Sundargarh: With the Sundargarh administration deciding to extend the Strategy for Odisha’s Pathway to Accelerated Nutrition (SOPAN) to non-SOPAN areas, the state government’s flagship nutrition programme now covers all 17 blocks and 4 ULBs of the district.
The SOPAN was implemented in 125 blocks under 22 districts through the Anganwadi Centres (AWC) on April 1, 2022. Seven blocks of Sundargarh district, largely affected by mining operations, were a part of this scheme.
However, utilising funds from District Mineral Foundation (DMF), the local administration has extended the nutrition cover throughout the district. The extension programme was launched at a special event at Zilla Sanskruti Bhawan in Sundargarh on Thursday.
SOPAN aims at ensuring additional nutrition among the target beneficiaries. As per the provision, Severely Under Weight (SUW) children will be given specially formulated ‘Chhatua’ for 75 days. Similarly, both pregnant women and lactating mothers will be provided cooked meal through the AWCs for 150 days each while adolescent girls will be given special attention to supplement their nutrition.
“Looking into the need of the people of various blocks of the district, we are trying to come up with diverse initiatives. The programmes launched today will benefit children and women, students, working women, and the rural population at large. As a matter of priority, we are seeking suggestions and proposals from the public and involving the Gram Sabha while designing and delivering various projects,” said district collector Nikhil Pavan Kalyan.
To help women workers and daily wagers keep their children safe, provide nutrition and a learning environment, modern creches called ‘Kalika’ are being built by the district administration. In the first phase, 90 such creches are getting ready in 6 mining affected blocks.
In order to provide better facilities to the boarders of Govt High School hostels, the administration has taken up transformation programme in 135 hostels in the first phase. It has also taken development of ponds across 279 panchayats.
To inform the public about various priority programmes supported by DMF, invite feedback and engage with various stakeholders, the new website of DMF Sundargarh www.dmfsundargarh.in was launched on the occasion.
Sundargarh District’s Flagship Health Programme ‘Matrujyoti’ was expanded. Kangaroo Mother Care Unit having Kangaroo mother care kit has been provisioned at 17 Maternity Centres of the district. Similarly, Neonatal Ambulance Service was launched while the administration signed a MoU with Rourkela based ASTHA Mother & Child Care Hospital as a referral centre for specialty paediatric health services at the ASHA & GKS Convention.
Under the administration’s flagship public library and book reading initiative ‘Sundargarh Bahi Padha’, books were distributed among students, teachers and public libraries. Similarly, various books were also given away for the inmates of Sundargarh, Rourkela and Bonai Jails.
Sundargarh MLA Sadar Kusum Tete, Talsara MLA Bhabani S Bhoi and senior officials were present on the occasion.
