AGARTALA, Sep 7 (TIWN): “It is not good for the development of a state if any child or pregnant mother is suffering from malnutrition.”, addressed Chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on the “Mega Poshan Utsab- 2019” at Majlishpur, Jirania.

Deb continued, “Government is aiming to make India ‘sarvashreshtha’ by 2030, but malnutirition of mother and child is a big hurdle. Presently Tripura malnutrition rate is 24.3% whereas  in national the rate is 38.2%, weight loss rate in Tripura is 16.8% whereas in national the rate is 21%, blood deficiency rate is 48.3% whereas in national the rate is 53%. This is good however, Tripura government is aiming to totally nullify these problems by decreasing this rate by 2% every year and by prevention of malnutrition among children from 0-6 years of age. This way in 3 years we can decrease it by 6%. Blood deficiency will be decreased every year by 3%.”

“I want to bring IT hub, international market, to develop tourism, develop food processing industry, develop infrastructure, to encourage good professionals from the state itself and want that sensible and educated leaders may be developed. And freeing mother and children from malnutrition and blood deficiency is one basic step.” , said Deb. He requested public not to be superstitious and not to have bias for only male child.

He raised the topic of a village man who had to sell his new born girl-child  for merely 2,000 rupees due to lack of money as printed in press, when he asked about the matter he came to know that actually the child was sold because the child was a girl. Under PM Modi ji’s government, women are sitting as ministers and women judges are sitting in Supreme Court. Women are no less than any man. Women development is important for developing a nation. He took example of how Ravan who got destructed and of Mahabharata making a point that any man, any nation cannot develop by bringing harm to women.

“People have to change their mentality and protect women and girl child first instead of focussing to demeaning the efforts of government. I strongly condemn who sell their mother  and sisters for politics”, pointed Shri Deb. “After the new government took over, 10% reservation was given for women in home department, 72% women secured jobs through TET by the blessing of Ma Tripureshwari. There should be woman members also in the assembly.” he said

Concluding his speech he said this program will be continued for a month in all the anganwadis as they are the ‘founder of education’ and the backbone. He wished them to be more powerful. This will not only end with one month program , this willn be continued throughout the years and develop the society and the state as well.

Apart from the Chief minister, SW & SE minister Sushri Santana Chakma, MLA Shri Susanta Choudhury, DM & collector (West Tripura) Dr. S. Mahatme, Special secretary (SW & SE) Shri Chaitanya Murti were present in the programme.