Poorva Chavan
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Written By: Poorva Chavan | Updated : December 17, 2015 10:26 AM IST
The state of Chhattisgarh is known for its high rate of malnourishment among children and women. However according to a latest report by the state's Women and Child Development department (CWD) the rate of malnourishment has dropped by 17% in the last decade. The data was collected during the annual Vajan Tyohar - the annual weighing survey and it was observed that the rate of malnourishment among children (0-5 years) has reduced. (Read: Find out if your child is malnourished with these signs)
The report says that percentage of malnourished children in 2012 was 40.87% , in 2013 it was reduced to 37.24% and in 2014, it further went down to 32.9%. However no such data was available for malnourishment among women. The Chhattisgarh state government has its own Food Legislation and also implements schemes like Kuposhan Mukti Abhiyan and Nav Jatan Yojana which ensure children get proper nutrition and have helped in reducing the malnourishment rate. Under the Nav Jatan yojana, more than 50000 children have been cured of malnutrition. Another initiative is Suposhan Mitra which regularly monitors the diet of children diagnosed with malnutrition. They also provide children with fruits, milk and other nutritious food items. For severely malnourished children, 62 nutrition rehab centers have been established where children are provided additional milk, bananas and other food items at the rate of Rs 11 per child. Other schemes implemented by the state include Mukhya Mantri Bal Sandarbh Yojana, Sneh Shivir, Supposhan Choupal, Dattak Putri Suposhan Yojana, Fulwari Centers. (Read: 40% of world s stunted children are in India Global Nutrition Report 2015)
The state also implements the Integrated Child Development Scheme that is implemented by all states and Union Territories, which covers children (0-6 years), pregnant women and lactating mothers. The government has implemented a five-tier monitoring and review mechanisms at different levels (National/State/District/Block and Anganwadi level) and has also involved public representatives to monitor the progress of Anganwadi centres. (Read: 5 Indian foods that can help prevent malnutrition)
The report also pointed out that malnourishment in tribal areas of Chhattisgarh is higher than the state average, however, no data was presented.
Image source: Getty Images
