State's annual spend for nutrition at Rs 2,300 crore: CM Jagan

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the YSR Sampoorna Poshana (take-home ration) programme at his camp office in Tadepalli on Wednesday. He personally handed over ration kits to the beneficiaries.

The Chief Minister said this was a priority area for his government. In the past, the TD government spent only Rs 450 to Rs 500 crore per year towards nutrition supply to pregnant women, infants and children. The annual expenditure of the present government towards nutrition programmes for such beneficiaries is about Rs 2,300 crore.

Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the officials to focus on exploring alternative teaching methods to children in foundation schools.

At the review meeting he held on women and child welfare here, the Chief Minister virtually launched the YSR Sampoorna Poshana-Take Home Ration programme. He told officials to undertake steps for improving children’s English pronunciation skills and knowledge in foundation schools. Some pregnant women and lactating mothers received dry ration from the CM.

“There should be constant monitoring and quality control tests on the quality of food items,” the CM said, adding that the official machinery should pay special attention to eradicate malnutrition and anaemia.

Two kg of Ragi powder,  1 kg of rice flakes, 3 kg rice, 250 grams each of jaggery, chikki and dry dates, 1 kg of red gram, half a litre of edible oil, 5 litres of milk and 25 eggs are given every month to the beneficiaries under YSR Sampoorna Poshana.

These apart, 1 kg of Ragi powder, 2 kg of multigrain attaa, 3 kg rice, 500 grams each of jaggery, chikki and dry dates, 1 kg red gram, half a litre of edible oil, 5 litres of milk and 25 eggs are given every month to the beneficiaries under YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said family doctors should visit the Anganwadi centres during their visits to villages, assess the health of the inmates and provide medical treatment, if need be.

“We have linked the Kalyanamasthu scheme to the qualification of Class X for this purpose. Since we are imparting training to Class III kids on TOEFL, we need to concentrate on improving the language skills of Class II kids now, for improving their IQ,” he said.

“While concentrating on alternative teaching methods to improve English pronunciation and phonetics among the kids of PP 1 and PP 2 in foundation schools, there should be a totally hygienic ambience in Anganwadi centres with proper maintenance of toilets.”

Representatives of Montessori Schools discussed their educational system with the CM, who suggested that officials visit those schools.

Women and child welfare minister Ushasri Charan, CS Jawahar Reddy, PS (women and child welfare) Jayalakshmi, dairy corporation MD Ahmad Babu, school education commissioner K Bhaskar, civil supplies corporation MD Veerapandian, Health and family welfare commissioner J Nivas, women and child welfare director Vijaya Sunita were present.