Anadhra Pradesh CM launches nutrition schemes aimed at providing nutritious food to women, children

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday launched two nutrition schemes 'YSR Sampoorna Poshana' and 'YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus' which aim at providing nutritious food to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the malnutrition among the vulnerable section will be brought down by the two schemes by providing them nutritious food with a good menu. About 30.16 lakh mothers and children will benefit from the two schemes.

Over 52.9 per cent of the pregnant women across the state are suffering from acute anaemia, while 31.9 per cent of children are having low birth weight and 31.4 per cent of the children are suffering from stunted growth. In order to strengthen the future generations and to lower the malnutrition deaths, the State has introduced these schemes. While YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus is intended to supply nutritious food exclusively in 77 Tribal areas covering 8320 Anganwadi Centres, the remaining urban and rural areas lying in plain lands will be covered under YSR Sampoorna Poshana.

As many as 30,16,000 pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children belonging to BPL families will be benefited from this initiative, where the State government is spending Rs 1863 crore per annum. The previous government had spent Rs 2761 crore on providing a nutritious diet for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children in a span of five years not exceeding RS 200 on each beneficiary every month.

However, the state government will be spending Rs 1,863 crore every year to supply nutritious food under this scheme, with an expenditure of RS 1100 per beneficiary every month. In order to monitor the effective implementation of YSR Sampoorna Poshana, Department of Women Development and Child Welfare has developed a comprehensive mobile application to assess the service delivery and satisfaction levels of the beneficiaries.

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched YSR Sampoorna Poshana App, Pocket Book, and SOP Booklets. The Chief Minister has said that Anganwadis would hereafter serve as Pre Primary 1 and Pre Primary 2 schools laying a strong foundation for the first standard where the medium of instruction would be in English medium.

The 55,607 Anganwadis will hereafter be not just shelter homes but will impart bridge courses and prepare the children to enter the schools with basics besides having a nutritious food, he said. (ANI)

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