November 18, 2019
India to receive support from BMGF on meeting SDGs with focus on health, nutrition, sanitation, and agriculture
India prioritises nutrition as a key focus area, strengthening efforts made under the National Nutrition Mission
India to accelerate in target sectors through data and evidence-based intervention and support from key partners
Government adding to US$1.5 bn earmarked for social development projects under UNSDF, signed in 2018
Government of India has made good strides in achieving health and nutrition security as well as building sanitation and agriculture infrastructure under the UN sustainable development goals (SDG) as Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Co-Chair, Mr Bill Gates and key members of his India leadership team during a recent visit to India, as stated in an official release on November 18. The meeting was to discuss support from BMGF on meeting the SDGs, specifically in focus areas of food and health security.
Acknowledging the many efforts made under the National Nutrition Mission, as well as the many Government initiatives surrounding nutritional outcomes for children and women, Gates presented ideas to improve India’s agricultural output. The proposed solutions will be aimed at enhancing productivity and systems performance within the agricultural sector, ultimately providing poor and marginalised sections of society with improved access to nutrition. PM Modi commended BMGF for its support in India’s development journey so far, noting the expertise provided and proactivity maintained by the foundation. He expressed confidence in India’s future acceleration in sectors of health, nutrition, agriculture, and green energy through the implementation of data and evidence-based interventions, along with the ongoing support of similar key development partners.
In 2018, Government of India’s think tank, NITI Aayog, and the United Nations signed the United Nations Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDF), earmarking US$1.5 billion for projects around social development before 2022. The UNSDF programme covers multiple aspects of social development, specifically poverty and urbanisation, health, nutrition, education, and more. Additionally, the Government had signed a loan agreement worth US$200 million with the World Bank on May 7th to support the National Nutrition Mission. These Government initiatives will go a long way in ensuring that poverty alleviation and utilisation of national resources play vital roles in the building of a new India by 2022.