Chief Minister Harish Rawat and his wife Renuka Rawat launched Khilti Kaliyan — Chief Minister Child Nutrition campaign in Dehradun on Friday. As part of this campaign, public representatives and officials will adopt malnourished children of the State and monitor them to bring about an improvement in their level of nourishment. The CM and his wife adopted four children — Sumarla, aged about two and a half years and 11 month old Ahil, Naman and Palak on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the CM said that participation in such schemes is sign of an aware society. He said, “To ensure that this initiative does not remain a mere formality, it is our responsibility to consistently seek information about the children adopted. The Social Welfare department along with Woman and Child Development department should undertake this campaign across the State. The State Government has accorded special importance to nutrition for pregnant women and attempted to increase the nutritional level by including millets, soyabean and iodised salt in their diet. It is good that there has been a seven per cent drop in the State’s maternal mortality rate in the last one year though there is need for further decreasing the MMR. Industrial institutions also need to come forward for participating in such programmes while the Health department should organise special medical camps for malnourished children and women,” added the CM.
The CM’s wife Renuka Rawat said that Khilti Kaliya campaign will help in tackling the problem of malnourishment in children. She said, “If we adopt a couple of children each, it would prove helpful in improving their nutritional level. Participating in this campaign will also help us fulfill our responsibilities towards society. The scope of this campaign will have to be widened as the intended benefit will be achieved only if the nutritional and education level of the children adopted is consistently monitored,” she said. Principal secretary Radha Raturi also spoke on the occasion.