The Central Government and the SC has made it clear that the work of supplying the nutritious diet to the pregnant women, expecting mothers, children and lactating mothers, be entrusted to the women self-help group. However the Maharashtra Government has been depriving thousands of women from this work making their jobless of the monetary gains of ministers and officers.
A Rs 1300 crore contract has been awarded to the corrupt semi-Govt institute in violation of all regulations. Eventually the present and past ministers, Government officers of the women and child welfare department and directors of this institute have become rich. However in this corrupt deal, the beneficiary children and their family members are being served the coarse quality food. Resultantly the rate of malnutrition is galloping. Despite this the MVA Government and the Opposition has been keeping mum over the issue.
With a view to make women economically independent, a host of schemes have been implemented by the Central Government for the last 40 years. Some of the schemes are implemented under the Integrated Child Development program.
Under these schemes 94.271 rural and 15,555 urban anganwadis are being provided a nutritious diet. The nutritious diet is provided to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children. The Central Government has made it clear from time to time that the contract to provide this diet should be awarded to women’s self-help groups.
Not only the Central Government, but even the Supreme Court has insisted that this work should be given to the women’ self-help groups. It has also been made clear that the terms and conditions of the contract should be simple so that these self-help groups can conveniently participate in this work. However the Maharashtra Government has by-passed these instructions and the ministers and officers have intentionally put stringent conditions to prevent self-help groups from participating in this work.
In its recent order the SC had said that the work of providing nutritious diet be given to the private institute strictly for the period of 4 weeks, till such time a self-help group is selected,
To ensure that the lakhs of children are not deprived of the diet. As such the contract was awarded to the Maharashtra State Coop Consumer Federation Limited on a purely temporary basis. However this federation has continued with the work for the last two and half years. It has continued the work since it gets heavy booty from the contractors, This is a contempt of court. In this the SC’s basic intention is being overlooked. Yet the show goes in collusion of ministers, government officers and office bearers of the federation.
The nutritious diet should be given as:
Anganwadi children :
Age group 6 months – 6 years
Nutritious factor 500, 12-15 gram
Breakfast containing protein, lunch ( self-help group to provide this).
This diet should be given for 25 days in a month and 300 days in a year.
A new vigilance committee should be set up to monitor the distribution of diet.
Nutritious diet scheme thrown to a wind
SC directions trampled
Women self-help groups given a raw deal
Big sharks corner the nutritious diet contract
A federation deprives women of work
Ministers, officers fill their kitty
