Barmer (Rajasthan): As many as 897 children in Chohtan town of Rajasthan's Barmer district suffer from malnutrition, as per a government report.
This, despite the authorities concerned claiming that they are taking all necessary measures to reduce the incidents of malnutrition among women and children.
"We are taking steps to reduce incidents of malnutrition among women and children. We are providing nutritional meals to pregnant women, and children through Anganwadi Centres, " Vimla Chaudhary, Supervisor, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Barmer told ETV Bharat.
Chaudhary added, "We are also instructing women as well as children on how to take these meals or medicines provided by us. We are providing pregnant women with Rs. 5,000 under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. We have been organising awareness camps on ways to battle malnutrition across the town."
Contrary to the claims made by the ICDS authorities, locals have alleged that the Anganwadi Centres in the district are devoid of medicines (folic acid tablets, albendazole solution and tablets).
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"There are no medicines available at the Anganwadi Centres for these children. We are poor people, we will only be able to provide our children with necessary medicines if the government provides us with them, " said Shobha Balu Devi as she pointed towards her malnourished child.
Chohtan in particular and Barmer, in general, has been battling the menace of malnutrition for years now.
As per a 2016 report, as many as 11 children died between December 2015 and February 2015 while they were receiving treatment for malnutrition under the state government's Community Based Management of Acute Malnourished Children (CMAM) scheme.
