NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Atishi allocated Rs 664 Crore for nutrition-related schemes on Monday, saying that no one sleeps hungry in “Ram Rajya” (ideal state).
“In order to turn the vision of Ram Rajya into reality, our effort is also to ensure that no person in Delhi goes hungry and gets nutritious food. To ensure food for all we have implemented various schemes in Delhi,” the Finance Minister said as she presented the government’s budget for 2024-25. with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore
In Delhi, there are 10,897 Anganwadi centers, through which the government manages the nutritional needs of 8 lakh women and children. This includes providing nutritious hot meals to 1,80,000 children aged 3 to 6 years daily, dietary supplements to 3,40,000 children up to 3 years, and nutritional supplements to 1,20,000 pregnant and lactating mothers.
Atishi said to prepare these hot meals and nutritional supplements; the government has established 11 state-of-the-art, clean, and world-class kitchens in Delhi.
“The menu for children has been prepared by the country’s top nutritionists. According to this, various dishes are made for children by using high-protein ingredients like jowar, bajra, ragi, rajma, chickpeas and lentils,” she said.
The Finance Minister said that under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the government provides nutritious meals to over 20 lakh children studying in Delhi Government and MCD schools daily. The Mid Day Meal Scheme is a school meal programme in India designed to better the nutritional standing of school-age children nationwide. The scheme has been renamed as PM-POSHAN Scheme.
She said these efforts in Anganwadis and schools have significantly reduced Delhi’s malnutrition.
Accusing the governments before them, Atishi said that in 2014, nearly 2 lakh children were affected by severe and moderate malnutrition in Delhi, and today, “this number has reduced significantly by up to 91.5%, with just 16,814 malnourished children”. She said this was no less than a miracle
The Delhi government said the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) provides nutritious meals twice a day for approximately 17,000 individuals living in 198 shelter homes.