The Chhattisgarh Government has opened new 29,000 anganwadi centres for ensuring overall healthcare of children below 6 years of age.
The total number of anganwadi centres during the past one decade has crossed 50,000 mark, officials stated.
Notably, these anganwadi centres provide nutritious food, vaccinations, supplementary diet to children between six months and six years of age.
The State Government has hiked budget of Woman and Child Development Department by 20 per cent as compared to last year. In the current year, `1601.74 cr has been sanctioned for the department.
Officials informed that between 2001 and 2004 , the State had 21,125 anganwadi centres which by 2014 have reached 50,311 registering growth of 21,186 centres. This includes 43,763 Anganwadis and 6,548 mini Anganwadis. Earlier between 2001 and 2004 Chhattisgarh had only 863 anganwadis which by 2014 has reached 6,548, they said.
In anganwadis of all 27 districts, through 220 different projects being run under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), 20.55 lakh children and their mothers/ pregnant woman are being provided with nutritious food, officials said.
These projects include 121 in tribal areas and 84 in rural regions. For urban areas 15 Integrated Child Development Program are being run. These projects have started yielding good results, officials claim.
According to officials, in year 2006 the infant mortality rate (IMR) was 61 in every 1,000 live births which by 2013 reached 47. Similarly, the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in 1999-2001 was 407 per 1 lakh deliveries which by 2012-13 reached 230 per 1 lakh deliveries. Between 2005 and 2006, the malnutrition rate was 47 per cent which by 2914 has been reduced to 32.51 per cent.
Officials further informed that Ready-to-Eat food for these Anganwadi centers are being prepared and supplied by 1,568 women self help groups.