(a) whether the Government is contemplating to provide foodgrains to the malnourished girls and pregnant
women free of cost in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the details of the quantum of foodgrains allocated to the states for this purpose, State-wise; and
(d) the number of malnourished girls and pregnant women benefited through this scheme during each of the
last three years and the current year?
MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI KRISHNA TIRATH)
(a) & (b): Under the Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls (NPAG), which was implemented on pilot basis in 51 identified districts by the Planning Commission in the year 2002-03 and 2003-04, 6 kg. of free food-grains per beneficiary per month were provided to under nourished adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Eligibility was determined on the basis of their weight. From 2005-06, the NPAG was implemented through the Ministry of Women and Child Development on pilot basis and 6 kg. of free food-grains per beneficiary per month were provided to undernourished adolescent girls only. Pregnant women & lactating mothers were excluded as these are covered under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme for supplementary nutrition in the form of Take Home Ration or Hot Cooked Meal.
The ‘Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (RGSEAG) - Sabla, a comprehensive scheme for the development
of adolescent girls, was introduced in the year 2010-11. The scheme is being implemented in 205 districts across the country on a pilot basis and the NPAG scheme has ceased to operate as all the districts of NPAG have been subsumed under Sabla. Under Sabla, nutrition is being provided to the out of school adolescent girls in the age group of 11-14 years and all girls in the age group of 14-18 years attending Anganwadi Centers in the form of Take Home Ration or Hot Cooked Meal.
(c) & (d): Since NPAG was not operated in 2010-11 & 2011-12 as all the districts have been covered under Sabla, statement indicating food grains allocated and the number of girls benefitted under the scheme State-wise during 2009-10 is at Annexure-1.