Aanganwadi centres will celebrate wajan tyohar from august 1 to 13

Women and Child Development Department urges parents to participate in Wajan Tyohar

Raipur, 25 July 2023

The state government started ‘Wajan Tyohar’ (Weighing Festival) in 2012 to monitor and measure the weights and heights of children and identify low-weight, malnourished children. Unlike previous years, this year’s ‘Wajan Tyohar’ will be organized from August 1 to August 13, 2023. In this regard, the Women and Child Development Department has issued detailed guidelines to all district collectors and departmental officers for Wajan Tyohar preparations. The department has urged parents to participate maximally and come to the Anganwadi center and get their children weighed.

Apart from the children registered in the Anganwadi facility, it is also directed to ensure that children who arrive from outside are not denied weighing during the Wajan Tyohar. Anganwadi centers must be open till 5 pm on the day of the Wajan Tyohar. Adolescent girls’ haemoglobin levels will be examined during the weight festival to check anemia. An adequate number of mobile vehicles with staff will be set up in municipal corporations and areas identified with migrant children and near building sites where workers and their families live. These vehicles will be used to weigh youngsters.

Along with assessing the nutritional level of children below 6 years in Anganwadi centers during the Wajan Tyohar (weighing festival), children’s disability status will also be examined. This will allow malnutrition to be identified in specific locations. Due to that, a special plan will be made for areas with high malnutrition rates. Additionally, information will be given to parents about a balanced diet and proper counseling will be provided to reduce malnutrition in children.

Wajan Tyohar is organised to raise awareness about malnutrition. During this, cluster-wise Wajan Tyohar will be organized in all development blocks and the weight of children under 06 years will be taken to determine the nutritional level (dwarfism, weakness, etc.) in each village. In addition, based on the data received, a district-level action plan will be prepared by setting targets to reduce malnutrition rates.

It is worth mentioning that since 2012, the Wajan Tyohar has been organized 9 times. At the Wajan Tyohar (weighing festival), the nutrition level is ascertained through online software by taking the children’s weight on the scheduled date. During this, the correct malnutrition status is ascertained by identifying underweight children. Adolescent girls are also included in this campaign.

Weight festival’s objectiveness will be enhanced by considering the sample tests taken by cooperative voluntary organizations such as UNICEF, Care, World Vision, and colleges and universities. The officers at the state level and training centers are also given the responsibility of inspection and monitoring. This is for the efficient and effective implementation of the program.