Scheme for Adolescent Girls, Benefits, Eligibility, Objective

The Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) is a government initiative aimed at promoting the well-being of adolescent girls in India between the age of 11-14 to address malnutrition, Non-Nutritional Support including education, awareness, and health welfare. The original Scheme for Adolescent Girls was discontinued on March 31, 2022 and subsumed under Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 which focuses on adolescent girls having the age between 14-18 years, particularly in Aspirational Districts (economically and socially backward areas), including regions in Assam and the Northeast States.

Scheme for Adolescent Girls Significance

1. Adolescent girls led the foundation of a healthy and empowered society. Ensuring their well-being has a major effect on families, society and future generations.
2. These schemes address barriers to growth such as malnutrition, lack of menstrual hygiene, and anaemia, which often lead to poor educational outcomes.

Scheme for Adolescent Girls Benefits

The Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) has both Nutrition and Non-Nutrition Components to address which are discussed below:

Nutrition Component

The Nutrition Component considers the concerns which include malnutrition and ensures adequate intake of nutrients such as calories, protein, and micronutrients to meet the daily diet requirements of adolescent girls.

• Providing Take-Home Rations (THR) or Hot Cooked Meals to out-of-school girls, delivering 600 calories, 18-20 grams of protein, and essential micronutrients daily for 300 days a year. 
• Finances allocated of ₹9.50 per day per beneficiary, which includes the cost of micronutrient to complete the dietary deficiencies effectively.

Non-Nutrition Component

The Non-Nutrition Component focuses on improving the health, education, and life skills of adolescent girls and delivers a wide range of supportive services. 

• Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplements to control anaemia, regular health check-ups.
• Nutrition and Health Education (NHE) programs promote awareness about balanced diets, hygiene, and disease prevention, while counselling and guidance provide essential knowledge on family welfare, Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH), and childcare practices.
• Life skill education enhances decision-making, communication, and self-confidence, empowering girls to navigate challenges and build better futures. 

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Scheme for Adolescent Girls Eligibility

• The applicant must be a female
• The age of the applicant must be between 11-14 years.