Ministers ignored governor’s repeated calls to fight malnutrition since 2014

MUMBAI: Despite the fact that Governor CV Rao has held four meetings since December 2014, none of the directives he gave to fight malnutrition in the state were

MUMBAI: Despite the fact that Governor CV Rao has held four meetings since December 2014, none of the directives he gave to fight malnutrition in the state were complied with in time by Panjaka Munde-led women and child development department and Vishnu Savara-led tribal development department.

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Rao also expressed his displeasure in the recent meeting held on September 14. Since December 2014, he has held four meetings to devise ways to eradicate malnutrition and has also given many suggestions. Despite regular follow ups, the concerned departments have failed in implementing his suggestions in the given time.

Also, in the May 7, 2016 meeting, despite governor’s clear directives to roll out phase 2 of APJ Abdul Kalam Amrut Aahar Yojana, that includes providing nutritious food to tribal kids, it did not begin before August. It was expected to kick off in April.

The documents accessed by HT show that Rao, in a meeting held in November 2015, had directed women and child development department to expand village and child development centre (VCDC) scheme to vulnerable areas of Melghat and a tribal area in Vidarbha, but the department has failed to do so. “The principal secretary of the department said in the May 7 meeting that VCDC will be expanded to all the vulnerable blocks and a compliance report will be given by June 30,” the copy of the meeting minutes said.

This centrally funded scheme aims at providing financial assistance of Rs 1,200 per child for their food.

Vinita Singhal, commissioner Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), said women and child development department has moved a proposal to tribal department and are awaiting its clearance.

The governor had also asked for expansion of creches but it too is yet to be done. Singhal said, “We have already started phase 2 of Amrut Aahar Yojana and based on the governor’s suggestions we are coming with up convergence of all schemes to tackle the issue in a scientific way.”