Growth monitoring of children and nutrition surveillance are important activities of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme at grassroot level. Weight–for-age growth chart Standards have been prescribed at the Anganwadi Centre for all children below six years of age (as per WHO Child Growth Standards). Children under three years of age are to be weighed once a month and children 3-6 years of age weighed quarterly. For this purpose, there is a provision of two types of weighing scales- baby weighing Scale and Salter scale.
As per the Scheme all the Anganwadi Centers are required to maintain the growth monitoring chart for assessing the nutrition status of children. These growth charts help identify children in various categories like normal Children, moderately underweight Children and severely underweight children. The tracking through these charts help detect growth faltering and facilitate prompt action and referral.
As per information available, there are 13.52 lakh operational Anganwadi Centre (AWCs) out of 14 lakh sanctioned AWCs in the country as on 31.12.2016. In these AWCs, 903.08 lakh children (0-5 years) were weighed out of which 672.66 lakhs children (74.48%) were normal, 201.20 lakh children (22.28%) were moderately underweight and remaining 29.22 lakh children (3.24%) were severely underweight as on 31.12.2016. The States/ UTs are advised in the Review Meetings from time to time to ensure regular growth monitoring of children.
This information was given by Minister of State for Women & Child Development, Smt Krishna Raj in reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
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