Industry & Economy
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Social Welfare
Nutri candies in offing
Our Bureau
Hyderabad
,
Nov. 14
NEEDY children in Andhra Pradesh can look forward to a special `Children's Day' gift. Candies fortified with essential micro-nutrients are to be provided to children between 2-6 years.
Thanks to an innovative initiative, the State Government in assistance with the Micro Nutrient Initiative, a project of the Canadian Government, candies fortified with vitamin `A', iron, vitamin `C' and folic acid would be given along with the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) supplementary food.
In addition to children, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers, who also suffer from the deficiency of these important nutrients, would be covered under the programme.
Currently, 31 lakh children and women are being provided supplementary nutrition to meet the calorie and protein gap through the ICDS network.
The project formally launched by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, today and to be implemented over the next 18 months would involve an investment of Rs 3.5 crore.
The Micro Nutrient Initiative would procure the candies and supply it to the ICDS on a quarterly basis. The candies would then be distributed to the target groups through the Anganwadi network.
About 6.35 lakh children and another 3.34 lakh women are to be reached through 100 Anganwadis through the implementation of around 100 projects under the initiative, according to State Government officials.
The State Government has provided Rs 145 crore in the annual budget for 2003-04, an increase of nearly Rs 66 crore compared to the previous year, the officials claimed.
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