Chhattisgarh reports 32 per cent decline in number of malnourished children in two years

New Delhi: The number of malnourished children has declined by 32 per cent in the Chhattisgarh state since the launch of the 'Mukhyamantri Suposhan Yojana'. As per the data, Chhattisgarh has achieved great success in eradicating malnutrition in children.

"Coordinated steps taken under ‘Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan’ along with the integrated plan of various schemes have resulted in bringing down the numbers of malnourished children from 4 lakh 33 thousand 541 children in the state as on January 2019 to one lakh 40 thousand 556 children as on May 2021, which means nearly one-third or 32% of these children have become free from malnutrition," a state government official said.

In a bid to eradicate malnutrition among children and women, Chhattisgarh government in October 2019 had launched the Mukhyamantri Suposhan Yojana, on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. 

The maximum number of malnourished children in the state was in Naxal-affected tribal and forest areas. 

Moringa or drumstick has played an important role in eradicating malnutrition in these regions. 

Many types of nutritious and delicious food are being prepared from Moringa leaf and given to malnourished children and women by the government.

Considering the rate of malnutrition and anemia among women and children shown in the data of National Family Health Survey-4, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel initiated the campaign to eradicate malnutrition and anemia in the state. 

According to National Family Survey-4, 37.7 per cent children below 5 years of age in the state were suffering from malnutrition and 47 per cent women in the age group of 15 to 49 years were suffering from anemia. It was observed that maximum of the malnourished children were from tribal and remote forest areas. State government took this as a challenge and launched the campaign to reach the goal of 'Malnutrition Free Chhattisgarh'. Public participation was also ensured to make the campaign a success.

Suposhan Abhiyan was started as a pilot project in some gram panchayats of forest region including Naxal-affected Bastar area of the state, which was carried forward through innovative programs like distribution of hot nutritious food through Panchayats in Dantewada district and 'Laika Jatan Thaur' in Dhamtari district. 

Arrangements were made to provide hot-cooked food under Suposhan Abhiyan by ensuring better utilization of District Mineral Trust fund. Under this campaign, in addition to the supplementary nutritional food given to the identified children at the Anganbadi center, arrangements have been made to distribute free nutritious food at local-level to the malnourished women and children. Nutritious and delicious food made from eggs, laddoos, gram, jaggery, sprouted grains, milk, fruits, groundnut and jaggery chikki, soya brisket, porridge, soya chikki and munga bhaji along with hot-cooked food are also being provided to the beneficiaries. Awareness has also been created about locally available vegetables and nutritious items, as a result of which the nutrition-level of children and women has started improving. In collaboration with the health department, iron folic acid, anthelmintic tablets are being provided to the anemia affected. 

To achieve the goal of 'Malnutrition-free Chhattisgarh' in the next three years, Department of Women and Child Development, Health Department and other departmentscoordinated efforts are making consistent and coordinated efforts.

Despite the closure of all Anganbadi and Mini Anganbadi centers due to Corona Virus (COVID-19) crisis, Anganbadi workers and assistants of 51 thousand and 455 Anganbadi centers in the state distributed ready-to-eat nutritious food to 28 lakh 78 thousand beneficiaries at their doorstep.

Under the Supplementary Nutrition Food Programme, ready-to-eat is being distributed to the children of age group 6 months to 6 years, pregnant, lactating women and adolescent girls.

Anganbadi has been reopened with the consent of the public representatives and parents in the COVID infection-free places in the state.

This decision to reopen aanganbadis was taken to maintain the victory over malnutrition and to prevent the impact of COVID-19 on the health of children.