DC Keerthi Jalli launched Kanya Taru Yojana in Hailakandi

A Correspondent

Hailakandi: Coinciding with the International Day of the Girl Child, fruit-bearing trees were distributed to the mothers of girl child born in government hospitals under the Kanya Taru Yojana. Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli formally launched the scheme at a programme held at SK Roy College Auditorium at Katlicherra here on Friday. Jalli urged pregnant women and lactating mothers to eat fruits and vegetables as they possess nutrients so vital for maintaining healthy life.

Altogether 371 mothers of girl child were given fruit bearing trees such as guava, coconut, Assam lemon, litchi and Indian gooseberry (amla). The district administration, Agriculture and Health and Family Welfare departments have been working in tandem for the smooth implementation of the scheme. The scheme not only aims to spread awareness among the people about the importance of planting fruit bearing trees but also encourages the families of the girl child to nurture the trees with the same importance as they bring up their daughters and to feed them with the nutritious fruits as they grow up. One of the objectives of the Kanya Taru Yojana scheme is to augment the rate of institutional deliveries in government hospitals and to make them aware about the varied health benefits of fruits.

Data is being collected from the senior health officials to know how many children are born in a particular hospitals and health centres in a month, on the basis of which saplings would be dispatched to the hospitals and health centres. They would be given to the family of a new born girl child during their release from the hospitals. The baby's parents would be urged to name the sapling on the name of the newly born girl. "Initially, the saplings would be distributed to girl child but later they would also be given to the mothers of a boy child as well", Subdivisional Agriculture Officer, Dr. AR Ahmed said, adding that the scheme would also give a huge boost to the aforestation drive.

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