Campaign has a positive impact on children: 13.79 percent reduction in malnourished children,
notable success in eradicating malnutrition through coordinated efforts: Minister Bhendia
Raipur, 04 October 2020. On the initiative of the Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s malnutrition eradication, the state-wide Chief Minister’s Nutrition Campaign, which started on 2 October 2019 in Chhattisgarh, has completed one year. On this occasion, the Minister of Women and Child Development, Anila Bhendia has told that positive results of this campaign have come out in Chhattisgarh. With the campaign, the integrated plan and coordinated efforts of various schemes have achieved great success in eliminating malnutrition among children. According to the data received from the weight festival at the time of the launch of the scheme, about 4 lakh 92 thousand children were malnourished in the state, out of which more than 67 thousand children have become free from malnutrition. In this way there has been a decrease of about 13.79 per cent among malnourished children. Which is a major achievement in the war against malnutrition. In a very short time, there has been a significant decrease in the rate of malnutrition in the state,
After the formation of new government in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Baghel started the campaign to free the state from malnutrition and anemia in view of the rate of malnutrition and anemia in women and children in the data of National Family Health Survey-4. According to National Family Survey-4, 37.7 percent children under the age of 5 years were suffering from malnutrition and 47 percent women aged 15 to 49 years were suffering from anemia. Looking at these figures, most of the malnourished children were from tribal and remote Vananchal areas. The state government took this as a challenge and started the Chief Minister’s Suraksha Abhiyan in the entire state from the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with the concept of ‘malnutrition-free Chhattisgarh’. In order to make the campaign a success, cooperation of the people was also taken in it.
Suchithan Abhiyan was started as a pilot project in some gram panchayats of Vananchal, including Naxal-affected Bastar in the state. This was further enhanced through innovative programs such as hot nutritious food through panchayats in Dantewada district and Laika Jattan Thaur in Dhamtari district. Arrangements were made to provide hot food under the Surannishan Abhiyan using a better use of District Mineral Trust Fund. Seeing the success of the scheme, Chief Minister Mr. Baghel implemented it throughout the state. Under this campaign, in addition to the supplementary nutritious food provided to the identified children at the Anganwadi center, free nutritious food locally and hot nutritious food has been provided to the malnourished women and children. In the extra nutritious diet, the beneficiaries are provided with hot food along with eggs, laddus, gram, jaggery, sprouted grains, milk, fruits, peanuts and jaggery, soya badi, oatmeal, Nutritious and delicious foods made from soya chikki and munga bhaji are being given. This has aroused interest in children towards food. Awareness has also increased towards locally available vegetables and nutritious things. This has started improving the nutritional level. Anemia affected people are given iron folic acid, anthelmintic tablets in collaboration with the Department of Health. With the goal of freeing the state from malnutrition in the next 3 years, coordinated efforts are being made by Women and Child Development Department, Health Department and other departments. The anthelmintic pill is given. With the goal of freeing the state from malnutrition in the next 3 years, coordinated efforts are being made constantly by Women and Child Development Department, Health Department and other departments. The anthelmintic pill is given. With the goal of freeing the state from malnutrition in the next 3 years, coordinated efforts are being made constantly by Women and Child Development Department, Health Department and other departments.
The Minister of Women and Child Development said that on the instruction of the Chief Minister to maintain the nutritional level of children and women even after the closure of all Anganwadi and mini Anganwadi centers for prevention and control of infection of Corona virus (Kovid-19) Through Anganwadi workers and assistants, distribution of ready-to-eat nutritious food has been ensured from house to house to about 28 lakh 78 thousand beneficiaries of 51 thousand 455 Anganwadi centers in the state. Children from 6 months to 6 years, pregnant, under the Supplemental Nutrition Program Ready-to-eat is being distributed to infant women and adolescent girls. Anganwadi has been opened with the consent of public representatives and parents at infection-free places in the state to maintain the victory over malnutrition and the effect of corona on the health of children. Where arrangements have been made to provide warm food to the beneficiaries under the Chief Minister’s Nutrition Campaign along with the management of security.
Smt. Bhendia said that the Department of Women and Child Development is committed to improving the condition of nutrition and health and is making continuous efforts. Malnutrition liberation is a major community campaign, 2 whose goals can be achieved through public cooperation. He has thanked all the organizations, representatives and the public who have contributed in the pious work of the Chief Minister’s Nutrition Campaign. He also congratulated Anganwadi workers and assistants working like Corona Warriors from the lockdown. He has said that the battle with malnutrition is long, but with the most cooperation, we will definitely win it. The Minister of Women and Child Development said that the department is constantly reaching out to the beneficiaries. The World Bank has also praised the control of corona virus as well as take home ration distribution work by Anganwadi workers in the state.
