[Reader-list] Reg: Right to Food - Set 1 - Re-entry

[Rakesh Iyer]

Article 3:

Link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100506/jsp/jharkhand/story_12417696.jsp

Article:

Food forum punches holes in child scheme
- Joint body of social activists & NGOs decides to keep tab on anganwadi
centres OUR CORRESPONDENT

*Ranchi, May 5:* There are large-scale irregularities in implementation of
Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in Jharkhand, Right to Food
Campaign — a joint body of social activists and NGOs working on issues
related to food security — has found out.

The forum, which held a review meeting today, decided to start a
community-level monitoring system for ICDS schemes to stem the rot and
ensure that children and girls got the right amount and quality of food as
provided to them by the government.

“The food served to children at anganwadi centres is substandard though the
government has made sufficient monetary allocation for each centre,” said
Balram, a member of Right to Food Campaign and adviser to Supreme Court
Commissioners on Food Security.

The forum also discussed implementation of other programmes like public
distribution system, MGNREGA, mid-day meal and the like. Noted economist and
MGNREGA activist Jean Dreze took part in the meeting.

Each anganwadi centre is given a sum of Rs 10,200 to buy foodgrain and other
cooking stuff for children, women and girls of its area. Till December 2009,
this amount was Rs 5,200.

An anganwadi centre has to buy rice, *masoor dal*, soya bean, refined oil
and sugar with this money and prepare *khichdi *to feed the children (six
months to three years). The other group — three to six years — get the same
meal. Only, green vegetable is a must for them.

“During my field visits, I did not see any centre serving nutritious food.
Green vegetables can hardly be spotted in the meal. The consistency of
*dal*is very thin,” Balram said, alleging huge irregularities to the
tune of Rs
6,000 per month at each anganwadi centre..

The Right to Food Campaign will now regularly monitor the food served to
check this financial irregularities perpetrated at the bureaucratic level.

The body also plans to hold public hearings on the issues in regular
intervals, Balram said.

The body has also decided to hold a meeting with the legislators in July to
make them aware of the importance of the schemes.

“We will also also ask the MLAs to include all rural and urban slum
households in the BPL category as the existing list is faulty,” said Gurjit
Singh, a member of the body.