Seems that there are 160 million children up to the age of 6 years in India of whom 28% are malnourished.
Bihar leads the honors table with 50% of its children malnourished, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 37%, UP with 36%, Delhi with 35% and Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh with 32% each. Why? The Congress spent Rs 2.5 trillion on the MGNREGA scheme which pays the rural poor for 100 days a year, for doing nothing. Presumably a man and his wife can claim separately which means that a family is being paid for 200 days a year. The Food Security Act aims to provide 5 kg of grains per person per month of which rice is at Rs 3 per kg, wheat is at Rs 2 a kg and coarse grains, such as millet at Re 1 per kg. The Act aims to provide subsidised food grains to 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population. Thus, the rural poor receive very cheap food and a cash handout to buy it with. The same quantity of food grains is probably given to everyone regardless of age so children should have enough to fill their little stomachs. Of course, grains provide only carbohydrates and not enough protein, minerals or vitamins. But children under 6 years of age are supposed to be provided with extra nutrition under the Anganwadi scheme, so everyone from child to adult is covered. Why then do we see families living under flyovers in Delhi with dirty children begging for money or selling trinkets to cars stopped at traffic lights? The bitter truth is that, given the hazardous lives they live out on the polluted streets of Delhi, they seem much better fed compared to the pictures of children we see in the papers. Of course, where there is a free scheme there will be corruption. Perhaps handout schemes are started by politicians for their own benefit and not that of the people. Since no one listens to the poor a lot of money maybe looted from such schemes and if the poor are stupid enough to vote the politician to victory then the opportunity to loot is magnified manifold. Although handicapped by severe criticism of the high fiscal deficit the Congress still managed to start a multitude of handouts to try and bribe its way to victory in the general elections in May. Thankfully, it did not work. Are we Indians more selfish and uncaring than any other people in the world? We hope not. The present government seems to have signaled a low tolerance for corruption and many whistle-blowers are beginning to sing. That is a good omen. However, no government, no matter how rich, can provide good food for so many children. Perhaps we should pay people not to have children. Children will not suffer and adults will have money to spend. Is there a will?
Bihar leads the honors table with 50% of its children malnourished, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 37%, UP with 36%, Delhi with 35% and Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh with 32% each. Why? The Congress spent Rs 2.5 trillion on the MGNREGA scheme which pays the rural poor for 100 days a year, for doing nothing. Presumably a man and his wife can claim separately which means that a family is being paid for 200 days a year. The Food Security Act aims to provide 5 kg of grains per person per month of which rice is at Rs 3 per kg, wheat is at Rs 2 a kg and coarse grains, such as millet at Re 1 per kg. The Act aims to provide subsidised food grains to 75% of the rural and 50% of the urban population. Thus, the rural poor receive very cheap food and a cash handout to buy it with. The same quantity of food grains is probably given to everyone regardless of age so children should have enough to fill their little stomachs. Of course, grains provide only carbohydrates and not enough protein, minerals or vitamins. But children under 6 years of age are supposed to be provided with extra nutrition under the Anganwadi scheme, so everyone from child to adult is covered. Why then do we see families living under flyovers in Delhi with dirty children begging for money or selling trinkets to cars stopped at traffic lights? The bitter truth is that, given the hazardous lives they live out on the polluted streets of Delhi, they seem much better fed compared to the pictures of children we see in the papers. Of course, where there is a free scheme there will be corruption. Perhaps handout schemes are started by politicians for their own benefit and not that of the people. Since no one listens to the poor a lot of money maybe looted from such schemes and if the poor are stupid enough to vote the politician to victory then the opportunity to loot is magnified manifold. Although handicapped by severe criticism of the high fiscal deficit the Congress still managed to start a multitude of handouts to try and bribe its way to victory in the general elections in May. Thankfully, it did not work. Are we Indians more selfish and uncaring than any other people in the world? We hope not. The present government seems to have signaled a low tolerance for corruption and many whistle-blowers are beginning to sing. That is a good omen. However, no government, no matter how rich, can provide good food for so many children. Perhaps we should pay people not to have children. Children will not suffer and adults will have money to spend. Is there a will?
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