With 3,795 children identified as malnourished, including 607 in the severe category, in the district between January and July, the Prayagraj administration has turned to its network of gaushalas to improve child nutrition by providing cows to affected families for a regular supply of milk.
Officials attributed malnutrition to factors such as inadequate breastfeeding, lack of nutritious food, illiteracy and limited awareness about child nutrition. Instructions have been issued to make two cows available from each gaushala for families of malnourished children, he added. The administration is also linking these families with other welfare schemes to address their socio-economic needs. The initiative complements existing child nutrition measures, including supplementary nutrition distribution, health check-ups, immunisation and treatment at nutrition rehabilitation centres. Data from the Poshan Tracker application also indicates an improvement in child nutrition indicators across Uttar Pradesh. The digital platform monitors children’s growth, nutritional status and delivery of services through anganwadi centres.
607 children were identified as severely malnourished and 3,188 as malnourished in Prayagraj between January and July this year, according to district data. Chief veterinary officer Dr Shivnath Yadav said Prayagraj has 104 government-run gaushalas housing around 21,500 stray cattle. So far, 46 families have received job cards under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural), or VB-GRAM G scheme. Another 23 families have received toilets, 17 have been issued ration cards and 13 have been provided Ayushman cards for healthcare access. A comparison of January and February 2026 data showed a decline of around 1.21% in stunting, 0.12% in severe malnutrition and 0.61% in underweight cases, according to figures cited by officials.
Chief development officer (CDO) Harshika Singh said the initiative would be implemented under the state’s cow adoption or Sahbhagita scheme. The administration aims to use milk from protected stray cattle to improve the nutritional status of children who remain malnourished despite interventions through anganwadi centres and health facilities, she said. Officials said the monitoring helps identify nutritional deficiencies and facilitate timely interventions for vulnerable children and women. The Prayagraj initiative seeks to supplement these services by improving household access to milk and linking vulnerable families with food security, employment and healthcare support, officials said.
