In a bid to defeat malnutrition, laddu and churma made of ragi are being served to children at Anganwadi centres in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur, officials said on Thursday.
Deputy Commissioner Hamirpur Hemraj Bairwa said children up to 3 years of age are being given laddu made of desi ghee and ragi once a week while malnourished children in the age group of 3 to 5 years are getting it twice a week.
Ragi churma, also made with desi ghee, is being given to children aged between 6 months and 1 year, he added. Distribution of laddu and churma containing ragi and ghee started from Wednesday.
The deputy commissioner said the ingredients for laddu and churma are being procured directly from local farmers and women’s self-help groups have come forward to prepare the items.
Women self-help groups are also being given training in making traditional nutritious dishes at the Hotel Management Institute, Hamirpur, he said.
Bairwa noted that despite being given adequate food, many children become victims of malnutrition.
”Many of our traditional dishes made from coarse grains are rich in nutrients. Ragi laddu is one of these. Keeping in view its nutritional properties, an initiative has been taken to distribute them to children in the district,” he said.
