Children, pregnant women worst-hit as strike by anganwadi workers continues in Andhra Pradesh

Children, pregnant women worst-hit as strike by anganwadi workers continues in Andhra Pradesh. Many centres have been locked in Krishna and NTR districts; though the secretariat staff opened the centres in a few areas, there are no children.

Thousands of pre-school children at the anganwadi centres went without food for the eighth day on Tuesday as the centres remined closed following the State-wide strike by the workers in support of their demands.

There was no nutritious diet either for the pregnant and lactating women who had enrolled themselves at the anganwadi centres.

According to official sources, about 30 lakh women and children are being provided nutritious diet under 257 ICDS projects at 55,607 anganwadi centres.

The government is implementing the ‘YSR Sampoorna Poshana’ and ‘YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus’ (in tribal areas) and Take Home Ration (THR) to check malnutrition among pregnant and lactating women, and children.

“The government is providing 3 kg rice, 25 eggs, 1 kg dal, 2 kg multi-grain flour, 5 litres milk, 500-ml oil, 500 grams groundnuts, 500 grams dry dates, 1 kg ragi flour and 500 grams of jaggery every month under YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus,” says Madhavi, a pregnant woman. The scheme is being implemented in 77 tribal mandals in the State.

Under Take Home Ration, 2.5 kg ‘Balamrutam’, 30 eggs and six litres of milk are being provided to children aged between 7 months and three years.

“For children aged between three and six years, the meal that is served includes rice, dal, milk and egg every day,” says Lavanya, who used to bring her child daily to the pre-school.