Chhattisgarh Govt.’s ‘Ready to Eat Food’ scheme, a blessing for children, mothers

RAIPUR - Taking note of the fact that malnutrition claims the lives of several innocent children and mothers every year, the Chhattisgarh Government has initiated a ‘Ready to Eat Food’ scheme, which provides proper nourishment to the needy.

Besides providing better nourishment, the scheme also provides employment to a large number of people in the State.

The ‘Self-Assistance Centers’ in the State manufacture the ‘Ready to Eat Food’. This scheme, which is operated by the Women Child Development Department, also provides employment to women.

One such, which provides employment to women, is the ‘Maa Sharda Self-Assistance’ group.

“With the help of this scheme, the income of several women is on the rise. They want to move ahead in life. Presently, the homes of several families are running with the earnings earned from this scheme,” said Helna Prabha Minj, President, Self-Assistance Group.

“Under the ‘Ready to Eat Food’ scheme, ‘Maa Sharda Self-Assistance’ group keeps a check that nourish food is provided to the children and mothers. The food is distributed every Tuesday or Friday in ‘Anganwadi Centers’, where vaccination is done,” added Anupama Singh, Officer, Child Development Scheme, Baikunthpur.

Under this scheme, children under the age group of six months to three years, mothers and pregnant women are provided with ‘Ready to Eat Food’. The food, which is delivered under this scheme, is served to the children after mixing them in boiling water. Besides this, the food, which has ingredients of proteins and calories in it, can also be served in the form of sweets.

“This food provides a nourished food to the children. It has contents of proteins and calories in it,” added Anupama Singh.

Under the Child Development Programmes, the ‘Ready to Eat Food’ is being distributed in every ‘Anganwadi Center’, where people come for vaccination. A lot of enthusiasm can be witnessed on the faces of the mothers, who assemble in large numbers at the various ‘Anganwadi Centers’ to avail the benefits of this scheme.

“I and my children are getting the opportunity to eat ‘Ready to Eat Food’. This food is benefiting us and is even tasty to eat. Even the children like this food, as they eat it with full dedication,” said a woman, who avails the benefits of ‘Ready to Eat Food’ scheme. (ANI)