168. Reading Skills Comprehension: The Problem of Malnourished Children

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The Problem of Malnourished Children

Read the Passage carefully and answers the following Questions:-

1. Over the last fifty years, millions of rupees have undoubtedly been spent on child care in this country. Yet, it is not Sub-Saharan Africa that is the home of the malnutrition child but India where, according to UNICEF statistics, 53% of all children are malnourished. The reasons for malnutrition among Indian children are not far to seek. It is a multi-sectoral, multi-level problem that involves not just the availability but also adequate mother and child care in terms of easy access to health facilities, safe drinking water, environmental sanitation and, of course, literacy.

 2 Neither the setting up of the National Nutrition Council in 1994, under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, nor the integrated child development scheme launched in 1975 to promote the holistic development of the child under six years of age, have made any visible or vocal difference or improvement in the sordid situation. Unfortunately, the purpose of strength- ending the capacities of the community and of those who care has failed to deliver the goods) because the schemes envisaged have Haan d only marginal impact in the area of nutrition where it is most wanting and woeful. On paper, we have plenty of policies and programmes, but as far as performance is concerned we have earned enough notoriety. The need of the hour is to translate them into deeds and results what we have tried to sell in the form of promises and populist pronouncements.

3. The most urgent areas of attention and immediate actions are nutrition, health and education of children, whose well-being reflects the health of the society and caring outlook of the polity. Since the causes of malnutrition of children are many, like exploding population, bias against the female child, weak and suffering mothers, the remedy calls for care of the mother and care by the mother’, besides an effective control overpopulation explosion. Ignorance of what foods should be taken is another contributory factor that results in malnutrition among women and children. The implementation of various schemes to fight the menace of malnutrition and undernourishment of children requires planning, coordination and monitoring by high-powered bodies right down to the village level.

Word-Meaning:-

1.Sub-Saharan—almost like the Sahara desert of Africa 2. Malnutrition—suffering from a lack of the right type of food. 3. UNICEF—United Nations Children’s Fund. 4. Malnourished—suffering front a lack of the right type of food. 5. multi-sectorial — pertaining to many sectors or areas. 6. holistic — medical treatment which considers the whole person including mental and social factors rather than just the symptoms of a disease. 7. Vocal—expressing one’s opinion in speech. 8. Sordid—dirty and unpleasant, 9 deliver the goods—complete a task as expected. 10. Envisaged—pictured in the mind, imagined. 11. Marginal—insignificant. 12. Wanting—lacking. 13. Woeful—very had: 14. Notoriety—fame for being had in some way. 15. Populist—claiming to represent the Interest of ordinary people. 16. Pronouncements—formal statements. 17. Polity—form or process of government, society as an organized state. 18. Bias—prejudice. 19. Calls for—demands. 20. Menace—danger.

Questions

(a) On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it, using headings and sub-headings. Use recognisable abbreviations wherever necessary.

(b) Write a summary of the above passage in 80 words. Also, suggest a suitable title.

Answers

Notes on the contents of the Passage:

A. Millions spent on ch care :

(i) 53% of children malnourished (UNICEF)

(ii) situation worse than in Sub-Saharan Africa

B. No impact made by :

(i)National Nutrition Council, 1994

(ii) Integrated Child Dew Scheme 1975

C. Reasons :

(i) problem multi-sectorial. multi-level

(ii)ar. of nutrition ignored

 (iii) tall promises, nil results

D. Remedies :

(i)care of the mother and the ch.

(ii)effective ctrl. of ppl. explosion

(iii)knowledge of what food should bc taken

(iv) easy access to health facilities

(v)safe drinking water

(vi)envtl. sanitation

(vii)literacy

E. Implementation of various schemes :

 (i) planning

 (ii) co-ordination

(iii) monitoring by high powered bodies down to the vill. level.

Abbreviations used :

 

1. ch. — child

2. Dev. — Development

3. ar. — area

 4. cut — control

5. ppl. — population

6. envtl. — environmental

7. vill. — village

 

 (b)  Summary of the passage

 In spite of the various schemes envisaged by our government, more than half of the children in India are malnourished. It is due to the fact that this multi-sectorial and he d multi-level problem has not been tackled properly. There has been much in the form of promises but little in terms of results. The problem can be solved only if sincere efforts are made through proper planning and coordination. All schemes should be monitored by high powered bodies down to the village level.

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