BJP slams BJD govt over malnourishment in Odisha

The BJP on Tuesday slammed the State government for its failure to address the issue of malnutrition among children within the six year age group, pregnant women and nursing mothers.
For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)
For representational purposes (Express Illustrations)

BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Tuesday slammed the State government for its failure to address the issue of malnutrition among children within the six-year age group, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Expressing concern over the high level of malnutrition and related problems in the State, national secretary of BJP Mahila Morcha Aishwaraya Biswal told a media conference that the government has miserably failed to achieve the objectives of reducing the level of stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia and infant birth weight.

She said the State is way behind the national average as far as low birth weight is concerned. Quoting findings from the National Family Health Survey, Biswal said around 30 per cent (pc) of children continue to be underweight in the State and the rate is highest in rural areas.She claimed that the rate of anemia among children and women is the highest in the country. The percentage of anemic women in the State has increased from 50 pc to 64 pc which is disturbing.

With the BJP observing the day as POSHAN Abhiyan Divas during its ongoing Social Justice Fortnight, Biswal said the rate of stunting and wasting among children in Odisha has shown a marginal decline. While 30 pc children under the age of five are stunted in the State, the rate of wasting is 18 pc.Referring to the Nagada malnutrition case, Biswal said the State government seems to have learned nothing from this shameful episode.

Accusing the State government of providing substandard quality food to anganwadi centres, the BJP leader said the poor nutritional condition of high number of children and women is due to delay in implementation of the National Nutrition Mission and lack of monitoring.

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The New Indian Express
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