Niti VC pitches for strengthening 'Take Home Ration' scheme

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman K Bery on Thursday said there is a need to further strengthen the 'Take Home Ration' programme to achieve nutritional targets in a time-bound manner.

The Take Home Ration (THR) programme provides fortified rations for home use for children aged between 6 and 36 months, and pregnant and lactating women.

Launching a report titled 'Take Home Ration - Good Practices across the State/Union Territories', Bery said this document will help state governments and Union Territories to adopt good practices in their THR programmes.

Bery noted that the THR programme has been found to be very resilient in the face of the COVID-19 disruption and has helped communities to manage the negative impact of the pandemic on child and maternal nutrition.

Also speaking at the event, NITI Aayog member V K Paul said there is a need to develop and maintain the highest standards for ensuring quality in THR.

The entire THR value chain must ensure quality, transparency, and efficiency, he added.

The report suggests that in order to realise the full potential of THR, all components of this value chain need to function at optimum.

This requires building a robust system for procurement, supply chain management and monitoring that ensures complete transparency, standardised process, sustainability, full coverage, leverages local ties, fosters a culture of collaboration and builds trust within a community, it said.

According to the report, these measures improve THR access in rural areas, enhance community ownership and promote income generating activities and female empowerment.