Families of malnourished children to get free cows

Kanpur: The state government has decided to give a free cow to families having malnourished children besides Rs 900 per month for cattle fodder under a scheme launched during National Nutrition Month. September is observed as National Nutrition Month in the country every year.
Chief development officer Dr Mahendra Kumar said the aim of the scheme is to reduce malnutrition among children up to five years of age and pregnant women.
Kumar told officials to identify malnourished and acutely malnourished children, women, and girls in grip of anaemia and advise them to take nutritious diet and proper care.
“The families having malnourished children, women and girls should be encouraged to set up kitchen gardens and grow nutrition-rich fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants. One drumstick plant must be included,” the CDO said.
Besides, nutri-gardens should come up on land of government schools, residential schools, Anganwadi centres, and gram panchayats. A sum of Rs 5,000 will be given to all UP Board schools for setting up and maintaining nutri-gardens.
District programme officer I P Singh said 2,134 anganwadi centres are active in the district and the child development services project officers should conduct a door to door survey with the help of anganwadi workers to identify the malnourished children.
A list of the malnourished should be prepared and submitted. The CDPO will monitor the children in the list and the animal husbandry department would provide a cow to the family of each malnourished child. The availability of milk would help in reducing malnutrition.
Online contests, webinars, nutrition panchayats and other programmes would be organized during the month.