Govt taking various steps to curb malnutrition: Maneka Gandhi

New Delhi, Dec 5: Various efforts, including training programmes for anganwadi workers, are being taken up by the government to tackle the problem of malnutrition problem, the Lok Sabha was informed on day.

Around 200 districts spread across different states have seen high malnutrition levels, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi told the Lok Sabha. Bihar, Chattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand are among the ten states having large number of cases of malnutrition.

Stressing that government has taken the problem of malnutrition seriously, Gandhi said various efforts are being made to address the issue. Efforts are being taken up on mission mode, she noted.

The government would soon come up with special cards for mother and child listing out various health parameters, he said.

The special cards initiative, which was taken up as a pilot project in West Bengal and Odisha, would now be extended to all 200 districts where malnutrition is at high levels, Gandhi said Besides, training programmes are planned for anganwadi workers and also work with them in a "defined way", she said.

Under the restructured Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), various new components, including 'Sneha Shivir', have been introduced. 'Sneha Shivir' is designed to be a community-based approach for the prevention as well as management of moderate and severe under nutrition.

This has been introduced "in 200 high burden districts of the country and is to be serviced through an additional anganwadi worker/nutrition counsellor at the anganwadi centre," the Minister said. During 2013-14 and 2014-15, as many as 1,61,665 and 2,07,189 'Sneha Shivir' camps have been sanctioned, respectively.

PTI