NITI Aayog Commends Odisha Govt for Role of Women SHGs in Take Home Ration Distribution System

Bhubaneswar: NITI Aayog and World Food Program have commended the Odisha Government for the partnership arrangement of women self help groups (SHGs) in the ‘take home ration’ distribution system for pregnant women, mothers and children at Anganwadi Kendras across the State.

In the recently released report, “Take Home Ration-Good Practices across the State/Union Territories,” NITI Aayog has lauded the role of women SHGs in tackling the malnutrition problems.
NITI Aayog and World Food Program have highly praised the Odisha’s performance in the take home ration distribution system.

The State Government has been appreciated for ensuring quality and quantity in this system.

On average, more than two Take Home Ration or THR units have been implemented per block in Odisha, which are run by women SHGs, the NITI Aayog said.

While SHGs collect the raw material required for ration themselves, only wheat is supplied by FCI. Due to the fact that the time frame for allotment of rations has been fixed, the monitoring of the entire process has become easier.
A notification issued by the NITI Aayog and the World Food Program said that in order to increase group participation in the program, a maternity committee has been formed at each Anganwadi center and a monitoring committee at each revenue village. The responsibility of ensuring quality in ration distribution at Anganwadi centers is entrusted to the Maternal Committee. Similarly, the inspection committee is also monitoring its quality and quantity. Through group participation, timely distribution of ration to the beneficiaries and quality is ensured.

With the efforts of the Odisha Government, supervisors, CDPOs, District Social Welfare Officers, staffs of Mission Shakti Department have been involved in this system. Officials of these departments are visiting ration production centers on scheduled dates every month. As a result, provision of high quality ration to mothers, pregnant women and children is said to be possible.