Collector’s Ladoo Strategy Cuts Underweight Newborn Cases by 57% in This Tribal District

High-risk pregnancies.
Low birth weight.
Insufficient foetal growth.

These were common problems that soon-to-be mothers in Chhattisgarh’s Korea district always faced. And the reason for this? Simple – lack of nutritious food before and during pregnancy.

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In the tribal heartland of the Korea district, this crisis was threatening the health of mothers and the survival of their newborns. The issue of low birth weight, defined as a baby's birth weight less than 2.5 kg, was not just a medical concern but a deeply personal tragedy for many families.

For Jadavmati, a 31-year-old woman from Jharnapara village, the fear of delivering a low-birth-weight baby haunted her throughout her pregnancy.

Severely anaemic and physically drained during her third trimester, she recalls, “I felt like a shadow of myself. I spent my days praying for my baby’s health.” Her story resonated throughout the region, where maternal malnutrition threatened the future of generations.

A sweet solution

If you were someone who delivered a baby, remember the ladoo you were given by your grandmother while you were pregnant and during postpartum? It was a sweet delicacy made of gram flour, jaggery, sesame, barley, and ghee. They said, “The ladoo would make the woman physically strong.”

Taking a cue from this simple traditional practice started by our grandmothers, the Korea district collector came up with an idea – to feed expecting mothers in the district with the ladoo.

This initiative was launched by the collectorate in February 2025 under the guidance of district collector Chandan Sanjay Tripathi, and was called the ‘Korea Modak Ladoo’ initiative.

“I am posted in a tribal-dominated area, and the biggest challenge we faced was low birth weight,” the collector says. “Most women were unaware of what they should eat during pregnancy — they didn’t know the importance of proteins or supplements like iron and folic acid.”

To address this gap, the collector initially tried to use the existing schemes to feed pregnant women healthy food. “Every pregnant woman either visited the anganwadis to eat the meal and returned home without eating, as they did not like what was made, or they did not turn up at all. That’s when I thought of another plan and began work on the ladoo initiative,” Chandan explains.

How it all started

Initially, when the team approached the pregnant women and their families, they were not interested. “Soon we began conducting programmes for these families. We targeted the husbands, mothers-in-law, and their community members – to explain the importance of nutrition and consuming a good meal so that future generations are strong,” she says.

After consulting a dietician, work began on making ragi-based ladoos. “Ragi has excellent nutritional value and is widely accepted in the community. So, we decided to go for them,” the collector shares.

All about the 'Korea Modak Ladoo' programme

Each pregnant woman receives two nutrient-rich ladoos (20 g each) every day. The sweet is made from locally sourced ingredients like jaggery, peanuts, and fortified flour to meet essential nutritional requirements for both the mother and baby.

Managed by community-driven Self-Help Groups under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and supported by a few Poshan Sangwari (nutrition friends) from the community, the ladoos are distributed through Anganwadi centres, PHCs, and ASHA workers.

Over 2,000 beneficiaries have benefited across the Korea district, with a special focus on high-risk pregnancies.

Recognising that anaemia and underweight pregnancies are major contributors to low birth weight, the initiative also prioritised the distribution of iron supplements to pregnant women in their fifth month.

These supplements are delivered directly to homes by Poshan Sangwari and ASHA workers, and the women are briefed about the benefits of these supplements and how they help increase the baby’s weight.

“We wanted to involve the community in the process so that only the beneficiaries received and ate the ladoo and not their family members,” says Chandan.

“The above numbers are not just statistics, but represent healthier babies, safe mothers, and families filled with joy,” shares Collector Tripathi.

When asked about challenges at the district level, she explains, “The main challenge was to convince the family members. There were sessions where we explained in detail to the mothers-in-law and husbands the benefits of the programme. We told them that by supporting pregnant women, they’re ensuring stronger future generations. To convince them, we held meetings, shared the survey findings, and explained everything in a simple, relatable way — just like how you would explain it to children, with patience and clarity.”

Women at the heart of the solution

The most transformative aspect of the initiative lies in its execution. In village Ani, 25 women from the Jyoti and Mai Sharda SHGs became the district’s nutrition champions. Using locally sourced ingredients, they began preparing the nutrient-rich modak ladoos.

Every month, between 1,500 and 2,000 ladoos are produced, with over 3,00,000 distributed to date. Beyond their nutritional value, these ladoos are empowering women. Each SHG member earns Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 monthly, and the groups have collectively earned over Rs 60,000 in just five months.

“We are not just making sweets,” said one of the SHG members. “We are making sure babies are born strong.”

A circle of care: The role of Poshan Sangwari

Integral to the initiative is the Poshan Sangwari model, wherein each pregnant woman is paired with a nutrition companion from her own community. These companions ensure that mothers receive their ladoos and supplements, attend antenatal check-ups, and understand how to prevent low birth weight through proper care and nutrition.

For Jadavmati, this support was life-changing. With the guidance of her Sangwari Didi and the strength provided by the ladoos, she delivered a healthy 3.6 kg baby boy. “These ladoos saved my baby,” she said, with a huge smile.

Monika from Katgodhi village shared a similar experience. With consistent support and nutritional guidance, she gave birth to a 4.1 kg baby. “I felt strong, cared for, and informed. I didn’t just avoid low birth weight — I gave birth to a healthy child.”

A recipe rooted in tradition and backed by science

Each ladoo is carefully prepared so that the nutrition is balanced. Jaggery provides iron, peanuts and sesame seeds offer protein, and grains like ragi and jowar supply essential micronutrients.

The recipe is seasonally adapted — cooling sattuin summer and warming ragi in winter — to meet the changing needs of pregnant women.

“These ladoos are not just sweets,” said Sunita Devi, an SHG member. “They are a strength for mothers and safety for babies. We make them with the intention to prevent low birth weight and promote healthy births.”

The initiative has also redefined the role of women in public health. By entrusting SHGs with the preparation and distribution of ladoos, the programme has turned beneficiaries into leaders.

Nearly 30 women now earn sustainable incomes and carry the pride of helping others avoid low birth weight complications.

“Earlier, we only worked at home,” said Rekha Bai, an SHG member. “Now we earn, support our families, and help other mothers. It feels like our work is sacred.”

A scalable model for healthier generations

The Korea Modak Ladoo Initiative stands as a model of sustainable development and community-led health reform. It demonstrates that traditional knowledge, when combined with compassionate governance and grassroots participation, can effectively combat low birth weight and improve maternal and child health.

Korea’s story offers a powerful message: the fight against low birth weight doesn’t require complex technology — it requires trust, tradition, and the strength of women working together. In Korea, one ladoo is nurturing a healthier generation.

(With inputs from Korea district collector Chandan Tripathi and Dr Irshad Khan, ABP-Fellow, District-Korea (Chhattisgarh) NITI Aayog, Government of India)