New Delhi: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal said the fight against malnutrition must become a collective national movement involving government, corporates and citizens.
Addressing a CSR Conclave on Nutrition organised by the National Dairy Development Board in New Delhi, Shri Goyal said eliminating malnutrition was vital for building a Viksit Bharat. He said nutrition security directly shaped India’s long-term social and economic strength.
He said Corporate Social Responsibility offered a direct way to link business success with social outcomes. Although companies must spend 2 per cent of net profits on CSR, he said this figure should be treated as a minimum. He described CSR as an opportunity, not a compliance burden.
Shri Goyal said service to society was deeply rooted in India’s culture and traditions. Many organisations, he noted, already contribute beyond mandated CSR limits. He said the conclave should push stakeholders to strengthen efforts in the fight against malnutrition.
Minister of State for Cooperation Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar said CSR had emerged as a strong driver of social transformation. He said initiatives such as Shishu Sanjeevani showed how cooperatives could convert CSR funds into measurable nutrition outcomes. He praised NDDB initiatives like Gift Milk for focusing on aspirational districts, tribal areas, Anganwadi centres and government schools.
Whole-of-government approach in fight against malnutrition
Shri Piyush Goyal said malnutrition required a coordinated, whole-of-government approach. He said the programme showed strong inter-ministerial cooperation among five ministries. This coordination, he said, ensured nutrition, affordability and last-mile delivery.
He said NDDB played a key role by acting as an umbrella organisation. It enabled cooperation between industry and government agencies. He also highlighted the role of animal husbandry and fisheries in supplying affordable nutrition through milk and fish.
Shri Goyal said the Ministry of Women and Child Development addressed root causes of malnutrition. He stressed that nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood was critical. Malnutrition, he said, often began before birth and affected lifelong health outcomes.
He said programmes must reach every village and household to achieve saturation. Innovation and new financing models, he added, remained essential. The government alone, he said, could not win the fight against malnutrition.
Shri Goyal said nutrition programmes also raised farmer incomes through fisheries and animal husbandry. He said the initiative benefited farmers, women and children together. This, he added, reflected inclusive development.
Calling for a people’s movement, Shri Goyal urged corporates, individuals and the media to support nutrition efforts. He said investment in nutrition meant investment in India’s future workforce. He reiterated that no child should remain malnourished in the country.
