Women SHGs to prepare ready-to-eat food for Anganwadi Centres: CM

RANCHI: Sakhi Mandals (women self-help groups) will soon be engaged in preparing nutritional ready-to-eat food for Anganwadi centres in Jharkhand, said Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das on launch of ‘Mitti Ke Doctor’ initiative in Ranchi on Wednesday.

In Anganwadi centres, children aged six months to three years, as well as pregnant and lactating mothers, are provided food. Jharkhand spends ₹500 crore in the project, which goes to private agencies.

“Now, this money will go to women self-help group, as they would prepare ready-to-eat food. The initiative will not only empower women but also make them financially strong,” Das said.

CM said ready-to-eat plants would be set up in every block, which could cover more than 38,000 Anganwadi centres in the state.

An official in the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) said women SHGs would also be engaged in an upcoming scheme named ‘Take Home Ration’ for the women in Anganwadi centre.

Chief minister also honoured some ‘Mitti Ke Doctors’ or doctor didis and distributed soil health card (SHC) among farmers on the occasion.

“Jharkhand is the first state in the country where women are being trained in soil testing and they are being given a tag of doctor of soil in the state. The initiative will help empower them and also enhance their income,” Das said.

Government gives ₹140 incentive, which includes ₹40 for soil sample collection, ₹50 for testing and ₹50 for printing, for a single soil testing. “If a doctor didi conducts at least three tests a day, she can earn ₹13,000 - ₹14,000 monthly as incentive,” he said.

The SHC scheme was launched by the Centre in Jharkhand in 2015. More than 17 lakh soil health cards have been distributed till date in Jharkhand. Till now, soil health cards were made by private agencies in district headquarters.

“Now, the SHC will be made at Panchayat level. The SHC will carry the details of soil’s current status and suggestions how to improve the soil quality and productivity. A total of 3,164 soil testing labs have been set up at Panchayat levels till date, while 1203 more labs are being setting up,” Das said. The government has decided to train 8,734 women in the trade.

Speaking on the occasion, Panchami Devi, who was given identity card of Mitti Ke Doctor by the CM, said she completed intermediate and was engaged in organic farming in her village Nawagarg panchayat in Ranchi’s Angarha block.

“I was given training of soil collection and testing along with 16 female and four male persons. Now, I am called doctor didi, which gives me a different feeling,” she said.

She said they have tested 586 soils in their blocks and received ₹65,000 as incentive.

Parwati Devi, another doctor didi from Soso village from Nawagarh panchayat, said she had done master of arts and bachelor of physical education. “I run a coaching centre and also engaged in soil testing business, which gives me an additional income,” she said.