Mumbai: The state govt has urged the Centre to increase the rate for nutritive food provided to pregnant women. The current rate was implemented in 2017, said Aditi Tatkare, Minister for Women and Child Welfare.
During Question Hour, BJP’s Chitra Wagh pointed out that instead of 200 gm of khichdi, women were being provided only 50 gm, and the size of the peanut laddoo had also reduced from 60 gm to 20 gm as the rates of raw materials used for preparing the food went up. She also demanded that the same food be provided to all pregnant and lactating women and not just tribals.
“In 2017, the govt decided the rates at which nutritious food would be provided. It was in the range of Rs 8 to Rs 12 per woman and underweight children. In a scheme for tribal areas, suppliers get Rs 45 per day. Rates of raw materials have gone up, and the quantity of nutritious food has reduced,” she said.
Tatkare replied that the state govt has already written to the Centre for a hike. “There are two separate schemes. One is the Integrated Child Development Scheme, and it is a central govt-sponsored scheme. The Centre decided the rates in 2017 for the supplementary nutritious food. We have sent a proposal to increase these rates from Rs 8 to Rs 12-13 per day. The Amrut Ahar Yojana is run by the tribal dept, and we shall write to them to hike the price for the scheme,” she said.