The recent announcement by our government to bring about the Right to Food Act is very significant as it will help to wipe out the hunger of millions of people. In India millions of people go with out food, not even a single meal a day and many die of hunger and malnutrition. This law will also prevent human beings reaching for the garbage heaps or fighting with street dogs to get a morsel of food. Though 2009 budget promises subsidies on wheat and rice for BPL ( Below poverty line) families there are millions more in our country who would not come under this scheme like street children, homeless, rag pickers and bonded labourers and the Right to food act will be a great blessing as it will cover everyone.
National Family Health Survey conducted between 2005 and 2006 shows that everyday 6000 children in India, below the age of 5 die of malnutrition and other deficiencies related to micronutrients. An U.N report points out that more than one-third of malnourished children are in India. It is around 57 million-of the world’s 146 million undernourished children. Is it not a grim and shocking figure about our brethren?
Though there are various food schemes that are run by State Governments, like mid day meal for children and providing nutrient supplements to expectant and nursing mothers etc. there are many who wait for at least a meal a day. I read recently in one article that many tribals and dalit communities go without sufficient food for days and they depend on roots, tubers and grass (?) to fill their stomach which doesn’t provide them any nutrition and fall prey to various diseases.
On the other side we see food being wasted during various celebrations and rituals. I think there should be enough publicity and awareness created among for the public to distribute such food to the needy. I have seen many Institutions coming and collecting such food from five star hotels and popular Kalyan mandap etc. But this issue has wider scope for public participation.
Another thing I feel strongly about is parents should teach their children not to waste food as it is very scarce for many. I have seen many children after helping themselves to plateful of food just waste it with out eating.
During one my sojourns in a Tamil Nadu college hostel I could see girls emptying plateful of food into the dustbins saying that it was not tasty. These girls coming from rural areas do not eat 3 square meals a day when they go home and their behaviour pained me. What I felt was they could take little portions of the food in their plate and help themselves later, if they found it to their liking or if they wanted more. But they were under the impression that as they were paying for the food they had every right to do what they wanted with their share. I felt the college authorities showed apathy in this matter other wise they could very well have given a directive to the students.
On yet another occasion, conducting a personality development programme in a reputed school in Kochi I found that a good of portion of food from the childrens’ plate, was making its way into the big bins kept outside. So I did report the same to the Principal and my next class was on “How not to waste food.” I also made them promise that they would not waste food in future. In the next few days I was with them the wastage was considerably reduced. I think we can influence children very fast if we use the right tactics. I have also come across schools where the teachers see that the children do not waste food during lunch break. I think it is a great idea.
I hope this Government initiative will succeed and we may not see in future malnourished people dying of hunger or searching for food amongst garbage bins.
Let us wait for a bright dawn where all our food problems will vanish into thin air.
Mera Bharat Mahan !
Tags: 2009 budget, bonded labourers, BPL families, homeless, malnutrition, Mid day meal scheme, National Family Health Survey, nursing and expectant mothers, nutrient suplements, rag pickers, Right to Food act, street children, tactics
July 8, 2009 at 8:17 am |
quite often we have the governments announcing policy decisions which sound very attractive to read but when it comes to implementation the affected hardly get what is due and the middle men make merry.I do hppe atleast let this policy benefit those it is ment to.
July 8, 2009 at 10:58 am |
There is always the problem when it comes to the implementation part but the promise from the Govt. gives me hope that at least this one would benefit the targeted group. We can only wish and pray is it not?. Imagine a society where everyone gets his due to fill the stomach. I am positive something will come out of the Food Act.
July 9, 2009 at 10:16 am |
Striking post. And it is every bit true. Unfortunately, it’s not the lack of food that has resulted in such a grim situation. It’s the distribution system. Let’s hope that will addressed in the new policy. SIgh.
July 9, 2009 at 3:56 pm |
for a person who is very young the thoughts you portray with your comments are very mature.This gives us hope that future India could well be shining !
August 4, 2009 at 6:40 am |
as mahatma gandhiji said:- “there is eough for everybody’s needs but not for anyone’s greed”
August 4, 2009 at 9:03 am |
The greed of some denies many their right to have a few morsels of food
August 4, 2009 at 9:48 am |
you are right chitrakka. and hence we as a family are into reducing the greed in which we have indulged. and as warren buffet said, ” true worth of a person is what / how the person is when all of his/her money is kept away or is taken away from him/her”. so we are trying to challenge ourselves. and moreover the only growth in life is growing over and above ourselves at any given point of time.that sounds pretty much challenging, i guess
August 4, 2009 at 12:52 pm |
the bhagvad gita says ‘as food is to the body is as thought is to the mind’ . i really do not know what that means. and have you heard of the project “make poverty history”. i wonder where that project has reached. did not keep track of it, you know.
