Lok Jung News Online News Portal
*Bhopal (Saifuddin Saifi)*
On one hand, the Madhya Pradesh government sets the target of a “malnutrition-free state.” On the other, ground data seems to challenge that claim. A big question has now been raised on the fight against malnutrition: _Can a child really get nutrition on just Rs 8 per day?_
In this era of inflation, when a glass of milk itself costs Rs 10-12, the government is spending only Rs 8 per day on malnourished children. This rate was fixed in 2017 and has not been revised even once since then. Meanwhile, crores of rupees are being burnt on posters and banners to showcase the government’s achievements.
A study of data from the last 5 years in the Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, and Gwalior divisions shows that more than 5 lakh children were found to be malnourished in these 4 major regions alone. Of these, over 1 lakh fall in the “severe malnutrition” category. The most alarming aspect is deaths. Estimates suggest that between 3,500 to 4,600 children died in these 4 divisions in the last 5 years under conditions linked to malnutrition. Experts believe the actual numbers could be even higher, because the real cause—malnutrition—is often not recorded in many death reports.
When the market price of proper nutrition for a child is Rs 30-40 per day, claiming to end malnutrition on Rs 8 is not policy—it’s a shameful sign of systemic failure. States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu are ahead of MP, spending around Rs 20-30 per child per day with real seriousness.
As per required standards, a child should get 15-25 grams of protein and 1,000-1,500 calories per day. But on the ground, children are getting only 8-10 grams of protein and 400-800 calories—less than half of what’s needed. This doesn’t reflect the MP government’s generosity toward malnourished children, but rather a cruel joke.
*Wake up, wake up, Mohan Government.*
