Mail News Service
Ranchi: Jharkhand has made notable progress in health and education indicators, with a lower maternal mortality rate (MMR) of 56 per 100,000 live births compared to the national average of 97 (SRS, 2022). The infant mortality rate (IMR) stands at 25 per 1,000 live births, outperforming the national average of 28. The female literacy rate has reached 72.6 percent, slightly below the national average of 74.2 percent (JES, 2023-24).
Despite these advancements, the state continues to grapple with issues like domestic violence, child marriage and human trafficking. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) (2019-21) reports that 32 percent of married women have experienced various forms of abuse and 32.2 percent of women were married before the legal age of 18.
To combat these challenges, the government has introduced schemes such as Saksham Anganwadi and Nutrition 2.0, integrating Poshan Abhiyaan and Kishori Balika Yojana. These initiatives provide supplementary nutrition, informal education, immunization and health check-ups through Anganwadi centres. As of September 2024, 2.9 million beneficiaries have availed themselves of these services.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has emphasized women and child welfare, with flagship schemes including Mission Shakti and Mission Vatsalya. Under Mission Shakti, the Sambal and Samarthya sub-schemes provide safety and empowerment initiatives, including one-stop centres and the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana. Efforts continue to improve the quality of life for women and children, working toward a vision of a developed India by 2047.
