Bhubaneswar: CM Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday said Odisha’s progress in reducing infant and maternal mortality was much due to the efforts of anganwadi, ASHA and other frontline workers.Speaking at the state-level ‘Angan Ka Utsav’ and 9th Rashtriya Poshan Maah celebrations at an anganwadi centre here, Majhi said the first 1,000 days of a child’s life were crucial and stressed the need for fathers and other family members to share childcare and nutrition responsibilities.“An adequately nourished Odisha” was the state govt’s goal, he said, adding that nutrition programmes were being implemented through anganwadi centres and schools, with families being increasingly involved in improving children’s nutritional status.Majhi said more than 46 lakh activities had been conducted across Odisha during Poshan Maah and claimed the state had secured the top position nationally in Aadhaar verification. He attributed the increase in child immunisation, rise in institutional deliveries and decline in infant and maternal mortality to the work of anganwadi workers, helpers, ANMs and ASHA workers at the grassroots level.Odisha had earlier been among the states with the country’s highest infant and maternal mortality rates but has now reached a ‘satisfactory position’ on both indicators, Majhi said.Highlighting women-centric welfare measures, he referred to schemes, including Subhadra Yojana, Lakhpati Didi, Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana and Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangal Yojana. He said 40% of the state’s total budget was being spent on women.In healthcare, Majhi said cashless treatment was being provided at select private hospitals across the country under Ayushman Bharat-Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana. During the event, Majhi distributed school kits to anganwadi children and felicitated fathers who participated in a healthy food display.Anganwadi workers, helpers and ASHA workers were also felicitated. He later visited the anganwadi centre, inspected ‘Tiranga Thali’ and hot cooked meals being served to children, and served food to them. Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida attended the event.
