Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, July 22: In the wake of death of children due to malnutrition in Jajpur district, the state government has decided to set up four mini Anganwadi centres in the tribal hills shortly.
“The state government has decided to set up four mini-anganwadi centres (AWCs) in the tribal hills, where 85 households reside in two villages and five hamlets. While one mini AWC has already started functioning, threes others would be started soon,” agriculture secretary Manoj Ahuja told media persons here Friday.
The state government has already accorded necessary approval for opening the three mini-AWCs and the collector has asked his officials to make the mini units operational soon, he said, adding, the government has doubled the food items being provided at the centres.
Stating the government has been emphasising on health-care, food and connectivity to the tribals, the officer said, “Government has opened a nutrition rehabilitation centre at Kaliapani, where health-care and nutritious food are being made available to 25 children and their mothers.”
A community kitchen has been set up in the village to provide free food to the villagers and a health check camp has also been opened there.
The government has also set up a VHF (very high frequency) unit at Nagada for better telecommunication facilities in the hill terrain while three more VHF sets are being set up in the area.
Engineers of rural development department have completed the survey for construction of roads to the village.
The government has ben taking steps to connect the village from Dhenkanal side, Ahuja said.
Meanwhile, the government has included all households under National Food Security Act (NFSA) so as to enable the tribal families receive double the amount of food grains available to them at present.
“The people have been drinking water from a rivulet. We have decided to install a water purifier at the village as an immediate solution. We are taking steps to provide piped water supply to the village,” the agriculture secretary said.
As there is no electricity in the village, the government has decided to provide solar electricity to each household.
A district level officer has been directed to visit the village everyday while a state-level officer would visit Nagada every week.
