Madhya Pradesh Woman and Child Development Minister Maya Singh on Wednesday claimed that the malnutrition problems in the State have come down considerably during the past ten years.
While talking to mediapersons, presenting her Department’s report card on the completion of one year in the office, Maya Singh said, “In 2003, the child malnutrition rate was 66.7 per cent while it has come down to 51.9 per cent now. The Government had introduced ‘Suposhan’ Yojana to combat the malnutrition effectively.”
Singh said, from Government’s ambitious ladlilaxmi scheme which is being emulated by other States also 18.62 lakh girl children were benefited in the State and Rs4,500 crore were spent for this scheme. No other State had spent so much funds for it, she claimed while adding that despite such success, there might be some problems with the girls and the Government is trying to resolve it. Under the scheme, the State Government buys National Saving Certificate for girls from time to time and the deposit swells to more than Rs1 lakh when she turns 21.
More than 1.36 lakh girls have been benefited under the scheme in last 12 months, Singh told, adding that more than 16 lakh families have adopted family planning measure after introduction of the scheme. Couples that go for fourth baby are denied the scheme benefits.
Singh said that to reap the benefit of the scheme, the girl child has to go to school and as a result of this more than 6.73 lakh girls are studying. At schools, girls are also immunised against various diseases. She said lado Abhiyan was also introduced under which several child marriage were prevented. The Minister said that Anganwadi project was a great success in the State and an additional 4,905 centres were opened this year.
She said Infant Mortality Rate and Maternal Mortality Rate also came down and in 2003 it was 86 per cent per 1,000 and now it is 54 per cent.A special programme had also been launched to develop the women folk both socio-economically and politically and syllabus for the first year was also prepared.