Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched YSR Sampoorna Poshana, YSR Sampoorna Poshana plus-Take Home Ration programme in virtual mode from his camp office at Tadepalli near here on August 2 (Wednesday).
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Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the previous TDP government had spent only around ₹500 crore annually on providing nutritious food to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children. “The YSRCP government is incurring an annual expenditure of ₹2,300 crore in this regard. We are strengthening such programmes to ensure that our future generations are healthy. The government is not hesitating to spend more on that supply of nutritious food to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children. The officials need to focus on eradicating malnutrition and anaemia,” he said.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that family doctors should visit the anganwadi centres and assess the health of the children and provide treatment accordingly. “There should be constant monitoring and tests on the quality of food items being supplied to the beneficairies,” he said.
The government is implementing Amma Vodi, Kalyanamasthu, Shadi Tohfa, Vasathi Deevena and Vidya Deevena aimed at preventing child marriages and improving literacy among girls, he said, adding that that officials should extensively promote these programmes in the backward areas to create awareness.
“We have linked the Kalyanamasthu scheme with the qualification of class 10 for this purpose,” he said.
The government is imparting training in TOEFL to Class III children and it is necessary to concentrate on improving the language skills of the students. Taking steps for improving English pronunciation skills and knowledge of children in foundation schools is also important, he said, adding that while concentrating on alternative teaching methods to improve English pronunciation and phonetics among the children in foundation schools, there should be a hygienic ambience at anganwadi centres.
The State government provides 2 kgs of ragi powder, 1 kg flattened rice (atukulu), 3 kgs of rice, 250 grams each of jaggery, chikki and dry dates, 1 kg red gram, half a litre edible oil, 5 litres of milk and 25 eggs per month under the YSR Sampoorna Poshana programme. Similarly, a kg of ragi powder, 2 kgs of multigrain atta, 3 kgs of rice, 500 grams each of jaggery, chikki and dry dates, 1 kg red gram, half a litre edible oil, 5 litres of milk and 25 eggs are given every month under YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus scheme.
Many pregnant women and lactating mothers received the dry ration from the Chief Minister.
The representatives of Montessori Schools discussed educational system with the Chief Minister who suggested that officials should visit those schools regularly.
Women and Child Welfare Minister K.V. Ushasri Charan, Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy, Principal Secretary (Women and Child Welfare) G. Jayalakshmi, A.P. Dairy Development Corporation MD A. Babu, School Education Commissioner (Infrastructure) K. Bhaskar, Civil Supplies Corporation VC and MD G. Veerapandian, Health and Family Welfare Commissioner J. Nivas, Women and Child Welfare Director A. Vijaya Sunita and other senior officials were present.
