India's food (in)security problem

According to an ICMR report, 68 per cent of deaths among children under the age of five, are due to malnutrition in India, while 35 per cent of children under the age of five are stunted. These numbers mirror how inadequate allocations and poor monitoring have dented the Integrated Child Development Services programme.

Hyderabad: India is one of the few countries to have launched an Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program as early as 1975. The scheme was intended to ensure nutritious food, preschool education, primary healthcare and immunization services to children under six years of age and their mothers.

The scheme started off with 5,000 Anganwadi centres initially. However, even after 14,00,000 centres in 7,000 blocks, the fundamental mission of the project is yet to be accomplished.

The Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) latest report identified why India fares so poorly in infant welfare even in comparison with African countries like Ghana and Tobago. The CAG report condemned the Ministry of Women and Child Development for having diverted funds from ICDS to activities not permitted under the programme.

Over the past few years, the budget allocations to ICDS have been meagre. In 2016, there was almost a 50 per cent fund cut. Despite alarming nutrition indices, the scheme saw a 19 per cent slash in 2020 Union Budget. Some states submitted their financial statements but there were discrepancies between actual expenditure and utilization of funds.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) report published in September 2019 attributed 68 per cent of under-five children deaths to malnutrition. 35 per cent of children under the age of five are stunted. These numbers mirror how inadequate allocations and poor monitoring have dented the scheme.

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Official statistics say that Anganwadi centres are engaged in securing the nutritional needs of 8.5 crore children under six and 1.90 crore nursing mothers.

In 2001, the Supreme Court had ordered the Centre to set up 17 lakh Anganwadi centres nationwide, for implementing immunization and nutrition programs. However, thousands of centres are still non-functional even after getting necessary sanctions from state governments. Further, the pandemic has paralysed the functioning of many rural child care centres.

Recently, the apex court agreed to hear a PIL seeking the reopening of Anganwadi centres to prevent a hunger pandemic. Though there were instances of officials striving for the welfare of tribal women in remote hamlets during COVID-19, they were more of an exception than the norm.

In December 2019, the Ministry of Women and Child Development confirmed huge staff vacancies in Anganwadi centres, especially in Puducherry, West Bengal, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

Citing fund crunch, the centres are neither clearing contractor bills nor paying salaries to the staff. Central and state governments must understand why India should focus on nutrition security, as stressed upon by the likes of MS Swaminathan. ICDS needs to be reformed to ensure food security for the youngest citizens of India.

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