August 4, 2009 at 1:46 pm |
Food provides nourishment to the body ,like wise good thoughts keeps mind in healthy condition. Poverty has not become history. Do not know any work has been done on that. When I see something around me prompts me to write something immediately. thanks for commenting Chelli!
August 5, 2009 at 6:46 am |
we never ran out of food you know. and we keralites are a luckier lot except for farmer-suicides that keep happening now and again. ours is more of a consumeristic society thanks to the exposure that most people have because of external influence of most of the families in kerala where people have been abroad , atleast one person per family so to speak. and it surely is a sad thing to be “a frog in a well”, attitude-wise i mean. simply put, narrow- mindedness can be detterent to development i feel. it is not as though beliefs ever come in the way of development. it is the complacency or the inertia of rest that has to be overcome. and the attitude of considering any trouble as an inspiration might help. as someone said “success is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration” see?!!! and moreover we use only a fractional percentage of our entire mental capacity!! a major chunk of it – yet to be used. better to wear out rather than to rust out.
August 5, 2009 at 7:10 am |
We never ran out of food but this never reaches quite a few,that is the saddest part of it.
August 5, 2009 at 9:09 am |
you know, i am reminded of something. junior doctors are supposed to have a year of rural service , mandatory that is, soon after they pass out of internship. atleast that is the case with gvernment colleges in the state of kerala. similarly what if junior hotel management students have a year of mandatory service in rural interior areas of india, just to taste different cultures present right within india. the very idea seems mouth-watering to me!!. i wonder whether you agree with it manchitrakka.
August 5, 2009 at 11:10 am |
i also think that more than those in the rural areas it is the urban poor that suffer. neither are they well-off enough to put up their dwellings in the urban areas nor are they likely to get back to their roots. it is like being between the devil and the deep sea. worse still it is liking putting one foot each on two different boats, in which case the person is most likely to drown if not for his/her swimming experience. and to add to it the competition that has to be faced and the frustration of failure if at all. and the result screwed-up human beings. but not a bad thing considering strong foundation of values and principles that can be sure-fire success in the long run, that is if there is inner-courage, indepth-wisdom and inner-strength and the all empowering faith.
August 11, 2009 at 11:49 pm |
An awakening post — Stats like 6000 children in India die of malnutrition EVERYDAY !! and 57 million of the 146 million are undernourished children !! These are painful facts put in front of us. The Indian govt initiative is commendable and sincerly hope that right people are getting the benefits. It is high time that we did some useful work for the most needed.
Like you mentioned, I think we all need to do our own bits of contribution towards creating awareness of not wasting food. No point waiting on a higher authoritative body to take up the issue.
August 12, 2009 at 2:01 am |
Very true knot 2 share. We must do what ever possible from our side . preserving our resources as well as helping in what ever we can.
thank you for your thoughtful response
August 12, 2009 at 6:07 am |
i recollect an incident from childhood that struck me and my sister alike. our parents made us realize the value of food the hard way. they drew our attention to a huge bin around which were lying food remnants from a function that had taken place. there was this unfortunate kid that had to depend on the wasted food lying around this public bin by the street. and that was not all. the kid had to fight it out with a dog who was competing with the kid for the same food. and the lesson was if we waste our food we might run the risk of having to fight it out with another such dog. harsh isnt it. but it pays to be that strict!!
August 12, 2009 at 2:46 pm |
Knot 2 share
I am really touched by the incident you have cited. I definitely agree with you parents and elders have a huge roll in making their children /wards understand values.
August 23, 2009 at 9:43 am |
school plays a major role too since kids spend about 30 percent of their time with their peers and teachers. nothing like being taught the right things from the wrong as in schools. it really does matter. as it is said you are judged by the company you keep. birds of the same feather flock together. so it pays to be sure about the school in which one spends the earliest part of lives. that is with reference to kids whose parents can afford schools and not the so-called street urchins so to speak.
August 23, 2009 at 2:29 pm |
you are right chelli
in fact it is said that the school is the second home for the child and it plays an imp. role in the formative years.