Jagan tears into critics on English medium

Chief Minister launches twin nutrition schemes

Hitting out at those opposing the introduction of English medium in government schools, Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy has remarked that he could sense it as a ‘masked untouchability’.

“We are hearing a lot of strident voices against introduction of English as a medium of instruction in government schools. Some of them are even opposing the introduction of pre-primary education. I pray God that there would be a change in their mindset,” Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said while launching the twin nutrition schemes for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children — ‘YSR Sampoorna Poshana’, and ‘YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus’ at the CM’s camp office in Tadepalli on Monday.

The twin nutritious and well-being schemes would cover 30.16 mothers and their children in 55,607 anganwadi centres, said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

“A healthy body leads to a healthy mind. I am aware that a lot of children are suffering due to malnutrition. Lactating mothers also need nutritional support. We are including all the nutrition supplements in the nutrition kits and we are spending ₹1,863.11 crore on the two schemes. While the YSR Sampoorna Poshana is intended for plain areas, the YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus is designed for tribals. We are also launching an app providing a pocket book on health and an SOP booklet. I am surprised that no one had ever given a thought to this aspect, whether our children are healthy or not? Are they being given nutritional support? As we believe that children would shape the world, we have decided to implement the schemes which cover children from the age of six months to six years,” said the Chief Minister.

Malnutrition

Stating that economic and social backwardness in families reflects on the growth of children, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that children could suffer from malnutrition, stunted growth and a decreased capacity to learn. “A study showed that 53% of women in the State suffer from anaemia, 31.9% of infants are born with less weight and 17.2% of children suffer stunted growth and this reflects the sorry state of affairs over the years.”

Further, as many as 55,607 anganwadi centres would get a complete facelift under the `Nadu-Nedu’ scheme, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said.

Minister for Women and Child Welfare T. Vanitha, Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Botcha Satyanarayana, Minister for BC Welfare M. Sankara Narayana, Chief Secretary Neelam Sawhney, Principal Secretary, Women and Child Welfare Department, A. Anuradha, and Director of Women and Child Welfare Department Kruttika Shukla were present.

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