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In Dungarpur, free milk now for children at anganwari centres
Chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday launched the Dungarpur district administration’s initiative of free milk scheme to children at anganwari centres
Chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday launched the Dungarpur district administration’s initiative of free milk scheme to children at anganwari centres (AWCs). The initiative has been started on the lines of the Annapurna Doodh Yojana, which was launched on July 2 in the state for school children from class 1 to 8.
Dungarpur district collector Rajendra Bhatt, who was inspecting a primary school to check the implementation of the Annapurna Milk Scheme, found that the school also had an anganwari centre on its premises and those children were staring at the school children drinking milk. “I felt bad and thought that these children too should get milk. I spoke to various associations and donors and arranged money for the same,” he said.
He said Dungarpur district is a poor district as 93% people are covered under the National Food Security Act. “There are no industries in this tribal district and it is hilly and rocky. Most children in the district are malnourished and anaemic. When an appeal was made many people and groups came forward to support this cause,” said Bhatt.
Dungarpur district had 2,113 anganwari centres of which 704 AWCs are functioning in school premises. These 2,113 AWCs have 27,908 children aged three to six years and all these children will be given 50ml milk, thrice a week.
Rajasthan has 62,020 AWCs of which 18,476 AWCs are functioning in school premises. These AWCs have more than 26.50 lakh children, including 17.59 lakh children (6-36 months) and more than 9.60 lakh children (3-6 years).
Bhatt said one litre of milk can feed 20 children and the requirement will be around 45 litres of milk which will cost around ₹40,000-45,000.
Green Marble Association gave ₹15 lakh, Soapstone and Crusher Association gave ₹3 lakh and district collector gave a month’s salary, while it is optional for officers/employees of government departments to give a day’s salary.
Raje launched the Annapurna Milk Scheme on July 2 in Rajasthan. Under this scheme, children up to class 5 will get 150 millilitres of hot milk thrice every week and those in class 6 to 8 will get 200 millilitres as supplement nutrition to make them healthy.
In January this year, the centre had issued advisory asking states to include milk in the midday meal scheme to tackle high levels of malnourishment in the country.
Raje during her budget speech in 2018-19 had mentioned that milk will be a new inclusion in the midday meal scheme.
