Chhattisgarh Government on Monday said the number of malnourished children has decreased by 13.79 per cent in the state under the 'Mukhyamantri Suposhan Yojana'.

In a bid to eradicate malnutrition among children and women, Chhattisgarh government in October 2019 had launched the Mukhyamantri Suposhan Yojana, on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. "According to the data obtained from the 'vazan tihar' held in the year 2019, 9 lakh 70 thousand children were malnourished in the state, out of which 67 thousand 889 children have become free from malnutrition as on March 2020. In this way the number of malnourished children has decreased by 13.79 per cent, which is a major victory in the battle against malnutrition," said an official statement.

According to National Family Survey-4, 37.7 per cent children under the age of 5 years were suffering from malnutrition and 47 per cent women aged 15 to 49 years were suffering from anaemia. "As per the data, 9 lakh 70 thousand children were malnourished in the state. Most of these were tribal and children from remote forest areas," the statement outlined.

As per the statement, under this campaign, local free nutritious food and hot-cooked food was being distributed to the malnourished women and children, in addition to the distribution of supplementary nutritious food to the identified children in the Anganwadi centre.

Anaemia affected people are being provided with iron, folic acid, antihelminth tablets. "All Anganwadi and Mini Anganwadi centres have been closed for prevention and control of infection of COVID-19. In such a situation, to maintain the nutrition-level of children and women, Chief Minister has ensured distribution of ready-to-eat nutritious food to about 28 lakh 78 thousand beneficiaries of 51 thousand 455 Anganwadi centres in the state with the help of Anganwadi workers," according to the statement.

Under the Mukhyamantri Suposhan Yojana, arrangements have been made to distribute dry rations in place of cooked food to the beneficiaries. The target of the scheme is to make Chhattisgarh malnutrition-free in three years.