Problem, Here's How It Affects You

Furthermore, such programs could help correct misinformation, especially among parents, and help them make informed choices for their children.

The hon’ble minister ended her keynote speech with a request stating, “... if we can make nutrition into a campaign, a campaign that can spread across the country, across languages, across economic groups, toh mujhe lagta hai ke hum apne desh mein, chahe malnourishment ki samasya ho, chahe obesity ki samasya ho, chahe severe malnourishment ki samasya ho, chahe diabetes ki samasya ho, mujhe lagta hai ke agar hum poshan ko ek abhiyan banate hain, agar hum nutrition se related awareness ko ek nationwide campaign banate hain, jo humare desh ke har bache ko, chahe wo ameer hai, chahe wo gareeb hai, chahe wo middle class ka hai, chahe wo Delhi mein rehta hai, chahe wo UP ke kisi gaon mein rehta hai, har bache ko ek behtar bhavishya de sakta hai, aur yeh usko behtar bhavishya dena hum sabki zimmedaari hai.”

Translation in English: "If we can turn nutrition into a campaign, a campaign that can spread across the country, across languages, and across economic groups, then I believe that whether it is the problem of malnutrition, obesity, severe malnutrition, or diabetes, if we make nutrition a mission, if we create a nationwide campaign for nutrition-related awareness, it can give every child in our country—a child who is rich or poor, from the middle class, living in Delhi or in a village in UP—a better future. And it is our collective responsibility to provide that better future."