Hyderabad: Raj Bhavan to push for nutrition among indigenous tribes

Hyderabad: Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan called for a time-bound action plan to improve the nutritional status of people belonging to primitive tribal groups in the State.

She said this while discussing the "Nutritional Intervention Action Plan for the Primitive Tribal Groups in Telangana," with the scientists of the National Institute of Nutrition, doctors of the ESIC hospital and medical college and representatives of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) at Raj Bhavan here on Saturday.

Expressing her concern over the severe malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies among the people of primitive tribal groups, she called for the result-oriented action plan to address the issue on a priority basis.

It may be noted here that to end the malnutrition among the tribals, the Raj Bhavan will soon implement an ambitious nutritional intervention action plan in three select districts for the benefit of tribal population.

During the interaction, the Governor reviewed and finalised the modalities of the nutritional intervention action plan with the officials concerned.

Dr Tamilisai said, "Our proposed initiative to improve the nutritional status of the primitive tribal people should become a role model for the rest of the country to initiate similar interventions."

As part of this, she stressed for convergence of services of various wings like ICDS, tribal welfare, medical, health and education departments as part of the action plan.

The Governor highlighted the concerted efforts to end the micronutrient deficiencies, malnutrition and protein-deficiency by exploring and promoting indigenous foods.

However, for this, "Winning the confidence of the targeted beneficiaries is crucial for the success and sustainability of our intervention. Capacity-building activities to the local volunteers, promoting indigenous foods with high nutritional value, and constant support from different wings of the government will go a long way in building a healthy society in tribal habitations," she added. She appreciated the participation of NIN, ESIC, and IRCs functionaries in the first-of-its-kind nutritional intervention action plan.

The Governor's husband, Dr P Soundararajan, an eminent Nephrologist, said that exploring locally available nutrient-rich food items to make part of their nutritional diet plan was vital to ensure the sustainability of the initiative.

Secretary to Governor K Surendra Mohan said that in the first phase some select primitive tribal habitations in Nagarkurnool, Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Adilabad districts were identified for the nutritional intervention.

The Chenchus, Kondareddis and Kolam primitive tribal groups were identified as the potential beneficiaries of the proposed nutritional plan.