On the occasion of World Hunger Day on May 28, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi had spoken eloquently about the need to serve ready-to-eat fortified meals to tackle malnutrition in the country. India still has an unenviable track record when it comes to tackling malnutrition among children and pregnant women. What was not surprising was the similarity in approach of Ms. Gandhi and her predecessor, Renuka Chowdhury, towards addressing the issue of malnutrition among the very young. While expressing horror at the quality of meals served to children between the age group of six months to five years, both the ministers found an easy solution in ready-to-serve meals.
Two States, two examples
In a country of 1.31 billion people, how difficult can the task of monitoring food for malnourished and starving children be? Eight years ago, in Bihar’s Bettiah district (also known as West Champaran), someone had worked out a simple solution to ensure that quality food was served.
The district administration decided to enrol mothers, who kept a watch on what their children were fed in mid-day meals at school. The logic: which mother would cheat on feeding her own? On the blackboard, the menu of the day was displayed. On the rolls were mothers who cooked nutritious meals for the children. It was a heart-warming sight to see kids holding their shining plates above their heads marching in single file to the school. The aroma of freshly cooked food wafted in the premises. The food, an essential ingredient for their survival. The quality, assured.
A similar approach was followed in Thane district of Pune a few years ago in the anganwadi centres after the district had earned notoriety when Grade III and Grade IV levels of stunting on account of malnutrition were reported.
A solution worth emulating
The question Ms. Gandhi should have asked on World Hunger Day as she addressed multinational companies in the audience, many of whom are willing to lend a helping hand, was not whether they could offer help. She should have instead sought their suggestions on how to monitor the food being served to youngsters. As she reeled off reasons for the poor track record of serving hot cooked meals, from poorly paid anganwadi workers to siphoning off rations meant for malnourished children and mothers, surely she could have addressed the problem of monitoring the food served. Seeking the help of corporates is an easy way out — opening the door to a system of contractors. A few years ago, liquor baron Ponty Chadha was awarded a contract under the Integrated Child Development Services scheme in Uttar Pradesh! If Bihar and Maharashtra districts can show the way, is it that difficult to replicate the example in the rest of the country?