Modi to launch 'Bal-Bhog' scheme to check malnutrition

Gandhinagar, June 12 (UNI) Chief Minister Narendra Modi will launch a ''Bal-Bhog'' scheme tomorrow that is aimed at checking malnutrition among children.

Under the scheme, nutritious food will be made available to poor children and about 10 lakh children in the age group of six months to three years will be benefited, an official reelease here said.

The scheme will also cover expecting mothers and adolescent girls, the release added.

The scheme is part of the fortification of supplementary nutrition under Integrated Child Development Scheme(ICDS). Under ICDS, the government had started fortified flour on a pilot basis in June 2006 in Daskroi taluka in Ahmedabad district. It was later extended to Sabarkantha and Ahmedabad district in May 2007. It is now planned to cover entire state by the next one month, the release said.

From next year, in August, a chocolate called ''Bal Bhog chocolate'' with micronutrients and vitamins would be distributed in Banaskantha, Vadodara, Bharuch, Dangs, Sabarkantha, Surat, Valsad and Navsari district, the release said.

UNI