The Palghar district administration in Maharashtra has urged the Ganesh mandals to adopt 'anganwadis', the government-run women and child care centres, to help eradicate malnutrition.
The district, which has a sizable tribal population, has been in news for malnutrition deaths in the past.
Around 396 children died due to malnutrition and other reasons in the tribal-dominated district in 2017-18, as per official figures.
During a review meeting on Tuesday, Collector Kailas Shinde said the state government and the district administration were making all efforts to providing nutritious food to the tribal children in Palghar.
He asked the Ganesh mandals, which have organised the 10-day Ganpati festival in the district, to pitch in.
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"We have to solve the issue of malnutrition in the district, hence contribution of all members of the society is absolutely essential. The Ganesh mandals should volunteer to adopt anganwadis," he said.
September is being observed as the National Nutrition Month to eradicate malnourishment among tribal children.
Shinde said he would himself adopt an anganwadi and urged senior district officials to do the same.
He also asked the officials concerned to identify children under SAM (severe acute malnutrition) and MAM (medium acute malnutrition) categories and pay special attention to them.
From next month, the government will provide two kg of tur dal and 1 kg of oil free to villagers in Jawhar and Mokhada talukas, he said.
Former MLA Vivek Pandit, who heads a state committee on tribal welfare, lauded the collector's intiative to adopt anganwadis.
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