Odisha is in the news for malnutrition death in Nagada village of Jajpur district. Today a central team is also visiting the village for further inquiry.
About 40.7% children of aged in between 6 months to 5 years are prey to malnourished in Odisha. Likewise 41.4% women of age group in between 15 to 59 are not getting nutritious food. Odisha is the 5th state in women malnutrition in the country while 8th in the list of child malnutrition.
The state runs so many welfare schemes for the children both in urban and rural Odisha. The CM has emphasized on Integrated Children Development Scheme. For the development of the children, Biju Bal Bikash Yojana is also running. But all these schemes seem vague. And the state government has failed to implement development scheme in the grass root level.
The roles of Angawnwari are vital for pregnant women and new born babies in rural area of the state. But 70% Angawnwari are running without their own building. In 20% of the centre, there is no worker or assistant. The Women and Child Development Department of the state runs 71,306 Angawanwari and mini Angawnwari centre. In between 2010-2011 to 2014-15, 22608 centres have been sanctioned funds to construct building from these angawanwadi centres. But unfortunately, only 5159 centres have completed the building construction till March 2015. The constructions works of the remaining centres are not getting completed since last 5 years.
That’s why maximum Angawanwadi centres are running in club, temple, or panchayat houses or even on the veranda of any kind hearted person of the village.
Malnutrition is found generally in the adivasi affluent districts like Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Sundergarh, Kendujhar, and Mayurbhanj. But now it has spread to district like Jajpur in the coastal belt of Odisha.
