The state government is adamant in providing daily ration food to children aged between six months and three years in the tribal areas of Melghat in Amravati district.
However, social activists and NGOs working in the area alleged that the food is not palatable and is being thrown away leading to a huge loss to the exchequer.
An HC bench comprising Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice DY Chandrachud, who suggested to the project officer of Melghat area to provide cooked food to children, seemed to agree with the petitioners.
“If the beneficiaries do not eat the food and if your scheme is unsuccessful, crores would be wasted,” said the court. Nodal officer P Pradeep told the court that as per a Supreme Court judgment dated August 19, 2010, the ration system for tribals was started after suggestions by the central government task force to provide take-home ration to children between six months and three years and cooked food to children between three years and six years.
“There are some operational difficulties but they can be overcome by providing food in zipped packages so that it does not go stale,” said Pradeep.
Petitioner Purnima Upadhyay and advocate Gayatri Singh argued that the food, instead of being eaten, was being thrown away. They alleged that the state government only cares about the contractors of the take-home ration providers and is not open to new ideas.
The HC allowed the petitioners to move the SC and get a clarification in its order on implementing the take-home ration scheme instead of cooked food.
