Govt launches special health scheme for adolescent girls

'Sabla' or the 'Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Adolescent Girls' would be launched in 22 districts of Uttar Pradesh, 15 districts of Madhya Pradesh, 12 of Bihar, 12 of Sikkim, 11 districts of Maharashtra and 10 districts of Rajasthan.

To be based on the ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) platform, the basic function of the scheme would be to address the nutritional and special training aspects of girls between the age of 11-18 years.

"The success of this programme is vital for the progress of the country," Union Home Minister P Chidamabram, who was chairman of the Group of Ministers which cleared the scheme, said launching the programme.

The Home Minister said it does not matter if mistakes are made in the first year of the scheme, but it is important that those loopholes are plugged before going in for a further sanction for universal launch before the 12th Five Year Plan.

Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath said though the scheme was being launched only in 200 districts across the country for now, she was sure it would be universal later.