Decline in malnutrition rate among children in Chattisgarh : Government

Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh (File)

Chhattisgarh has made significant progress in the fight against child malnourishment as the average malnutrition rate has fallen considerably in the last five years, an official said today.

According to the data collected during `Vazan Tyohar’ (weight festival) organised by the Women and Child Development Department, the average malnutrition rate among the children in the 0-5 years age group across 27 districts was found to be 30.13 per cent in 2016, against 40.05 per cent in 2011-12.

`Vazan Tyohar’ festival is being organised every year since 2012, during which weight of every child in the state is recorded to detect malnutrition. The official said that distribution of nutritious food through 50,000 Anganwadis (care-centres for children), a massive immunisation programme, Vazan Tyohar and several other schemes contributed to reduction in the malnutrition rate.

Among other initiatives, the government is promoting `nutrition-based farming’ in villages while `nutrition gardens’ have been developed on the premises of Anganwadis where vegetables and fruit trees are cultivated, he said.

Individuals, social welfare groups, public representatives, government employees and corporates are being encouraged to become `Anganwadi Mitra’ and adopt these care centres for three years, he said.