Laddoos, khichdi compromised for pregnant women, lactating mothers, kids

62 lakh pregnant women, lactating mothers, and underweight children in Maharashtra face reduced nutritious food due to stagnant procurement rates since 2017.

MUMBAI: An estimated 62 lakh pregnant women and lactating mothers, and underweight children, in the state are being denied the benefit of central government schemes through which they can avail of nutritious food, such as 200 grams of khichdi and peanut laddoos weighing 60 grams each day. Instead, they get 50 grams of khichdi and 20 grams of laddoos per day, as the government has not hiked the procurement rates of the essentials in the last eight years.

Laddoos, khichdi compromised for pregnant women, lactating mothers, kids

This was brought to the attention of the state government by a ruling party legislator on Friday.

BJP MLC Chitra Wagh said in the legislative council that in the absence of any hike in funds allocation and rising inflation, the quantity of nutritious food for women and children have been compromised. “The rates were decided in 2017, and have not been hiked since,” said Wagh. While most women get the benefit from the central government’s Integrated Child Development Scheme, run by the women and child development department (WCD), those in the tribal belts get the benefit from the Amrut Ahar Yojana.

Aditi Tatkare, WCD minister, responded to Wagh’s allegation, saying the state government had recently sent the proposal to the central government to increase the rates, decided in 2017.

The budget allocated for nutrition for pregnant women, lactating mothers and underweight children, which is distributed through anganwadis, range between ₹8 and ₹12 per person, per day. “In the wake of hike in rates of fuel, food grains, transport cost etc government needs to increase the rates decided earlier. In the absence of this, beneficiaries are getting poor supply of nutritious food,” said Wagh.

Shubha Samim, leader of aganwadi workers and helpers said, “We have been raising the issue of poor rates for nutritious foods since the last seven years. In villages, aganwadi helpers cook the food for women, while in urban areas self-help groups provide the food. The present rates affect the quality of food.”

Tatkare pointed out, that the department had sent a proposal for hike of between ₹4 to ₹5 per person in the scheme run by the department, “while a separate proposal will be sent to hike the rate in the scheme for women in the tribal belts from the existing ₹45 per day; we have yet to discuss the rate”. Those in the tribal belt are given a larger meals.