Odisha plans ‘Nutrition at Doorstep’ for children with stunted, wasted growth
The Hindu
Keonjhar has a high number of children with stunted growth and anaemic pregnant women
Concerned over the presence of lakhs of families having children with stunted and wasted growth and anaemic pregnant women, the Odisha government is toying with idea of providing kitchen garden and poultry farms so that these targeted households would have access to nutritious food.
Odisha’s Women and Child Development (WCD) Department has furnished information about 13,48,707 households having members with stunted and wasted growth, underweight children and anaemic pregnant women.
As on June 2022, as many as 4,93,941 households had children identified with stunted growth, 1,31,099 (wasted growth), 2,69,784 (underweight children) and 4,53,883 (anaemic pregnant women).
Keonjhar, which is one of the India’s richest districts in terms of mineral reserve, has a high prevalence of people with such conditions. There are 98,918 such households in Keonjhar — highest among all 30 districts.
Keonjhar is followed by Balangir having 86,132 such households and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s home district Ganjam with 82,895 .
Keonjhar district is the recipient of the highest of ₹8,191 crore fund under the District Mineral Foundation(DMF) for taking up development and welfare projects and programmes in mining-affected areas.
“These households require immediate access to nutritious food. The Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment Department had sought information so that it could plan out support for promotion of nutrition at doorstep,” said a senior WCD official.
Almaya Munnettam (Lay People to the Fore), group in the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro-Malabar Church opposed to the synod-recommended Mass, rejected a circular issued by Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil and apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur on June 9 to implement the unified Mass in the archdiocese from July 3.
Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten stated that “not so great decision making” contributed to his side’s defeat to India in the Group-A T20 World Cup clash here on Sunday. The batting unit came apart in the chase, after being well placed at 72 for two. With 48 runs needed from eight overs, Pakistan found a way to panic and lose. “Maybe not so great decision making,” Kirsten said at the post-match press conference, when asked to explain the loss.