State Government to utilise the services of NIN
Children enrolled in anganwadis in Telangana will get better food starting next year. With additional funds coming in from the Centre, the State will rope in National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) to prepare an improved menu for both regular and severely malnurished children in 2018.
Speaking to The Hindu, Viziendira Boyi, Director of Women and Child Welfare Department, said NIN’s help will be sought especially when it comes to feeding children below 6-year-of-age who suffer severe malnutrition. Currently, such children below six years are given Balamrutham (a protein-food supplement) produced by Telangana foods. The children are also given one egg each day.
“Because the government increased funds substantially by ₹3, we will be able to provide each child better nutrition than what was given earlier. Once NIN draws up a chart, we will implement the changes with immediate effect,” Ms. Boyi said. Healthy children below the age of six might also get a new menu because contribution per day to each of them has gone up by ₹2. Currently they are given egg, mid-day meal and snack. Interestingly, the State government has already been spending an additional ₹1 and above on each child under Arogyalakshmi scheme. “Additional funds might make children’s snack menu better. Instead of Kurkure (salty snacks) we might be able to provide them half a fruit,” Ms. Boyi said.
Pregnant women and lactating mothers might have to do with the single meal and 200 ml of milk they get each day because the State Government already covers 83% of the costs incurred. “Centre’s funds might increase the budget for mid-day meals from ₹21 to ₹23 in the State. This is reduce burden on State especially at a time when egg prices and dal prices keep fluctuating,” Ms. Boyi explained.
In mid-day meal for mothers, anganwadis give rice, dal, vegetable curry, egg and 200 ml of milk that is covered under the Arogylakshmi scheme.
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