Mumbai :11,981 village child development center (VCDC) have been opened in tribal and non-tribal areas for the children severely affected by malnutrition. 32,298 malnourished children were admitted in these centers. Severely malnourished children are treated in these centers and they are provided nutritious food. God results of this scheme are now visible. Presently, such malnourished children admitted in these centers in anganwadi areas are provided scientifically prepared energy dense nutritious food as per medical advice.
The percentage of malnutrition is reducing with the campaign being implemented by cooperation and participation of all. According to joint survey conducted by Central Health and Family Welfare Ministry and UNICEF the number of severely malnourished children and that of polio-affected children has come down. The percentage of severely malnourished children has come down to 5.1%from 9.4% and that of underweight children has come down from 25% to 17%.
Various digital techniques are used to make real time monitoring of malnutrition. This includes effective monitoring of anganwadi centers through Information Communication Technology Enabled Real Time Monitoring (ICTRTM) initiative. Through this the working of all anganwadi centers is done by a common software. In view of this android phones are given to anganwadi sevika, chief sevika, superintendent and technical manpower.
Amrut Aahar
Square meal a day in addition to regular nutritious food is supplied to 1.59 expectant and lactating mothers under Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Amrut Aahar yojana in tribal area. Besides regular food, vegetarian children are given two bananas, and non-vegetarian children are given one boiled egg four days in a week. Over Rs 100 crore are spent on this scheme.
