Dhamtari, December 15 (NationPress) — The Women and Child Development Department is delivering nutritious meals to pregnant women and nursing mothers via Anganwadi centres as part of the Ready-to-Eat (RTE) initiative in Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari.

This program aims to provide essential nutrition to expectant mothers, ensuring that their unborn children are born healthy.

The government is investing crores of rupees into this initiative to foster a robust and healthy future for the nation.

Lactating mothers in Dhamtari district report that they consistently receive nutritious meals through Anganwadi centres.

According to them, this government program is of immense value for underprivileged families, who often struggle to afford healthy food from the market.

The Ready-to-Eat meals supply vital nutrients including protein, vitamins, calories, calcium, and iron, leading to noticeable health benefits for both mothers and their children.

Health experts have praised the scheme. Dr. Avadh Pachori explained to IANS that the Ready-to-Eat meals are pre-cooked and packaged before distribution to pregnant and breastfeeding women through Anganwadi centres by the Women and Child Development Department. These meals are convenient and nutrient-dense.

He emphasized that Ready-to-Eat food helps mitigate malnutrition, especially among mothers and children who require supplementary nutrition or are facing anaemia and protein deficiencies.

Consuming these meals two to four times daily yields significant health improvements. He described it as a highly advantageous government program.

Lactating mother Nandini Yadav recounted that her child was born with a very low weight. After she started receiving porridge and other nutritious items from the Ready-to-Eat program at the Anganwadi centre, her child experienced rapid weight gain.

She expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai for initiating the scheme.

Another mother, Savita Dhruv, noted her baby's extremely low weight after delivery. Upon learning about the Ready-to-Eat meals available at Anganwadi centres from a relative, she began receiving nutritious food regularly, which significantly improved her child's development.

Anganwadi worker Damyanti Sahu mentioned that there are 11 children registered at her centre, who are provided with sweet halwa and savoury porridge for breakfast.

In addition, they participate in various activities. For lunch, as per the established menu, they are served green vegetables, soybean nuggets, and mixed lentils.

She concluded that this system is contributing to the ongoing improvement in the health and development of the children.