Bhubaneswar, Dec 7 (FN Representative) Odisha is the first state to introduce a separate nutrition budget and is all set for a targeted reduction in stunting and malnutrition. The state government is now spending on the social sector targeting health, education, nutrition and sanitation, Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra said while addressing the National Level Conclave on Childhood Stunting in India held here on Wednesday. He said 96.5 lakh families were covered under the food security programme. About 75 000 AWCs are actively involved in supplementary nutrition and take-home ration being carried through WSHGs, MDM being served in 55,000 schools with active participation of WSHGs, Ahara Kendras in urban bodies, fortified rice and millets being introduced in PDS and supplementary nutrition.
He said around cent percent of “MDM cooking and feeding is being done through WSHGs” and the household level data collection on “malnutrition and stunting is being done through a robust and reliable method” with regular checkup at AWC level. With all these Odisha is now ready to have an aggressive target for the reduction of malnutrition and stunting which would be possible to achieve in the coming few years. The Chief Secretary said the problem of stunting and malnutrition is multi-dimensional”, and as such would need a holistic action plan with and concerted efforts among various departments. Women and Child Development Secretary Subha Sharma, Nutrition Chief of Unicef Arjan de Wagt, Nutrition Expert Prof Srinath Reddy, and Chairperson Odisha State Food Security Commission Pramod Kumar Merkap highlighted various contours of malnutrition and child stunting. Mahapatra assured that the Government would provide all financial and administrative support for concrete suggestions that would emerge from the deliberations in the national seminar.