Nourishing a Nation’s Future

Malnutrition is a serious issue globally. Freebies have shown we have the financial capacity, but what we need are stronger execution strategies. Nutrition of children is a legally enforceable right. Because the child cannot demand rights, nor can people at the top level be expected to micro-manage it all the time, robust execution strategies are needed.

Multiple constitutional and statutory provisions support a child’s right to nutrition. Article 21 refers to the Protection of Life. Article 47 of the Indian Constitution, a Directive Principle of State Policy, states that the State has the primary duty to raise the level of nutrition, the standard of living of its people, and to improve public health. Apart from Constitutional provisions, India has the National Food Security Act, Public Distribution System, and Maternity Benefit Act (as amended), which provides for initiatives like PM Matru Vandana Yojana, Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, PM Poshan Shakti Nirman / Midday Meal Scheme, and provisions for supplementary nutrition through Anganwadis, etc. These legislative and programmatic efforts collectively form a comprehensive strategy designed to address food security and malnutrition across various life stages and demographics in India. Indeed, the efforts made are commendable. Existing schemes are strong in design, exemplify purity of thought, and absolutely deserve powerful execution.

While there have been several beneficiaries, further outreach can make us a much healthier nation, covering the remotest parts. Questions in execution are: Was every child present? Did every child eat? Was the food nutritious, fresh, and hygienic? To ensure this, all cooking and feeding areas, including in Anganwadis and schools, should be monitored through CCTV, with live access on district/state dashboards and recordings stored. Making the execution process transparent and visible is the strongest safeguard. This monitoring should be overseen at every meal by government officials at the district, state, and central levels, ensuring uniform standards. Like court hearings are online at many places, even this can be.

The intent of the government and all stakeholders is clear — everyone wants healthy and well-nourished children. Strong execution is needed to achieve the complete intent. Even if CCTV footage is not made publicly available, it should be accessible to relevant authorities at the central, state, and district levels, ensuring real-time oversight. Recordings must be monitored daily and kept for years, date-wise. There should be the most serious penalties imposed for any kind of tampering. While all this may involve some cost, it may save huge amounts that may otherwise go to waste in certain places owing to weak execution, lethargy, bungling, false records, or other reasons. Rollout can begin in phases. The goal must be to ensure that even the most remote and rural regions are covered. Strict and fast disciplinary action should be taken against violators, including superiors.

This must be in addition to daily attendance verification, physical and digital, and public display boards showing the menu, quantity of food received, and number of meals served. A child’s height, weight, and energy levels should be tracked from time to time; for the girl child, it should be done by female staff. In fact, even kitchen facilities must remain under CCTV monitoring to ensure cleanliness, safety, and compliance.

The local committee supervising nutrition delivery may consist of officers of the government, mothers of beneficiary children, health and nutrition experts, and school/Anganwadi representatives. In fact, all this could generate a source of employment. In the long run, these strategies will save costs spent on health, medication, etc.

The Supreme Court, in the PUCL vs Union of India case, held that access to food is an essential component of the right to life. Article 25(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being, which includes food. India is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and Article 24 of the CRC inter alia refers to child health and nutrition.

Nutrition is not an expenditure but an economic investment. Early nutrition directly shapes brain development, learning capacity, productivity, and, ultimately, national growth. Studies show that malnutrition can cost a country part of its GDP every year, while every rupee invested in child nutrition yields substantial long-term economic returns. India already has the laws and schemes; what is needed now is credible, continuous, and verifiable implementation in every nook and corner. Nutrition is rightly being viewed as a cornerstone of nation-building. The success of policies is most measured in meals actually consumed. The finest policies must be ensured to reach every child’s bowl.

Views expressed are personal. The writer is a practising Advocate in the Supreme Court and High Court of Delhi