Anganwadi food crisis persists despite minister’s assurance

In a social media video posted on September 15, the minister acknowledged the shortage, saying supplies of pre-mixed food items such as daliya and khichdi through Markfed had been halted in April over quality concerns. She had promised ration for cooked meals within a week along with funds at Rs 8 per child per day for other ingredients.

However, Anganwadi workers said irregular supplies and delayed payments continued to hamper meal preparation.

Amritpal Kaur, finance secretary of the Anganwadi Workers Union, Punjab, said workers had been instructed in May to prepare sweet and salted porridge, khichdi, kheer and halwa for children aged three to six years. The department was to provide wheat and rice and release funds for other ingredients, but workers across the state were still awaiting supplies.

She said funds for cooked meals were released last week only to centres in Sangrur, Tarn Taran, Barnala and Bathinda. The allocation was also insufficient to cover milk, ghee, sugar, pulses, oil and spices.

Baljit Kaur said wheat and rice supplies had reached Anganwadi centres in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala, while bills for ingredients and cooking costs were being processed. She attributed the delay to the payment procedure being implemented for the first time.

Regarding take-home rations, the minister said district-level tenders had been allotted to NGOs and orders placed, but deliveries were delayed at their end. NGOs would operate district-level food preparation plants, monitored by committees comprising parents and Anganwadi workers.

On the Rs 8 daily allocation per child, she said the amount had been fixed by the Centre and that she had repeatedly sought an increase.

Despite the assurances, workers continue to report shortages, leaving questions over the timely delivery of supplementary nutrition to vulnerable beneficiaries.

• Anganwadi workers report food shortages persisting for nearly five months

• Pre-mixed food supplies halted in April over quality concerns

• Workers say funds and ingredients remain inadequate for cooked meals

• Government says grain deliveries reached centres in three districts

• Take-home ration supplies await delivery by district-level NGOs