Skip to main content

CSOs demand dal, edible oil, iodized salt under Odisha govt’s Food Security Scheme


By Anjan Pradhan*
As part of COVID elevation measure, a meagre amount of 1 kg of chana dal has been provided to BPL/PDS beneficiaries every month and the state government is planning to stop its allocation from November. As it has been a key arsenal in rural Odisha’s pandemic fight and will be crucial to address malnutrition in the long run, civil society groups have urged the Odisha government to continue the supply of one kg of dal, free of cost for at least 12 months and provide an additional quantity of 2 kgs dal per family at Rs. 10/-kg and add 1 kg of cooking oil @10/- per litre and 1 kg of Iodized Salt at free of cost to keep hunger and malnutrition at bay.
Following COVID-19 lockdown, people witnessed a spill in prices compared to 2019 and high prices of pulses may affect nutrition security, claim NGO Atmashakti Trust and its allies Odisha Shramajeebee Mancha and Mahila Shramajeebee Mancha, according to a study they had recently conducted to know the consumption practices of Dal and its impact on nutritional food security in rural Odisha during COVID-19.
The online survey titled “Consumption of Dal and its impact on nutritional food security in Odisha” which was undertaken with more than 10769 families in the state in 16 districts covering 405 villages of 371 Gram Panchayats in 83 blocks reveal the emerging need of Dal and Edible oil in Public Distribution System to ensure nutritional food security among people in rural Odisha.
According to the study report, 99.9% of surveyed families said that the Dal provided under the Public Distribution System are benefiting them. It emphasizes that people need Dal from the government as a nutrition supplement looking at their consumption trend. The survey report also revealed that 46.6% of the families have to spend between Rs. 81 to Rs. 100 for 1 KG of Dal and around 2% of families have also said that they have to pay more than Rs.110 for 1KG dal. The enhanced price of Dal will most likely distort spending and consumption decisions and this may affect nutrition security, especially for low-income families.
The state government is additionally providing 1 kg of milled Chana dal per family per month during COVID19. But the study results reveal that 63% of families reported this dal lasting between 1 to 5 days while 27% of families reportedly consumed this Dal within 6 to 10 days while 76.45% of families reported that they were consuming the Dal for one meal only. Consumption of Dal also depends upon its availability and affordability. In the study, 92% of families told that they would increase their Dal consumption if they could afford it. The availability of Dal in their locality has also influenced the consumption pattern among families. While 92% of families reported availability of Dal in their locality i.e. either in their villages or in local markets, 8% of families have to travel long to buy Dal.
These organizations have launched a state-level campaign titled “Kuposhana Jadi Kariba Dura, Dali, Tela, Luna Nischita Kara” with a focus on ensuring nutritional food security under State Food Security Scheme, to urge the state government to include Dal, Edible Oil and Iodized salt in the State’s Food Security Scheme.
“For the past eight years, together with our allies, we have been trying to address the issues of food and nutritional security in Odisha and nearly one million families have been included in the PDS system. However, the inclusion of pulses and cooking oil for the PDS beneficiaries has not been met so far. As the level of malnutrition of the state is 50% in its tribal areas, the inclusion of dal is of paramount importance”, says Ms Ruchi Kashyap, Executive Trustee of Atmashakti Trust.
Odisha is one of Empowered Action Group (EAG) states declared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Though the state has improved on the proportion of malnourished children under -5 in the state shrunk to 34.4% (NFHS-4) from 40.7% (NFHS-3), the tribal communities still suffer the most. Almost 50% of the under-5 children from tribal communities in Odisha are underweight, and 46% are stunted. Another defiance for Odisha is its outreach to remote and particularly tribal populations. The state also witnesses an intra-state disparity in malnutrition. Malnutrition is as high as 51.8% in Malkangiri district according to the report of NFHS-4, while other districts are way behind the state average in their performance.
Appreciating the effort of the organizations, Mr Raj Kishore Mishra, Convener, Right to Food Campaign, Odisha and State Advisor to the Commission of Supreme Court on Right to Food said “we strongly support the demand of Atmashakti and their allies for diversification of Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). The government musts support to the poor for ensuring food and nutrition security”.
While we appreciate the Odisha government to introduce a special nutrition budget which is unique in our country and a step forward to fight malnutrition in the state, we urge that the government must include our demand and add Dal, Edible oil and iodized salt in its State Food Security Scheme as the government’s measure in this regard will greatly contribute to the nutritional security of the most marginalised section of society.

*Convener, Odisha Shramajeebee Mancha

Comments

TRENDING

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Repeated failure to appoint Chief, other commissioners undermining RTI Act

By Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri* The post of the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission (CIC) has fallen vacant with the retirement of Bimal Julka with effect from August 27, 2020. This is the fifth time in the last six years that the Commission has been rendered headless. Four posts of information commissioners are also vacant in the CIC. Currently more than 35,000 appeals and complaints are pending in the commission resulting in citizens having to wait for months, even years for their cases to be disposed, thereby frustrating peoples’ right to know. Since May 2014, not a single commissioner of the CIC has been appointed without citizens having to approach courts. The failure of the government to make timely appointments of commissioners is a flagrant violation of the directions of the Supreme Court. In its February 2019 judgment, the apex court had categorically stated that if the CIC does not have a Chief Information Commissioner or required strength

Sunil Gavaskar, G Viswanath rated Andy Roberts best fast bowler they ever faced

By Harsh Thakor  The West Indies pace quartet or battery of the 1970’s and 1980’s truck terror to deliver a knockout punch, like never in cricket history. One was reminded of bomber raiding an airbase or a combing operation. Andy Roberts was the pioneer in orchestrating or propelling the most fiery and lethal pace bowling attack ever in the history of the game. Simply the godfather of Modern West Indies fast bowlers. He spearheaded the pack from the mid 1970’s .Without Andy the talent of Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft would never have blossomed.Michael Holding credits Andy for shaping his great bowling career, by infusing vital elements.

