Special nutrition programme for Samurdhi children

Uditha Kumarasinghe

COLOMBO: The Government through the Samurdhi movement has implemented a special nutrition programme for children of Samurdhi and other underprivileged families through the supply of a daily glass of fresh milk to each child between the age group of 2 to 5.

Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi together with Livestock Development Minister C. B. Ratnayake and Rural Development and Employment Promotion Deputy Minister Premalal Jayasekera launched this national nutrition programme at Elapatha Divisional Secretariat, Ratnapura on September 25, a Samurdhi Ministry Spokesman told the Daily News.

A pilot project was initially commenced by the Department of Commissioner General of Samurdhi in Siyabalanduwa, Madulla (Moneragala district), Rideemaliyedde, Meegahakiula (Badulla district), Suriyawewa, Katuwana (Hambantota district), Kalpitiya, Mundalama (Puttalam district), Ambagamuwa (Nuwara Eliya district) and Elapatha (Ratnapura district), the ten most poorest Divisional Secretariat divisions according to the poverty index. Under the first stage, the provision of fresh milk to the chlidren in these districts was also commenced on September 25.

According to the Spokesman the project will provide a glass of fresh milk to around 25,000 children of low income families in these selected Divisional Secretariat divisions. The Government will spend Rs. 32 million to provide fresh milk to these children.

The Ministry in collaboration with Health Ministry and Livestock Development Ministry will implement this national programme. The MILCO will produce required fresh milk to this programme. The distribution of fresh milk will be done by MILCO and Co-operative Societies, he said.

"Statistics have revealed, of that total of 1.9 million children of early childhood, 29.4 per cent are over-weight children. Therefore this programme has targetted to improve the nutrition level of these children."

The Ministry has decided to launch this programme as pledged in the Mahinda Chintana to improve the nutrition level of the children of low-income families. The Ministry has also commenced the second stage to provide nutrition food package to pregnant mothers of Samurdhi beneficiary families. The Ministry provides this food package to nearly 30,000 pregnant mothers.