Gujarat Anganwadi Food Budget Hike: Children’s meal budget in Anganwadi increased by 67%, new dish added to menu

Gujarat Anganwadi Food Budget Hike: Meal budget per child set at ₹8.50

Under the Gujarat Anganwadi Food Budget Hike, the Gujarat government has decided to increase the daily amount allocated for hot cooked meals provided to children at Anganwadi centres. The rate for purchasing meals per child has been raised from ₹5.10 to ₹8.50. This represents an increase of about 67 percent in the budget. The government's objective is to provide children with nutritious and varied meals to help improve their nutritional status.

According to the Department of Women and Child Development, this decision is expected to benefit children aged 3 to 6 years in the state's 53,065 Anganwadis. The government says that to improve the quality of meals for more than 1.617 million children, the Gujarat government will bear an additional annual expense of about ₹80 crore.

The Gujarat government has decided to provide an additional ₹3.40 per beneficiary per day for hot meals in Anganwadis. Earlier, ₹5.10 per day was allocated for meal purchase, which will now increase to ₹8.50.

In the new arrangement, the existing ₹5.10 amount will continue to be shared equally between the central and state governments. The additional ₹3.40 will be fully borne by the Gujarat government. This will increase the total amount available for children's meals without altering the central government's existing contribution.

The government believes that the increase in the meal budget will give Anganwadi centres greater financial assistance to procure necessary materials locally. This could make it easier to include items such as pulses, whole grains, seasonal vegetables, and fruits in the meals.

More than 1.617 million children will benefit

The Gujarat Anganwadi Food Budget Hike is expected to reach children aged 3 to 6 years in the state's 53,065 Anganwadis. Balanced meals are important for the growth and development of children in this age group.

The purpose of providing hot meals at Anganwadi centres is to give children regular nutrition and bring variety to their diet. The increased budget will provide centres with more funds to purchase different food items.

According to the government, this change will entail an additional annual expense of roughly ₹80 crore, which will be borne by the Gujarat government. This plan aims to make additional resources available for improving meal quality and the menu.

However, the actual outcomes of the budget increase will depend on how centres implement the procurement of materials, preparation of meals, and distribution arrangements.

What will be included in the new Anganwadi menu?

With the new rate in effect, the weekly hot meal menu for children has also been changed. Whole moong beans have been included. The menu has been diversified to provide children with different types of food items.

Key items proposed for the menu are:
- Boiled or sprouted whole moong
- Thick tuar dal
- Vegetable pulao
- Muthia made from green vegetables
- Spicy ch…