Government is implementing Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA), in 205 districts of various states and Union Territories. The Centrally-sponsored scheme ‘SABLA’ aims at empowering adolescent girls (AGs) in the age group of 11-18 years through nutrition, healthcare and life skills education. The Cabinet approval followed the recommendation of a Group of Ministers (GoM) aiming at enhancing their nutritional and economic status.

Under the scheme, adolescent girls will be provided Take Home Ration. In addition, the Women and Child Development Ministry will explore feasibility for implementing Conditional Cash Transfer scheme as an alternative of adolescent girls in 100 more districts. Around 92 lakh to 1.15 crore adolescent girls of 11 to 18 years per annum are expected to be covered under the scheme during the Eleventh Plan. The girls will be provided supplementary nutrition containing 600 calories, 18-20 grams of protein and micro-nutrients, per day for 300 days in a year.

An amount of Rs 27,486.79 lakh has been released to states under SABLA in 2015-16 till date and amount utilised is Rs 7844.49 lakh. The total number of beneficiaries under the scheme were 102,28,911 during 2014-15 and 48,68,553 in 2015-16 till date.

The government has received requests/proposals from the state government of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to include more districts under the said scheme.