Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said that for every two districts one woman organizer and for Hyderabad district one woman organizer are to be appointed to monitor women development and child welfare related activities. The CM recalled that while NT Rama Rao was Chief Minister in united Andhra Pradesh there used to be these officers.
The CM said that these women organizers will have their offices in the complex of Deputy Directors in the concerned district. CM has a review meeting on women development and child welfare measures. Deputy Chief Minister Sri Mahamood Ali, MP Smt Kavita, Deputy Speaker Smt Padma Devendar Reddy, Principal Secretary Revenue Sri BR Meena, ACB DG Poornachandra Rao and CMO officers are present in the review meeting.
The CM said that the government is spending huge amounts of nearly Rs. 1700 crores on women development and child welfare and in addition Rs. 460 Crores for KCR Kits and Rs. 250 Crores on Anganwadi workers per year and this will help in the welfare of activities of women and child in the state.
Chief Minister mentioned that under ICDS program the state government has been paying enhanced salaries to a tune of Rs. 10, 500 per month to the Anganwadi teachers and Rs. 6, 000 per month to the Anganwadi workers. He said despite cut in the salaries imposed by Government of India for Asha workers the state government continues to pay them also enhances salaries of Rs. 6, 000 per month.
He also said that under Arogya Rakshana scheme nutritious food in the form of eggs every day for the lactating mothers are being provided. This encourages pregnant women to make use of the facility. The Asha workers are now called as Village Health Workers to give them a more respectable name said CM.
The Chief Minster said that KCR Kits scheme will be in operation from 3rd June to ensure among others reduction in MMR and IMR rate. Already two and half lakh women have registered their names under this scheme. Referring to the details of Ammavodi and KCR Kit scheme the CM said that unfortunately many a pregnant woman for their livelihood engage in wage in earning work even at the advanced stage of pregnancy of 8th and 9th month and often till the confine.
To compensate the wage loss and to ensure their health care, the government under Ammavodi scheme is paying Rs. 12,000 till they deliver and if the baby is girl child another Rs. 1000 is paid said the CM. The KCR Kit containing 16 items is given to the baby on birth, to the baby mother.
Chief Minister wanted the health officials and women development and child welfare officials to monitor the functioning of self-help groups who have been doing an excellent job. He said that, their services, are to be properly made use of in general and in particular in making adulterated-free (without adulterating) food products which are consumed daily, domestically.
Citing the example of Lizzate papad made by self-help groups in Mumbai which is very popular CM suggested that, even here, in our state, the self-help groups could be encouraged to make items like chips, chili powder etc as a branded item. These would be like a mini food processing units said the CM. He said that for this activity the banks will happily come forward to provide loans and encourage them in making adulterated-free (without adulterating) items.
The Chief Minister wanted that the self-help groups, the Anganwadi team and the Asha workers in close cooperation should work together to strengthen the women development and child welfare activities. She teams work could also be integrated with this opined CM.
The women organizers proposed to be recruited by the Government are to be ignited to identify the women power and to empower women in every aspect said CM.
