Bhubaneswar: In a step to combat malnutrition, the Odisha government on Tuesday announced a hike in the nutritional support for severely underweight children.
Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida also announced enhanced breakfast allocations for Anganwadi pre-school children.
The daily cost of supplementary nutrition provided to severely underweight children aged between six months and six years has been increased from Rs 8 to Rs 12. In addition, Rs 6 per child per day is being provided under the Mukhyamantri Sampoorna Pushti Yojana. As a result, these children will now receive nutrition worth a total of Rs 18 per day.
Around 35,000 severely underweight children across the state are expected to benefit directly from this enhancement. The state government will bear an additional annual expenditure of approximately Rs 10.7 crore for the initiative.
Similarly, the daily allocation for breakfast provided to pre-school children (3–6 years) at Anganwadi centres has been increased from Rs 1.24 to Rs 3.56. The State government will incur an additional annual expenditure of approximately Rs 126.83 crore from its own budget towards this enhancement.
The initiative will benefit around 35,000 severely underweight children across the state. The Odisha government will incur an additional expenditure of Rs 126.83 crore from its own resources to implement the enhanced nutritional package.
The Deputy CM was speaking after launching a digital booklet focusing on nutrition during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. The booklet provides comprehensive guidance on nutrition and healthcare from pregnancy—covering the 270 days in the mother’s womb—through the first two years after birth.
Speaking on the occasion, Parida said greater awareness among mothers through the booklet would help reduce childbirth-related complications and improve child health outcomes. She expressed confidence that such interventions would contribute significantly to the state’s goal of eliminating malnutrition by 2036.
The Women and Child Development Department is working in mission mode to build a malnutrition-free Odisha and appreciated the department’s proactive efforts in identifying and treating malnourished children across the state, she said.
