Uttarakhand government will soon launch Saubhagyavati Yojana under which it would provide special kits with essential items for “proper care and nourishment” of pregnant women and newborns in the state, said officials on Saturday.
Under the soon to be launched programme of its women and child development department, the government aims to promote proper nourishment as well as sanitisation in households with pregnant women and newborn babies.
Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said, “There will be two separate kits provided for a pregnant woman and her newborn under the programme. It is to make sure that both of them are properly taken care of.”
Rekha Arya, minister for women and child development informed that both the kits will have about 7-8 items for which the budget was already sanctioned during the budget session in March.
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“We have identified about 30,000-40,000 pregnant women as the beneficiaries under the programme in the first phase. They would be provided with the kits which will include dry fruits, women and baby clothes, sanitary napkins, diapers, woollen shawl, blankets, bedsheets, soaps, oil, blankets and other items,” said Arya.
{{/usCountry}}“We have identified about 30,000-40,000 pregnant women as the beneficiaries under the programme in the first phase. They would be provided with the kits which will include dry fruits, women and baby clothes, sanitary napkins, diapers, woollen shawl, blankets, bedsheets, soaps, oil, blankets and other items,” said Arya.
{{/usCountry}}She informed that the programme was “supposed to be launched earlier only but got delayed due to the pandemic”.
The CM meanwhile, hailed the initiative as an important one for the state.
“The initiative becomes important with the fact that for a healthy society, pregnant women and newborns must be well looked after,” he said.