Jaipur: The weekly iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation programme of the government will cover 130 million adolescent boys and girls across the country, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said yesterday.
Under the programme, along with IFA tablets, adolescents and their families will be given information and counselling on nutrition and health education, Azad said while inaugurating the programme in Rajasthan at a function here.
The central government had provided Rs1.35bn in 2012-13 and Rs7.5bn in 2013-14 for implementation of the programme.
Azad said adolescents formed 22 percent of India’s population, but half of them suffered from anaemia.
Anaemia results in poor physical growth, poor school performance and reduced concentration in daily tasks.
The minister said that under the Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojana, the mother and infant will get free medical treatment and transport facility for 45 days in case of any sickness after the delivery of the baby.
IANS
