Yaqoob Andayesh, Deputy Minister of Welfare and Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare, announced the allocation of budget for the support basket for malnourished children and stated that 338,925 children aged 5 to 59 months suffering from malnutrition are eligible for the free food basket purchase credit. This plan is aimed at supporting vulnerable children in line with the promises of the fourteenth government and in accordance with the President's directive.
Details of the Free Food Basket Implementation
Andayesh said that the heads of households of more than 338,000 malnourished children under five who have visited health centers across the country can receive the free food basket purchase credit through the electronic coupon scheme starting from October 10. This plan has been implemented in 36 phases since 2023, and the thirty-seventh phase will continue as the seventh phase in 2026.
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How to Identify and Support Eligible Children
The Deputy Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare referred to the food security program for children as one of the ministry's priorities and emphasized that the period from conception until before the end of five years is a golden opportunity to support children. He continued: Malnutrition during this period can cause serious damage to the brain and growth of children and perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
Andayesh also noted how eligible children for this plan are identified: These children are identified through monitoring anthropometric indicators, including weight and height, and their information is sent to the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare. As a result, the number of children eligible for this plan has reached 338,000.
He further mentioned how the food basket purchase credit will be paid and said: The credit for each child will be deposited into the household head's account through the electronic coupon scheme. For 278,068 children from very needy households, an amount of 20 million rials has been allocated, and for 60,857 children from moderately needy households, an amount of 12 million rials has been designated for food basket provision.
Andayesh expressed hope that with the implementation of this program, we will witness a reduction in child malnutrition and an improvement in food security, as well as an enhancement in the quality of nutritional counseling services for mothers. He also emphasized that each household can act to purchase the specified items within a one-month period from the date of the allocated credit.
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