The Himachal Pradesh government on Thursday gave nod for starting Mukhyamantri Bal Suposhan Yojna to curb malnutrition among women and children in the state.

The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting held here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

A state government official said the scheme will be run through joint efforts of the Centre and state government, departments of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, Elementary Education and National Health Mission. The scheme envisions significant improvement in nutritional status of mothers and children through multiple intensified interventions converging various stakeholders.

The state government has done extensive consultations with NITI Aayog to realize this vision through seven pillar approach (Sapt Stambh) the components of which are: early detection and treatment of diarrhoea, intensified monitoring and care of identified high-risk group’s Slspecial SNP-addition of protein rich food for high-risk children and improved feeding practices, interventions for anemia in children and adolescent girls, detection of high-risk pregnancies particularly Hypertension and anemia, treatment and follow up of malnourished children and social behavior change strategies.

The scheme has a budget of Rs 65 crores and would be a milestone in curtailing childhood malnutrition by combating illnesses such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and anemia. It shall be a focused approach as Jan Andolan mode involves stakeholders to plan, implement and monitor health of children, adolescent, pregnant women and lactating mothers. With this scheme, Himachal will be able to improve the health parameters of NFHS-5 substantially in a time bound manner, he added.

He stated that the Cabinet decided to provide 50 percent concession in fare to women passengers in HRTC ordinary intra-state buses. Announcement in this respect was made by the Chief Minister on the occasion of Himachal Day on 15 April, 2022 at Chamba.

The Cabinet gave its approval to provide government guarantee in favour of Himachal Road Transport Corporation for raising a term loan of Rs 160 crore to buy 360 new buses/other transport vehicles to provide better transportation facilities to the commuters.

The Cabinet also decided to provide free domestic water supply facilities to the people in the rural areas of the State from 1 May, 2022.

Approval was also provided for two free gas cylinders to the beneficiaries of Mukhya Mantri Grihini Suvidha Yojna in addition to the refill provided at the time of gas connection.

It gave its approval for grant of Child Adoption Leave upto 12 weeks to the regular female employees of the state government.

It gave its nod to grant extension of the existing One Time Settlement scheme of the H.P. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Corporation Ltd for a period of one year besides waiving of Rs 2.83 crore as Margin money loan and interest thereof. This would benefit 11,133 beneficiaries.

The Cabinet also gave its nod for entering into a MoU with the Union Ministry of Health and Family for implementing the centrally sponsored scheme’s components of Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). This would facilitate in developing the Public Health system to meet the needs of future pandemic by integrating essential public health functions and service delivery with the objective to strengthen grass root public health institutions in the state.

In order to support the working of cooperative societies especially those comprising educated youth by providing mentoring support and initial sustainability grant to them , the Cabinet gave its nod to start the Yuva Sahkaar Kosh Scheme in the state. Under the Scheme the eligible Farmers Producers Organizations for a viable project from the Yuva Sahkaar Kosh would be eligible for training and community mobilization support of maximum Rs 25,000, FPO management cost of Rsn2 lakh in the first two years and seed money equal to double of the equity grant of maximum Rs 15 lakh, he added.