The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : 50 p.c. of children at anganwadis underweight

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Sunday, Sep 07, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

50 p.c. of children at anganwadis underweight

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Over 50 per cent of the 34 lakh children in the State, who get nutritious food through anganawadi centres under the government schemes, are underweight, Bindu, Joint Director, Department of Women and Child Development, said on Saturday.

A survey by the department has shown that only 46 per cent of these children were of average weight. Of the remaining 36 per cent came under Grade I and 17 per cent under Grade II, Dr. Bindu said after inaugurating a State-level symposium on “Invest in Child Nutrition” organised by Food and Nutrition Board, Union Ministry of Women and Child Development here as part of the 27th National Nutrition Workshop.

Karnataka’s Department of Women and Child Development has annual budgetary allocation of Rs. 625 crore and around 50 per cent of this amount was being spent on providing nutritious foods to children through anganawadi centres, she said.

Delivering the presidential address, Muni Reddy, Deputy Director, Department of Women and Child Development, said the nutrition level of children could not be improved unless there was an improvement in the economic status of the families.

Nutritious food supplied through anganawadi centres had marginally improved the nutrition levels.

Although comprehensive child development programme had been in force since 1975, the problem of malnutrition still haunts the country.

The organisers of the symposium, which started 40 minutes behind schedule, were embarrassed as a majority of the guests did not turn up.

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