Access to Nutritious Food

Under the Anganwadi Services Scheme, supplementary nutrition is provided to children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years in the form of Take Home Ration to children (6 months to 3 years) and Morning Snacks and Hot Cooked Meal to children (3 – 6 years). The scheme is universal and open to all the eligible beneficiaries.

Under POSHAN Abhiyaan, comprehensive communication plan & IEC materials have been developed and intensive Mass Media Campaign is conducted through various mass media channels. Besides, during the home visits conducted by AWWs, the beneficiaries are counselled on nutrition related issues.

Government has also emphasized the importance of dietary diversification through the use of fresh local fruits and vegetables depending on the local food habits. In this context, States/UTs have been advised to promote Nutrition Garden/Kitchen Garden in the premises of Anganwadi Centers to help ensure regular supply of fresh fruits and vegetables rich in micronutrients like Iron, Vitamin-C, etc., for inclusion in supplementary nutritionand improve the nutritional status of the beneficiaries.

States/UTs have been advised to include Millets (nutri-cereals / coarse grains like Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, etc.) in the recipes to enhance the nutritional quality of food provided under Supplementary Nutrition Programme. Further, Take Home Ration (THR) is distributed to children (6 months – 3 years), pregnant women & lactating mothers and severely malnourished children through Anganwadi Centres in the State of Uttarakhand. Local foods like Manduwa, Chaulai, Black gram, Rajma, Soyabean, etc., are encouraged in THR.

This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Women and Child DevelopmentSmt. Smriti Zubin Irani in Lok Sabha today.