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UP minister unable to reply to SP member's query on malnutrition, says will respond in writing
UP minister unable to reply to SP member's query on malnutrition, says will respond in writing
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Women and Child Development and Nutrition Minister Baby Rani Maurya on Monday said in the Assembly that children in the state are being provided supplementary nutrition as per prescribed standards and that malnutrition levels have declined.
However, she was unable to respond to a supplementary question raised by a Samajwadi Party member and said the reply would be sent in writing.
During the Question Hour, SP member Dr Ragini Sonkar had sought details through a written question regarding special schemes to reduce chronic malnutrition among children in the state. The minister tabled a written reply.
Raising a supplementary question, Sonkar alleged that children, lactating mothers, pregnant women and adolescent girls in the state continue to suffer from malnutrition and anaemia.
She claimed that over 50 per cent of children, women and adolescent girls were affected by malnutrition.
She further questioned whether the government was sensitive to the plight of adolescent girls, mothers and children, and alleged irregularities in the department. Referring to the prescribed nutritional norms, she said the standard allocation was ₹8 per day for children aged six months to six years, ₹9.50 for women and ₹12 for adolescent girls.
Citing rising prices, she said gram costs around ₹80 per kilogram, milk ₹66 per litre and an egg more than ₹5. "If 250 ml of milk is given to a child, it itself costs around ₹12. In such a situation, how are you ensuring a 600-calorie meal with 30 grams of protein under the existing norms?" she asked, raising several other supplementary queries.
SP member Pankaj Malik also raised supplementary questions related to malnourished children in Muzaffarnagar district.
When Maurya began responding, Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana pointed out that members already had access to the written reply and asked her to address the specific supplementary questions raised.
Maurya said that the additional details sought had not been part of the original written question and she might not be able to respond immediately.
On the Speaker's observation that the "supplementary was related to the main question", the minister said the information sought separately by the member would be provided in writing.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
