PM Modi to visit Gujarat on June 18, launch ₹21,000 cr projects at mega event

PM Narendra Modi will launch the Gujarat scheme that will provide for nutritious food to pregnant and lactating mothers and their children for 1,000 days

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat on June 18 where he will inaugurate and lay foundation stone of projects worth over ₹21,000 crore during the Gujarat Gaurav Abhiyan in Vadodara, the Gujarat government said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay foundation stones and commission projects worth ₹21,000 crore during his June 18 visit. (ANI/ PIB/Representative Image)

During the event, PM Modi will also launch the Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Yojana that is designed to provide nutritious food to pregnant and lactating mothers along with their child for 1,000 days to improve their nutritional status , the statement said.

Simultaneously, the government will also launched the ‘Poshan Sudha Yojana’ in all the tribal talukas of the state that will cover women of the tribal areas under the scheme, it said.

The central government’s ‘Poshan Abhiyan’ also calls for critical interventions and providing essential services including proper food with proteins, fats, as well as other micronutrients.

“With this in mind, the government of Gujarat has approved Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Yojana for providing nutritious food to pregnant and lactating mothers during the first 1,000 days,” the government statement said.

The state government has allocated a budget of ₹811 crore this year and will make a provision of ₹4,000 crore over the next five years.

The government has implemented the Poshan Sudha Yojana in 10 talukas of five districts in tribal areas of Gujarat. After its success, the government is expanding the scheme in a total 14 tribal districts comprising 106 talukas, it said.

Under this scheme, pregnant and lactating mothers registered at anganwadi are provided with a one- time full nutritious meal. In addition, iron and calcium tablets as well as education on health and nutrition is also offered. A special mobile application has also been created to monitor and review of the scheme.

A provision of ₹118 crore has been set aside for this scheme this year and will cover an estimated 1.36 lakh beneficiaries every month.