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The Ministry of Women and Child Development has come up with several schemes deciding the norms of child nutrition. These are:
- National Nutrition Policy was adopted by the Government of India in 1993 under the aegis of the Department of Women and Child Development. It advocated a multi-sectoral strategy for eradicating malnutrition and achieving optimum nutrition for all. The policy advocates the monitoring the nutrition levels across the country and sensitising government machinery on the need for good nutrition and prevention of malnutrition. The National Nutrition Policy also includes the Food and Nutrition Board, which develops posters, audio jingles and video spots for disseminating correct facts about breastfeeding and complementary feeding.
- The Integrated Child Development Services Scheme: is one of the most comprehensive schemes on child development in the country and perhaps in the world. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has been running the scheme since 1975 in pursuance of the National Policy for Children. It aims at providing services to pre-school children in an integrated manner so as to ensure proper growth and development of children in rural, tribal and slum areas. This centrally sponsored scheme also monitors nutrition of children.
- Udisha: in Sanskrit means the first rays of the new dawn. It is a nationwide training component of the World Bank assisted Women and Child Development Project. Udisha has been cleared with an outlay of about Rs 600 crores for five years. UNICEF is also a technical collaborator in the Project. The programme aims to train child care workers across the country. Its scope reaches as far are remote villages.
- National Policy for Children lays down that the State shall provide adequate services towards children, both before and after birth and during the growing stages for their full physical, mental and social development.
- National Charter for Children emphasizes Government of India’s commitment to children’s rights to survival, health and nutrition, standard of living, play and leisure, early childhood care, education, protection of the girl child, empowering adolescents, equality, life and liberty, name and nationality, freedom of expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, the right to a family and the right to be protected from economic exploitation and all forms of abuse.
- National Plan of Action for Children includes goals, objectives, strategies and activities for improving the nutritional status of children, reducing Infant Mortality Rate, increasing enrolment ratio, reducing drop out rates, universalisation of primary education and increasing coverage for immunization.
- Other Schemes Include:
- Balika Samriddhi Yojana (BSY)
- Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY)
- Nutrition Programme for Adolescent Girls (NPAG)
- Early Childhood Education for 3-6 Age Group Children Under the Programme of Universalization of Elementary Education
- Scheme for welfare of Working Children in need of Care and Protection
- An Integrated Programme for Street Children
- Child line Services
- Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA)
- Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme For the Children of Working Mothers
- Programme for Juvenile Justice
- The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) was set up in March 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, an Act of Parliament (December 2005). The Commission's Mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Child is defined as a person in the 0 to 18 years age group.
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