Times of India. A huge advertisement occupying twothirds of page eleven, from Central Board of Excise and Customs, thanks tax payers for paying Rs. 2.42 trillion in indirect taxes. Under the heading 'Your taxes are working for you' we are given some figures of how some of the money is spent. Sarva Siksha Abhiyan Rs. 10.671 billion, Mid-day Meal Scheme Rs. 7.324 b, Integrated Child Development Scheme Rs. 4.761 b, Rural Employment Schemes Rs. 14.800 b, Accelerated Rural Water Supply Programme Rs. 6.700 b, Indira Awaas Yojna Rs. 4.040 b, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna Rs. 6.789 b, total Rs. 450.85 billion. With so much money spent you would think that poor people would be plump and happy. Surprise. Next to this huge ad is a three inch news item with the heading 'Child welfare plan to be revamped'. Seems that the number of malnourished children has dropped from 46.7% in 1998-1999 to 45.9% in 2005-2006. The Supreme Court has asked for the Integrated Child Development Scheme to be extended to all children below the age of six years. I find it puzzling why the Court has to be involved at all when we apparently have a Women and Child Development Ministry. So much money spent and still nearly half the children malnourished. I am stupid. I do not understand why.