61 children die every day in MP, shows official data
Bhopal, June 26: Contrary to the claims of the Madhya Pradesh government of protecting children from malnutrition and various diseases, official data shows that every day no less than 61 kids in the 0-9 age group die for the same reasons.
This information was given by Minister for Woman and Child Development Archana Chitnis in the state Assembly in response to a question by Congress MLA Ramnivas Rawat.
The Congress legislator had sought to know how many children were found under-weight and how many of them died between February and May 2018.
Chitness replied that a total of 1,183,985 children were found to be under-weight, out of which 103,083 were critically low on weight.
She also informed that during the period, 6,024 infants aged up to one year and 7,332 children between one and five years died due to various diseases.
Rawat said it is a sad commentary on the state of childcare in the state.
"The state government has been making tall claims on children's healthcare. But 7,332 children dying over a period of 120 days means 61 kids are dying every day!" he said.
The Minister said that at a review meeting on September 15, 2016, it was decided to issue a white paper on childcare in the state and a committee for the purpose had also been constituted.
But the points of reference of the committee are yet to finalised and no meeting of the panel has been held as yet.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Lok Sabha extends tenure of parliamentary panel on Waqf bill
New Delhi (PTI): The Lok Sabha on Thursday adopted a resolution to extend the tenure of the Joint Committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill till the last day of the Budget session of Parliament next year.
Committee Chairman and BJP leader Jagdambika Pal moved the resolution in the Lok Sabha, which approved it with a voice vote.
The parliamentary panel’s meetings have become a virtual battleground between the opposition and the ruling party members, who have been vociferously debating the changes to the Waqf Bill proposed by the government.
On Wednesday, the opposition members of the committee staged a walkout and slammed Pal for asserting that the panel's draft report was ready.
Pal and the BJP members of the committee then reached out to opposition members and indicated their willingness to press for an extension of the committee's deadline of November 29 to submit its report to the Lok Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had constituted the committee on August 8 and asked to submit its report on the last day of the first week of the Winter session, which is on Friday.
Following the last meeting of the committee on November 21, Pal had said its draft report is ready. He indicated that the committee's consultation with stakeholders is over and its members will now discuss the report and suggest changes, if any, before it is adopted.
The opposition members took strong exception to this stand in Wednesday's meeting and soon stormed out. They claimed that Birla had assured them that its tenure would be extended.
Opposition parties have stridently criticised the amendments proposed by the bill in the existing Waqf Act, alleging they violate the religious rights of Muslims.
The ruling BJP has asserted that the amendments will bring transparency in the functioning of the waqf boards and make them accountable.
