To unlock the full potential of India’s future, we have to prioritize the health and nutrition of its adolescent girls. Adolescence is a pivotal period of cognitive development and, therefore, improving access to nutrition during this “second window of opportunity of growth” compensates for any nutrient deficiencies acquired during early developmental stages in the girl child. Furthermore, adolescent health is a significant indicator of women’s labour force participation in India in the long term, as better nutrition improves every young girl’s prospect to participate in productive activities.
Sabla Scheme, also known as the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for the development of adolescent girls, is an important government scheme that focuses on the development of young girls between the ages of 11 to 18. The Sabla scheme aims at empowering Adolescent Girls (AGs) through nutrition, health care, and life skills education. The scheme is implemented through Anganwadis Centres (AWc), panchayat community buildings, schools, etc.
SABLA scheme empowers young girls by providing them with the necessary means to lead a healthy and meaningful life. The detailed objectives are as follows-
Sabla Scheme, also known as the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme, has a multi-dimensional approach to improving the lives of adolescent girls. The following are its features;
Services under SABLA Scheme | Description |
Supplementary Nutrition | It is a main component of the SABLA Scheme. It may be provided to AGs through Take Home Rations (THR) or Hot Cooked Meals, as appropriate. If hot-cooked meals are provided, quality requirements have to be fulfilled;
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Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation | The Government of India has implemented various schemes and programs to address the issue of anaemia among children and adolescents, including the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the National Nutritional Anaemia Prophylaxis Programme (NNAPP).
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Nutrition and Health Education (NHE) | Nutrition and Health Education (NHE) is an important component of the SABLA Scheme. The aim of NHE is to provide adolescent girls with information and knowledge on proper nutrition, health, hygiene, and other related issues that can impact their overall well-being.
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Life Skill education | It is an integral component of the SABLA Scheme.
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Vocational Training using NSDP | Vocational training based on the National Skill Development Program is provided for a maximum of three years, with the desired level of flexibility in the location to ensure maximum benefit.
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As per the 2001 census, adolescent girls comprise 16.75% of the total female population. The female literacy rate is only 53.87%, and nearly 2.74 crore girls are undernourished. Also, as per the Global Nutrition Report of 2017, around 51% of women in India are still anaemic (56.2% as per NFHS 3 2005-06)
Also, adolescence is the age when the child is mature enough to understand the need for a healthy lifestyle and mentally developed to learn vocational skills. It is also the age where a healthy lifestyle can be developed as any prevailing health issue can be easily understood and managed through the right guidance and care. Therefore this scheme targets adolescent girls.
January 8 is celebrated as Kishori Diwas, where health cards are issued at Anganwadi Centres for school-going and non-school-going girls. On this date, awareness about the overall well-being of young adolescent girls is also spread. Anganwadis, a large women's organization, plays a key role here.
Kishori means young girl. The health card keeps a track of information related to the height, weight, and body mass index of adolescent girls covered under the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for the development of adolescent girls. These cards are managed by Anganwadi Centers. The details are used to analyze the effect of the scheme as well as to encourage girls to come to school to learn.
Funding for the scheme for adolescent girls
“Adolescence represents an inner emotional upheaval, a struggle between the eternal human wish to cling to the past and the equally powerful wish to get on with the future.”- Louise J. Kaplan, Psychologist, and author. India Is home to one of the largest adolescent populations in the world and the demographic dividend of such a population can only be utilized if its women are empowered. As adolescence is the age where lots of wrongs can be corrected and a lot many rights can be carried forward, schemes like Sabla should be encouraged.
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