Rs 35,600 crore outlay for nutrition-related programmes in Union Budget

Emphasising on nutrition as a critical component on health, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed to provide Rs 35,600 crore for nutrition-related programmes for the year 2020-21.

Sitharaman unveiled several key proposals with a focus on women and child and social welfare in the Union Budget 2020-21.

She informed that 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' has yielded positive results. The gross enrolment ratio of girls across all levels of education is now higher than boys. At the elementary level, it is 94.32 per cent as against 89.28 per cent for boys.

Similar trends in gross enrolment ratio were also observed at secondary and higher secondary levels, she said, according to an official release.

She drew attention to the Poshan Abhiyan which was launched in 2017-18 to improve the nutritional status of children (0-6 years), adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

The Union Minister said that more than six lakh Anganwadi workers have been equipped with smartphones to upload the nutritional status of more than 10 crore households, which is an unprecedented development.

The minister said a task force will be appointed to recommend lowering MMR and improving nutrition levels.

She noted that with India's progress, opportunities were opening up for women to pursue higher education and careers, and the entire issue about the age of a girl entering motherhood, therefore, needed to be seen in a new light.

She proposed to appoint a task force for this purpose which would present its recommendations in six months' time.

Highlighting the Central Government's continued commitment to the welfare of women, the Finance Minister proposed an outlay of about Rs 28,600 crore for programmes that were specific to women.