UP’s ‘Sambhav Abhiyan 4.0’ drives down malnutrition, Shravasti sets an example

Lucknow : The Yogi Government’s ‘Sambhav Abhiyan 4.0’ is setting new benchmarks in nutrition and public health. Focused on tackling serious health issues like malnutrition and anaemia among children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, the campaign has yielded remarkable results. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state has recorded a measurable decline in ‘wasting’ (acute malnutrition) and underweight cases among children. Notably, Shravasti has emerged as the top-performing district in the state, followed by Varanasi and Unnao.

Shravasti District Magistrate Ajay Kumar Dwivedi stated that ‘Sambhav Abhiyan 4.0’ is not just a government program, but a public movement that has played a critical role in combating malnutrition and anaemia through screening, monitoring, medicine distribution, and referrals. On Samadhan Diwas, in line with CM Yogi’s instructions, the government not only delivers welfare schemes, but also distributes nutrition kits (Poshan Potli) to pregnant and lactating women. This initiative has significantly contributed to reducing malnutrition and anaemia across the state.

Shravasti successfully implemented Sambhav Abhiyan 4.0, achieving an overall score of 83.57% — the highest in the state. In 2024, under various campaign indicators, 98.8% of children under the age of five were measured, 117% were enrolled, 83% received medication, and the recovery rate stood at 71%. The Yogi Government awarded Shravasti with a certificate of excellence for its top performance.

Varanasi District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar Jha shared that the district scored 83.22% in overall performance, earning it second place in the state. In 2024, 98.8% of targeted children were identified, with a 129% enrolment rate. The recovery rate in Varanasi was 91%, while 55.3% of previously treated children were successfully followed up — a testament to strong, stable field services.

Similarly, Unnao secured the third spot with an impressive score of 81.98%. District Magistrate Gaurang Rathi reported that the district achieved a 157% enrolment rate, with an 82% recovery rate. He credited teamwork and continuous field monitoring for this success.

Farrukhabad achieved the fourth position with a score of 80.98%, while Chandauli stood fifth with 79.72%.

Director Sarnit Kaur Broca stated that the state has recorded a significant reduction in iron deficiency, anaemia, and malnutrition among children due to the ongoing efforts under Sambhav Abhiyan. According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) report published in May 2025, there has been a 4% decline in ‘wasting’ and a 20% drop in the percentage of underweight children compared to data from 2019–21.

Under Sambhav Abhiyan 4.0, active monitoring was carried out for children aged 0 to 6 years. As per NFHS-5 data from 2019–21, the ‘wasting’ rate stood at 17.3%, which has now dropped to 4% as per the May 2025 Poshan Tracker. Similarly, the proportion of underweight children has decreased from 34.5% to 20%.

Recognising the success of the initiative, the Yogi Government launched ‘Sambhav Abhiyan 5.0’ on July 7, with the goal of ensuring that every child in the state is well-nourished, every mother remains safe, and the dream of a zero-hunger Uttar Pradesh is fulfilled.