VIJAYAWADA: The state government will soon launch a ‘nutrition mission’ and form an ‘Assembly Forum’ to deal with the issue of stunting among children with malnutrition. Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu made the announcement during a symposium on ‘Child Nutrition-Invest in the first 1,000 days of life’ organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly in the city on Friday.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister promised to extend complete support to the UNICEF to execute programmes for the betterment of child nutrition and taking care of first 1000 days in life of the new-borns. He reiterated the State’s vision towards Smart City dynamics by incorporating its priorities including elemination of these social problems and make Andhra Pradesh as a best destination in the world for Smart Cities.
Speaking on the occasion, Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao said that the symposium intends to bring corporates and government onto a single platform by creating awareness among entrepreneurs and public representatives to cater to and to deliver mechanisms to eleminate stunting among children.
UNICEF India Child Development and Nutrition chief Saba Mebrahtu, explained about the importance of multi-sectoral approaches and priority actions for improving nutrition and intervention programmes for the better access to nutrition. Saba expressed concern over the effects of stunting on brain development, chronic under nutrition.
IIT-Delhi professor and former secretary for Department of Bio-technology MK Bhan expressed concern over the issues like early marriages, lack of education, state of hunger and added that one has to tackle these by bringing corporates and governments onto a single platform to mobilise funds and to create awareness.
GS Shiv kumar, chaiman, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), has explained how Indian corporates have come forward and contributed through corporate social responsibility to tackle these social problems. He also explained, with the initiation from CII the State will be entering into an MoU with Akshayapatra Foundation to provide healthy nutritious food to over 6,000 children.