Two years since it was launched, the Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan, Chattisgarh has lifted almost 1.5 children out of malnourishment leading to a decline in the number of malnourished children in the state by 32 per cent.
The state-wide campaign was launched on October 2, 2019, to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with the objective of making Chhattisgarh malnutrition-free in three years.
According to government reports, 4.3 lakh children in the state were identified as ‘malnourished’ in January 2019. In May 2021, nearly one-third or 32 per cent of these children or 1.41 lakh children have become free from malnutrition, a government release said.
“Malnutrition rate in the state has significantly declined in a short time span, thanks to the efficient leadership and visionary thinking of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel,” the release said.
Bhagel had launched the programme in the state to fight anaemia in children and women on the basis of findings by the National Family Health Survey-4. According to National Family Survey-4, 37.7 per cent of children below five years in the state are malnourished and 47percent of women in the age group 15-49 are anaemic. Most of these women and children are from tribal and remote areas. Suposhan Abhiyan was first launched as a pilot project in the rural areas of the Baster region before it was taken to other parts of the state.
“Arrangements were made to provide hot-cooked food under Suposhan Abhiyan by ensuring better utilization of District Mineral Trust fund. Considering the success of the scheme, Chief Minister Baghel expanded the scheme to in the entire state,” a government release said.
The nutritious meals distributed under the scheme include laddoos, gram, jaggery, sprouted grains, milk, fruits, groundnut and jaggery chikki, soya brisket, porridge, soya chikki and munga bhaji. These were served alongside hot-cooked food. Additionally, iron, folic acid and anthelmintic tablets were also distributed. Ready-to-eat food items are being distributed to the children aged between six months to six years; pregnant, lactating women and adolescent girls.
The programme has also stressed the need for the consumption of locally grown food. Food supplements were distributed to add to the nutrition value of the consumables.
Under the scheme, Anganwadi workers and assistants of almost 52k Anganwadi centres in the state have distributed ready-to-eat nutritious food to 28.7 lakh beneficiaries. Anganwadis have reopened with the consent of the public representatives and parents in the COVID 19 infection-free places in the state.
“The decision to reopen Anganwadis has been taken to maintain the victory over malnutrition and to prevent the impact of COVID-19 on the health of children,” the release said
