SHILLONG: A state-level review meeting to assess health and nutrition level of children availing Mid Day Meal and supplementary nutrition in ICDS center of Meghalaya organised by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in collaboration with Meghalaya Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) on Monday.
Speaking to reporters, senior technical expert, NCPCR, Shaista K. Shah said the meeting would assess whether workers and their families, children are availing mid-day meal schemes and other nutrition programme of the government as well as whether Anganwadi centers are present or not in tea plantations. The meeting would then give recommendations to the government accordingly.
She observed that though Meghalaya had less tea plantations, it was still important to check whether they were getting any government schemes or not.
Asked, she said that Assam had a number of undernourished children followed by Meghalaya. She said that reduction in MMR and IMR would help tackle nutrition problems as newborns would be checked whether they were getting facilities or not.
Member secretary, SCPCR, Z.J. Lyngdoh said Meghalaya, till date had not mapped the tea plantation areas and there were mostly government-run small enterprises which have not grown like in Assam. She further said that in these plantations who are mainly engaged are mostly locals and there is no question of having migrant labourers/workers.
