SHGs will supply food to anganwadis, HC told

Ahmedabad: Within one year all the breakfast to anganwadis would be supplied by self-help groups (SHGs) and mahila mandals. The state government has informed the Gujarat high court that it has set a deadline of one year for the same.
The bench, headed by Chief Justice SJ Mukhopadhaya, on Monday instructed the government to expedite the process of doing away the contract system of food supply and submit a progress report by June 28.
Acting suo motu, the high court took notice of the fact that the state government initiated the process of involving SHGs and mahila mandals for providing morning breakfast, fruits and sukhadi in 20,000 anganwadi centres in 2009-10. However, the court was eager to get the system implemented in 28,500 other anganwadi centres also and asked the government to set a deadline for it.
Supreme Court has issued directions prohibiting the state governments to get supply of food for children through contractors. Earlier, the high court sought details in regards with the supply of food to children in anganwadi centres as well as in primary schools besides the data in relation with the public distribution system (PDS).
The court has been proceeding with the issue of food security and PDS for more than two years after a division bench took cognizance of complaints received from various places regarding irregularities in the PDS. The court began asking the government to introduce corrective measures so that food allotted for the poor reaches them. The state government has also faced the high court’s ire for not implementing several SC directions and for improper execution of variousf welfare schemes.