Now Mamta-Taruni to take care of adolescent girls

In order to ensure adequate healthcare and timely counseling to adolescent girls, the state government has rolled out the Mamta-Taruni programme.

The programme is aimed at providing healthcare to girls who're out of school, because there already exists a health programme specially for school students.

Speaking about the programme, sources in the state health department said that young girls will be given physical and psychological counseling for the changes taking place in the body during adolescence.

"Moreover, data will be gathered about their height, weight and haemoglobin every six months, and they will be given iron tablets as needed. A meeting will be called twice every month in this regard," said the source.

To ensure maximum participation in the programme, the state government has introduced a small monetary provision. "We want the maximum possible number of girls, especially in rural areas, to participate in the programme, so there would be a 'peer educator' - one of the girls from the groups in the villages," said a source, adding that the girls will be given Rs25 for every meeting, and they will need to bring as many girls to the meeting as possible, and make them aware.

At the same time, the family health worker in the village will also be given Rs50 for calling the meeting and counseling.