Adivasi land rights question in Telugu states: Digitization process without transparency?

By Dr Palla Trinadha Rao  This paper examines whether the Land Records Modernization Program initiated by the successive governments in Telugu States is beneficial to tribals in the Scheduled Areas in the light of special protective Land laws that are in force there. Digitization process or regularization of land records or land surveys without transparency will result in disempowerment of Adivasis. This can be tested in the case of Adivasis in the Scheduled Areas of Telugu States. British colonialism, through its land revenue policy and elaborate exploitative bureaucratic structure, made land alienable on a large scale especially in tribal areas. 1 Land and the forest produce remain the main source of tribals’ livelihood; but availability of land is restricted by forest reservation on the one hand, and non-tribal encroachment on the other. 2 In the Andhra Area, there were certain laws including the Agency Tracts Interest and Land Transfer Act, 1917 that existed before the inaugurati

Ultimate champion in crisis, arguably best ever skipper: Created history in Aussie cricket

By Harsh Thakor  In the history of cricket few cricketers knit and propelled a cricket team or had such profound influence on the game as Ian Chappell. Ian Chappell was responsible for converting a bunch of talented individuals into a world beating side, giving a dramatic turn to Australian cricket. Few cricketers ever led such a renaissance.

Largest democracy in world has become weakest at hands of fascist Hindutva forces

Note on “The Nazification of India”, a report released By Justice For All: *** This report, the Nazification of India, compares how Hindutva ideology not only is inspired by Nazis and Fascists of Europe, but their treatment of the Muslim minority closely follows developments that resulted in pushing Jews to the gas chambers. Situation is indeed quite alarming. The report says that the largest democracy in the world has become the weakest at the hands of the fascist Hindutva ideology. India today is ruled not just by a political party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but its mother organization the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Because the BJP’s government policies are linked to extra-legal enforcement by RSS paramilitary street power, this report has coined the term “The BJP-RSS regime” to reflect their intrinsic links and collaborative relationship. The Nazification of India report marks the anniversary of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002 against Muslims which propelled the BJP-RSS

BSF's unconstitutional, whimsical order violates life, livelihood of Dalits, minorities

Kirity Roy, Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), writes to the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission: *** I want to attract your attention towards the illegitimate restrictions on the life and livelihood of the villagers of Paschim Sahebganj village under Dinhata - II Block and Sahebganj police station in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal by the Border Security Force personnel attached with Dharala Border Out Post under 138 Battalion BSF. The population of Paschim Sahebganj village is around 1480, where almost 75 percent of the villagers belong from Hindu Scheduled Caste (Dalit) and 25 percent from minority Muslim backgrounds.The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture. About 260 acres of cultivable land in the village that belongs to the villagers is located outside the border fencing, which is heavily guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF regulates the ingress and egress of the villagers to their fields through the fencing gates that a

Varanasi social worker who has devoted her life for the ultra-poor and the marginalized

Passion Vista and its partners profile Founder and Managing Trustee Shruti Nagvanshi as  someone whom women leaders look up to: *** Shruti Nagvanshi, a social worker and human rights activist based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has devoted her life to reaching out to the ultra-poor and marginalized communities in India. Born in Dashashwmedh, Varanasi on 2 January 1974, she married Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi on 22 February 1992 and has a son, Kabeer Karunik, a Business management Graduate who is also a national level snooker player.

An approach to lake/pond restoration by Ramveer Tanvar, Pond Man of India

By Monami Bhattacharya*, Mansee Bal Bhargava**  Lakes/ ponds are often referred to as an elixir of life, a living ecosystem that adds incremental value to the larger biota. Across the tropical landscape of the country lakes/ ponds are a common sight. Lakes/ponds have always shaped the life and livelihood of those dwelling in and around it. The dependence of the local population on these natural resources of water is noticeable since time immemorial. However, they are fading fast in both rural and urbanscapes from the popular parlance with the advance of humanity. It has been a popular notion to value land more than the waterscape and hence these nurturers of life are under stress in several areas. In many instances, these once beautiful waterscapes referred as the ‘Eye of the Earth’ are mostly now only dilapidated garbage dump yards emitting foul smell with no sign of a healthy ecosystem.

Urban crisis: Impact of erosion of democratic framework on Indian cities

By IMPRI Team  On 13th February, 2023, IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi in collaboration with ActionAid Association India arranged a book launch followed by lecture series under the title “India’s G20 Presidency & the Urban Agenda for the Developing Countries”. The event was held in Indian International Centre (IIC) Annex, New Delhi. The event began with the book inauguration session, under the honorary presence of Mr Sitaram Yechury, former Rajya Sabha member and General Secretary, CPI (M), accompanied by Mr Sandeep Chachra, executive director, ActionAid Association India. Session 1 | Book Launch: ‘Cities in Transition’ by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar The book launched was “Cities in Transition”, written by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar, former Deputy Mayor, Shimla and a Senior Fellow at IMPRI. Beginning with brief remarks on his book, Mr Panwar outlined the basic subject matter and the purpose behind writing the book, which he considers as a by-product of his experien