About four lakh children are being fed sweetened, flavoured and nutritious milk under the Chief Minister 'Amrut Yojana' at Anganwadi centres across Chhattisgarh.
The aim of the programme is to curb malnourishment among children and make them healthy adults of future. The programme had been launched by the State Women and Child Development Department.
Women and Child Development Department Secretary Sonmani Bora said that Chhattisgarh is the first State in the country to implement such a project for making children healthy.
Chief Minister Raman Singh had launched the programme on April 29 at Sukma district as a part of lok Suraj Mission. The flavoured and nutritious milk is provided to children in the age-group of 3-6 years once a week at all the Anganwadi centres of the State.
Bora added that milk was provided at 138 project regions on Monday and the District Collectors, Field-level officers of the Women and Child Development Department officers and others visited the Anganwadi centres and tasted the milk first and then offered it to children in a bid to convince the children that flavoured milk is safe for health.
The parents of the wards and Anganwadis' workers were also present on the occasion. Bora personally visited three Anganwadi centres in the Raipur district and tasted the flavoured milk and then allowed the children to consume it.
Bora added that on the instructions of Chief Minister Raman Singh and Minister for Women and Child Development Minister Ramsheela Sahu, all District Collectors, District Women and Child Development Department officers are monitoring the 'Amrut Yojana' scheme.
Bora added that to make scheme more effective and better the department
officials are being imparted training in the finer aspects of the programme.
A State-level training will be held for all the district officers in the Capital on June 8. Master trainers and programme officers will provide training to the officials. Bora added that 'Amrut Yojana' is on top of the list of State Government. Chief Minister had instructed the officers to monitor the quality of milk at all times closely.