Pune: The Women and Child Welfare Department of the Pune Zilla Parishad has identified 552 malnourished children in the district, including 72 severely malnourished, during a recent survey conducted last month. These children will soon be provided with specialized care, including nutritious food and medical treatment, at designated village child development centers.

To prevent malnutrition among children aged 0 to 6 years, the department ensures a balanced diet is made available through Anganwadi workers. Funds for this initiative are disbursed in advance by the Zilla Parishad.

The survey revealed 552 malnourished children, of whom 72 are categorized as severely malnourished, and 480 as moderately malnourished. To address this, the children will be enrolled at village child development centers. Here, they will receive eight nutritious meals daily, essential medicines, and close monitoring of their progress.

Additionally, taluka-level officials are assigned responsibility for weekend inspections in neighboring areas to ensure consistent implementation. Medical treatments are supervised by taluka health officers, ensuring comprehensive care for all affected children.

In previous years, the number of malnourished children in the district was in the thousands. The department attributes the significant reduction to the dedicated efforts of Anganwadi workers, taluka officials, and medical professionals working in the child development centers.

Efforts to treat all children identified during the survey are ongoing, with the department aiming to further decrease malnutrition rates through sustained intervention.

“The number of malnourished children has significantly reduced due to the consistent efforts of all involved personnel. Each child identified during the survey will receive proper care and treatment at village child development centers,” said an official from the Women and Child Welfare Department, Pune Zilla Parishad.