UNICEF concerned over malnutrition cases in J'khand

Ranchi, Apr 25 (UNI) Expressing concern over the increasing trend of malnutrition among children in Jharkhand, the UNICEF today suggested effective measures to control it.

''The trend should be taken as a challenge as about 60 per cent of the children in Jharkhand are suffering from malnutrition,'' Unicef's state representative Prakash Gurnani said.

Addressing a programme of Anganbari sevikas, Mr Gurnani said effective measures should be taken to control malnutrition so that children facing it were out of its radius.

He urged the sevikas to join hands with the health department employees in distributing the dose of vitamin 'A' to control the female death rate.

In his suggestion to the state government, Mr Gurnani said the performing sevikas should be rewarded and those centres classified by the government.

Welcoming his suggestions Mr U K Sangma, secretary of social welfare women and child development department, said the government would classify the performing anganbari centres.

Urging the sevikas to put in their best, Mr Sangma said the supreme court was also watching their performance.

The Bihar chief secretary has to file a report to the Apex court in this regard in July, he said.

Appreciating the 'active' sevikas, Mr Sangma said about 25 per cent post of the women observers would be filled by Anganbari sevikas, adding all the divisional commissioners had been intimated in this regard.

In all 42 sevikas were felicitated by the state government for their services for the year 2004-05.

Besides, two sevikas nominated for the national award for that year were felicitated on the occasion.

UNI