BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday emphasised the need for a robust monitoring and evaluation system to ensure quality production and distribution of chhatua (a fortified food mix) under the take-home-ration (THR) scheme aimed at combating malnutrition.
Reviewing various programmes of the Women and Child Development department at a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhawan, the chief minister said the health of children and women is crucial for the state’s development and cannot be compromised under any circumstance. It is essential to have rigorous monitoring and evaluation at every stage of this system starting from production of chhatua to packaging and distribution.
Under the supplementary nutrition scheme, over 43.92 lakh beneficiaries are provided chhatua and other nutritional supplements through 546 self-help groups (SHGs). Majhi directed the department to prioritise the construction of Anganwadi centres in areas where there is no permanent building due to non-availability of government land. In such cases, the department is free to buy land for the purpose.
He further emphasised on repair and maintenance of existing centres and mandated 100 coverage of own buildings for Anganwadis in OMBADC and DMF districts with allocation of funds from these sources. He also directed the department to expand the coverage under the Mukhyamantri Sampoorna Pushti Yojana to ensure nutritional supplements reaches children and women unable to visit Anganwadi centres to collect their the ration with timely delivery to their homes.
The chief minister asked the department to involve micro and small industries in supplying uniforms and footwear for Anganwadi children.
The meeting was attended by the deputy chief minister and W&CD minister Pravati Parida, chief secretary Manoj Ahuja, development commissioner, Anu Garg and W&CD principal secretary Shuba Sharma and other senior officers.