To enhance nutrition among children between six months and six years of age in anganwadis, the State government is all set to give them eggs six days a week. An announcement is likely to be made in this year’s budget, according to official sources in the Department of Women and Child Development.
Although the government on January 18 issued an order announcing that eggs would be given to children belonging to SC/ST communities in anganwadis across the State, in addition to those suffering from malnutrition, it is expected to be scaled up to cover all children. This is to ensure that all children are treated equally during mealtime.
Speaking at a workshop, Uma Mahadevan, Principal Secretary, Women and Child Development, said the department is currently providing eggs thrice a week to moderately malnourished children in five backward districts of north Karnataka and all malnourished children across the State.
New software
To track development and growth of children, the department is designing a new software through which mothers will be updated via SMS on the immunisation schedule of their children. “This will ensure that every child undergoes the universal immunisation programme and is also tracked for malnourishment,” Ms. Mahadevan said.
A special programme to provide hot meals along with iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets for pregnant women in the five backward districts of north Karnataka had been initiated. The IFA tablets will be given soon after the meal, she said.
