Gujarat Expands Doodh Sanjeevani Yojana Across All Tribal ICDS Blocks

GANDHINAGAR: In a major push to fight malnutrition in Gujarat’s tribal and remote regions, the state government has expanded the Doodh Sanjeevani Yojana to cover all tribal Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) blocks. The move will bring thousands of additional children, pregnant women and lactating mothers under the nutrition programme while introducing a pilot project to supply higher-fat fortified milk.

The Women and Child Development Department has approved the scheme’s expansion to the remaining 53 tribal ICDS blocks, ensuring complete coverage across tribal areas. The government has also sanctioned a pilot project to provide fortified milk with higher fat content in select districts to improve nutritional outcomes.

“The expansion of the Doodh Sanjeevani Yojana reflects the state’s commitment to ensuring that every child and every mother in tribal areas receives better nutrition,” the government said.

Launched on December 24, 2009, by then Gujarat Chief Minister and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the scheme initially covered six tribal districts. It now reaches 20 districts through the cooperative dairy network, including Amul, Banas, Sumul and Maahi, which produce and supply fortified flavoured milk.

Under the new pilot project, beneficiaries in Narmada, Dahod and Dang will receive fortified milk with 3% fat, while those in Valsad and Sabarkantha will receive milk containing 4.5% fat. Officials believe the enhanced nutritional value will support children’s growth, improve energy levels and strengthen maternal health.

“The pilot project will help assess the impact of higher-fat fortified milk on children’s physical development and overall nutrition,” officials said.

The Gujarat government has allocated ₹37.709 crore for expanding the scheme and an additional ₹30.35 lakh for the pilot project. Officials said implementation will be fully digitised, with procurement through the GeM portal, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for payments, and regular social audits and third-party verification to ensure transparency.