State Launches Chiguru Scheme to Tackle Child Malnutrition

Quick Summary:

• The Karnataka government has launched “Chiguru,” a scheme to combat malnutrition in children through community involvement, targeting districts with high malnutrition rates: Ballari, Bidar, Kalaburagi, yadgir, Belagavi, Raichur, Chitradurga and Vijayanagara.
• Women and Child Advancement Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar emphasized the goal of reducing and eliminating malnutrition with support from UNICEF using the C-MAM protocol provided by the Central government.
• Under Chiguru, moderately and severely malnourished children will receive medical supplements and highly nutritious food during six months of door-to-door monitoring involving mothers and communities. Anganwadi workers will be trained for C-MAM interventions.
• Additional initiatives include launching “Akka squads” (women’s safety teams) on November 19 in collaboration with police departments to protect women near public spaces; a helpline (109) is operational for women’s security needs.
• Pilot projects such as State-run montessori programs in anganwadis have shown success and will scale up from 200 sites to 5,000 centers on the same day as akka squads’ launch. States are also encouraged to replicate Karnataka’s ICDS model based on Union government’s recommendations during its golden jubilee celebrations upcoming soon.

– Discussions included alignment committed surveys Data assessments like devadasi/gender minority concerns while welfare holistic dialog measures around data collection

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Indian Opinion Analysis:
The launch of “Chiguru” reflects Karnataka’s proactive approach toward combating persistent child malnutrition issues noted in NFHS surveys. The focus on community-based management through sustained monitoring underlines adaptive policies driven-by larger partnerships via state-unicef-operated Framework FNHS protocols bridging grassroots better response ensuring gradual progress systemic!