Governor Tamilisai calls for time-bound nutritional intervention action plan for primitive tribal groups in Telangana

Hyderabad, March 27: Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan on Saturday called for a time-bound action plan to improve the nutritional status of the people belonging to the primitive tribal groups in the State.

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

The Governor was discussing the “Nutritional Intervention Action Plan for the Primitive Tribal Groups in Telangana,” with the scientists of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), doctors of the ESIC hospital and medical college and the representatives of the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) at Raj Bhavan, here.

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

The Governor reviewed and finalised the modalities of the nutritional intervention action plan with the officials of the NIN, ESIC, IRCS, and the Raj Bhavan, here.

“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,” said Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan.

She emphasised the need for the 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 micro-nutrient deficiencies, malnutrition, protein-deficiency and the energy-deficiencies by exploring and promoting the indigenous foods.
 
“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.

The Governor pointed out that the proposed nutritional intervention action plan is being taken up for a noble cause and it was not only reaching out to the unreached, but the right of the voiceless people.

The Governor appreciated the active 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 be made part of their nutritional diet plan was vital to ensure the sustainability of the initiative.

Secretary to Governor K. Surendra Mohan stated 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 intervention action plan.
 
ESIC Dean Dr. Srinivas Rao, Registrar Dr. Imran Siddiqui, NIN scientist Dr. Srinivasa Rao, IRCS representative Madan Mohan and senior officials from the Raj Bhavan were present.