In response to the alarming rise in the number of malnourished children enrolled in Anganwadis, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has approved a budget increase to provide milk three times a week to support child nutrition efforts in the city.
A proposal by the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) department revealed that out of 71,000 children attending over 1,000 Anganwadis, 36,315 are classified as malnourished—including cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). To combat this, the SMC will supply 100 ml of milk every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to children aged 3–6 years.
The milk will be sourced from SUMUL dairy, and the initiative is expected to cost Rs 4.24 crore for the financial year 2025–26.
The program spans 1,093 Anganwadi centers, including one located in Surat Central Jail. It targets 6,116 malnourished children aged six months to three years and 27,270 children aged three to six years.
This move comes after 101 new Anganwadis, previously managed by the Surat District Panchayat, were integrated into the city’s limits. These new centers account for an additional 2,929 children, pushing the total number of malnourished children in the program to 36,315.
The initiative reflects a crucial step in SMC’s ongoing efforts to fight malnutrition and improve early childhood health.
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