MP accelerates fight against malnutrition, child marriage, and women empowerment

 

 

 

Madhya Pradesh has made historic progress in addressing malnutrition, child protection, and women’s empowerment over the past two years under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav and aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Developed India-2047” vision, a press conference by the Women and Child Development Ministry revealed on Friday. Minister Nirmala Bhuria highlighted that malnutrition among children, often aggravated by early marriages, remains a critical focus area. Early marriage not only impacts a girl’s health but also increases the likelihood of malnutrition in her children, perpetuating a cycle of poor health across generations. Co-ordinated efforts by the state have successfully reduced child marriage rates from

 

32.4% to 23.1%, according to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS). Programmes such as Ladli Laxmi and Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao are directly addressing these issues. Over 52 lakh girls have been registered under Ladli Laxmi, and 6.4 lakh girls received scholarships and incentives worth over Rs 350 crore, ensuring better access to nutrition, healthcare, and education. Community awareness campaigns, run in collaboration with Government departments, NGOs, social institutions, and local leaders, have played a key role in educating society about the risks of early marriage and malnutrition. Digital initiatives including the Anganwadi Services Contact App,

 

Nutrition Tracker, and Facial Recognition System have strengthened monitoring and transparency, ensuring timely delivery of nutritional supplements to children, pregnant, and lactating women. Under the Chief Minister’s Child Health Promotion Program, children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), and underweight (SUW) are being systematically identified and provided with treatment, supplementary nutrition, and continuous monitoring both at Nutrition Rehabilitation Centers (NRCs) and community levels. Significant improvements in child nutrition are reflected in

 

NFHS data. Underweight children have decreased from 42.8% to 33%, stunting from 42% to 35.7%, wasting from 25.8% to 19%, and severe malnutrition from 9.2% to 6.5%, positioning Madhya Pradesh among the fastest-improving states in the country. Women’s empowerment initiatives complement nutrition efforts. The Pink Driving License campaign, skill training for girls, One Stop Centers, and helpline 181 enhance women’s independence, safety, and awareness. The Ladli Bahna scheme has benefitted 1.26 crore women with over Rs 48,632 crore transferred directly to accounts, fostering economic empowerment.