Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has said a separate self-contained protocol for severely and acutely malnourished, SAM, children will also be issued shortly.
Addressing a function in New Delhi, Mrs Gandhi said, new guidelines on supplementary nutrition will be issued by her Ministry in the next few days. Highlighting the importance of child protection along with nutrition, the Minister said there is a need to give minimum 1000 calories to pregnant mothers and 600 calories to children. She said, government wants to improve the quality of supplementary nutrition and make the delivery system effective with change in policy. ICDS and SABLA are two programmes under which supplementary nutrition is provided to children and adolescent girls.
Mrs Gandhi said, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has brought a phenomenal change in that mindset. She also said that every place should have a cell to deal with sexual harassment cases. Stressing on the immediate need for a child welfare committee in every district, the Minister said, district magistrates should ensure that every child is in system to make adoption process transparent and easy.
