Millet food festival launched in Rajanna-Sircilla

Millet food festival was launched on a grand scale in all anganwadi centers across the district on Saturday.

Rajanna Sircilla: Millet food festival was launched on a grand scale in all anganwadi centers across the district on Saturday. Based on the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao’s directions, the district administration has launched millet food festival and decided to conduct it on every second Saturday of a month.

As part of the festival, laddus made of Ragi and other millets were handed over to children below the age group of five years. Collector Anurag Jayanthi launched the millet food festival in an anganwadi center located in Rajivnagar ZPHS premises in Sircilla. Speaking on the occasion, the Collector informed that they have launched the millet food festival to ensure that no child in the district should suffer from malnutrition problem.

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State government recently released the details of children suffering from malnutrition problems. According to statistics, while 700 children were suffering from moderate malnutrition problems, 200 were facing severe malnutrition problems in the district.

To ensure that no child in the district should suffer from malnutrition, they have decided to distribute Ragi laddus to anganwadi children in addition to nutritious food being supplied to children by the state government.

36,000 children enrolled in 587 anganwadi centers would be provided laddus made by using Ragi flour, ghee and jaggery. Besides children, pregnant and lactating women would also be provided nutritious food, he informed.

Anemia has become a big problem for pregnant and lactating women. Anemic pregnant women were facing high-risk problems during the time of delivery. Anemia was showing a bad impact on mental and physical health of children below the age group of six years. The future of the children would also be disturbed if their health condition was not well.

Considering it as a more serious issue, the state government was focusing more on nutrition of children. As part of it, the millet food festival was launched in an agitation mode in all municipalities and villages. He thanked municipal chairman’s, ward members, village sarpanches, ward members, MPTCs, and ZPTCs for extending their support to successfully implement the food festival.

Media has to play a vital role in overcoming the malnutrition problem. A majority of the people have been exposed to BP, Diabetic and hypertension due to lack of physical activity. There was a chance to overcome the longstanding diseases by developing a habit to consume millets.

Advising the parents to provide nutritious food to their children, Anurag Jayanthi advised pregnant and lactation women suffering from anemia should take iron rich nutritious food. Later, collector along with Sircilla municipal chairperson Jindam Kala distributed Ragi laddus to children. District welfare minister Laxmirajam, municipal commissioner Sammaiah, MEPMA resource persons, ASHA workers, local public representatives and officials were present.