Ranchi: The government is ready to launch a high-intensity fortified food program that targets children under 6 years and pregnant and lactating women at the end of this month.
This scheme aims to include children who suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
The government has decided to introduce rice which is enriched in “cooked hot food” which is given to children in Angganwadi (AWC) centers and in the ration given to pregnant and lactating women.
“We are working on a high intensity fortified food program that focuses on children and pregnant women.
This will be launched at the end of this month,” said Dodde, Director, the Directorate of Women and Child Development, Jharkhand.
“The aim is to introduce rice that is enriched in the rice component in the concentration fortress ratio (1: 100) it was decided by the Indian government on advice on food diet and food security and India Standard Authority (FSSAI).
This will be supplied by Government Institutions, Food Corporation of India (FCI).
The government also includes rich in protein foods such as eggs, lentils, chana and peanuts to provide adequate amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat to children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, “said Mrutyunjaya Nayak, a volunteer of UNICEF.
In addition, children who suffer from severe acute malnutrition will also be included in the program.
“Previously, there was no provision for these children.
Children identified will get the required proteins and a fat-rich diet,” added nayak.
The government has also taken the initiative to reach beneficiaries by tracking workers’ workers through the system “poshan tracker”.
Developed by the Ministry of Female and Child Development, the poshan tracker application allows real-time monitoring and tracking of all AWC, AWAWADI workers (AWWS) and beneficiaries.
“The idea is to provide RS 500 incentives to AWS after they deliver ‘THR Ransum’ (THR) to each beneficiary,” added Nayak.
The move was taken because various reports showed that THR distribution was very uneven in the state.