CG fails to utilise Centre’s fund for Poshan Abhiyan
   Date :15-Jan-2020

CG fails to utilise Centr
 
 
Staff Reporter :
 
Bhilai,
 
Despite high rate of malnutrition, Chhattisgarh utilised a mere 25.2 per cent of the funds released under the Poshan Abhiyan or the National Nutrition Mission between December 2017 and 2019 and surprisingly more than 50 per cent of the children below the age of 5 years in 18 out of total 27 districts were identified as malnourished like underweight, low birth weight and anaemic. But still Health Department as well as Woman and Child Development Department failed to use these funds in last two years which would prove a boon to control rate of malnutrition among children.
 
According to the latest report of Union Ministry of Woman and Child Development Department, apart from Mizoram, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh, none of the states including Chhattisgarh used even 30 per cent of the sum granted under this flagship scheme from December 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019. In Chhattisgarh, under this scheme, a sum of 180 crore rupees were released, but State managed to use only 45 crore rupees in these two years to control cases of malnutrition as well as anaemia cases in girls below the age of five years.
 
It may be mentioned here that the Poshan Abhiyan, the centre’s flagship scheme is aimed at improving nutritional outcomes among pregnant women, lactating mothers and children below the age of five years by reducing the level of stunting, underweight, anaemia, poor height and low birth weight by 2022. It is meant to benefit more than 10 crore people all over nation including 60 lakh women as well as children of Chhattisgarh and it was launched by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Union Ministry of Woman and Child Development with Centre’s support on December 1, 2017. As part of this scheme, 60 per cent of funds were provided by Centre while 40 per cent funds were allotted to it by State’s Department of Health and Woman and Child Development.
 
But in 2018 and 2019, Chhattisgarh used only one-fourth of its allotted funds under this scheme. Due to elections (first State Assembly and then Parliamentary) and other reasons, both departments of State did not take any measures to arrange funds and use it to improve the nutritional status of both pregnant women and infants. In 2019, Chhattisgarh was one of the 12 states which had used less than a third of the funds released. “The programme was conceptualised as one to be implemented in phases. In Chhattisgarh, malnutrition is a major health problem in infants and proper utilisation of funds in last two years would have definitely change the scenario and given a different or positive picture, said Dr R K Malhotra, Senior Paediatrician of Chhattisgarh Health Department.
 
Till December 2019, over 6.5 lakh children of 27 districts in State below the age of 5 years were identified malnourished. Around 4.2 lakh pregnant women were found either underweight or anaemic and 4.5 lakh children were wasted (low weight for height). When contacted, Niharika Singh, Secretary of Chhattisgarh Health Department, She said that without support or cooperation of Woman and Child Development Department, it is not possible to implement this scheme properly. The Health Department is taking several measures but all funds are to be released by woman and child development department. On the other hand, Anila Bhediya, Woman and Child Development Minister of Chhattisgarh refused to comment on the matter.