Pay special attention to eradicate malnutrition and anaemia
PNS | VIJAYAWADA
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the officials to focus on exploring alternative teaching methods in foundation schools.
At the review meeting on the Women Development and Child Welfare Department held here on Wednesday, the Chief Minister virtually launched the YSR Sampoorna Poshana-Take Home Ration programme. He told the officials to take steps for improving English pronunciation skills and knowledge of kids in foundation schools.
Some pregnant women and lactating mothers received dry ration from the Chief Minister.
He said that while the TDP government spent only around Rs. 450 to Rs.500 crore annually on providing nutritious food to pregnant women, lactating mothers and kids, the present government is incurring an annual expenditure of Rs 2,300 crore for the purpose.
“There should be constant monitoring and quality control tests on food items,” he said, adding that official machinery should pay special attention to eradicate malnutrition and anaemia.
Two kg of ragi powder, one kg of rice flakes, three kg rice, 250 grams each of jaggery, chikki and dry dates, one kg of red gram, half litre edible oil, five liters of milk and 25 eggs are given every month under YSR Sampoorna Poshana. Meanwhile, one kg of ragi powder, two kg of multigrain atta, three kg rice, 500 grams each of jaggery, chikki and dry dates, one kg of red gram, half litre edible oil, five liters of milk and 25 eggs are given every month under YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus.
The Chief Minister said family doctors should also visit the anganwadi centers during their visits to villages and assess the health of the inmates and provide medical treatment, if needed.
Stating that the government had been implementing Amma Vodi, Kalyanamasthu- Shadi Tohfa, Vasathi Deevena and Vidya Deevena aimed at preventing child marriages and improving literacy among girls, he said that officials should extensively publicise these programmes in backward areas to create awareness.
“We have linked the Kalyanamasthu scheme with the qualification of Class 10 for this purpose,” he said. “Since we are imparting training to Class III kids on TOEFL, we need to concentrate on improving the language skills of Class II kids now to improve their IQ.
“While concentrating on alternative teaching methods to improve English pronunciation and phonetics among the kids of PP 1 and PP 2 in foundation schools, there should be a totally hygienic ambience in anganwadi centres with proper maintenance of toilets,” he said.
Representatives of Montessori schools discussed their educational system with the Chief Minister, who suggested that officials should visit those schools.
Women and Child Welfare Minister KV Ushasri Charan, Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy, Principal Secretary (Women and Child Welfare) G Jayalakshmi, AP Dairy Development Corporation MD A Babu, School Education Commissioner (Infrastructure) K Bhaskar, Civil Supplies Corporation VC and MD G Veerapandian, Health and Family Welfare Commissioner J Nivas, Women Development and Child Welfare Director A Vijaya Suneeta and other senior officials were present.
