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THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 9 July 2020 Crisis of the future (Indian Express)

Crisis of the future (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 2:Social Justice
Prelims level: Mid-day-meal scheme
Mains level: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes

Context:

A report in this newspaper highlighted how, in Bihar’s Bhagalpur district, the COVID-19 crisis has affected one of the main weapons in the country’s fight against malnutrition — the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme.
Children of one of the most marginalised Dalit communities in Bihar, the Musahars, have taken to rag-picking after the scheme, which guaranteed them one stable meal a day, came to a standstillin March.
National Human Rights Commission and the Patna High Court which flagged the newspaper’s report, proddedthe state government.

Corrective measures:

The state government claims to have taken immediate corrective action has issued a statewide order to ensure distribution of rations to school children for three months.
It also allowed transfer of money to their bank accounts, or that of their guardians, in lieu of the food scheme.
But is that enough, given that child health experts have questioned the efficacy of dry rations as a substitute for cooked meals?
The case of the Musahar children of Bhagalpur should lead to conversations about food security for children from underprivileged communities across the country during the pandemic.
With schools closed and anganwadi workers engaged in COVID surveillance work, there is a real danger that the nutrition of such children could be compromised.

Mid-day-meal scheme:

Tamil Nadu was the first state to introduce the MDM scheme in the 1960s.
The Central scheme to provide meals to school children began in 1995.
However, initially, most states got away by providing dry rations.
It took a Supreme Court order of 2001 for all states to introduce cooked meals.
The order also specified that the meals should provide children with “at least 300 calories and 8-12 grams of protein each day of school for a minimum of 200 days in a year”.
Since then, a large body of scholarly work has shown how hot, cooked food attracted students to schools and improved their nutritional status.

Strengthening food security programs:

Taking suo motu cognisance of the matter on March 18, the Court asked states to ensure that “schemes for nutritional food for children are not adversely affected”.
Most states, including Bihar, responded by substituting MDM with dry rations.
But such rations may not be sufficient.
The pandemic has led to widespread economic distress.
In such times, the need to strengthen food security programmes cannot be overstated, especially in Bihar — amongst the worst performers on child nutrition.
It, and other states, have much to learn from Kerala, which ensured that the MDM scheme remained operational during the pandemic.
States should also heed the SC’s warning: “While dealing with one crisis, the situation may not lead to creation of another crisis.”

Conclusion:

Collapse of mid-day meal scheme in pandemic could affect food security of most vulnerable.
There is much to learn from Kerala.
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Prelims Questions:

Q.1). With reference to the Dharma Chakra Day / Asaadh Poornima, consider the following statements:

1. The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, Government of India, is celebrating Asadha Poornima on July 4, 2020, as Dharma Chakra Day.
2. This day commemorates Buddha's First Sermon to his first five ascetic disciples at the Deer Park, Rsipatana in the present day Sarnath near Varanasi, UP.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C