The Women and Child Development Department of Government of NCT of Delhi has taken a policy decision to change one of the items of Supplementary Nutrition Food (SNF) for children and pregnant and lactating women.
"From the next summer season (May, June and July) sweet candy (mishri) would be distributed in place of jaggery. The decision was taken on the basis of feedback that during the summer season jaggery melted while packing and it sometimes got infected with bacteria. To keep food items dry and healthy, it was decided to replace jaggery with sweet candy (mishri) for the summer season," Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said.
"This will continue till the present SNF menu exists whereas the quantity of sweet candy (mishri) would be decided by the department as per requirement," he added.
Gautam said that in the wake of COVID-19, the functioning of the Aganwadi Centres in Delhi was suspended temporarily in the first week of March 2020. The same was renewed, from March 19, with an aim of ensuring regular supply of nutritional supplements (panjiri/ pushtik laddoo) to the registered beneficiaries (children, pregnant and lactating women) in the capital.
The quantities of panjiri/pushtik laddo were also fixed uniformly for each beneficiary at 140 gram and Panjiri at 110 gram. The laddoos given to per beneficiaries every day contain 500 calories and 12-15 grams of protein.
Gautam said the menu of SNF was revised from May 20 this year, and Panjiri/Pushtik Laddo was replaced with wheat dalia, black chana, jaggery and roasted black gram in different quantities for different types of beneficiaries under the existing system of giving take home ration. It was delivered at the doorsteps of beneficiaries through respective Anganwadi centers. Around five lakh citizens benefited from this scheme, the government said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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