STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court has ordered the Center as well as the State Government of Assam through the Women and Child Development Department to observe strict compliance of the Supplementary Nutrition Programme for pregnant women and lactating mothers through the Anganwadi Centers in all districts of the state.
The Bench of Gauhati High Court comprising Justice Achintya Malla Bujor Barua and Justice Robin Phukan passed this order disposing of the PIL (27/2017) filed by one Sauradeep Dey of Guwahati. The PIL brought to the notice of the Court that the pregnant and lactating women in the district of Sonitpur were denied the Supplementary Nutrition Programme benefits to which they were entitled under Section 4 of the National Food Security Act, 2013. Gauhati High Court mentioned, ”the provisions of the Supplementary Nutrition Programme is accepted and the respondents in the Union of India as well as the State of Assam through the Women and Child Development Department are directed to observe strict compliance of the requirement of the Supplementary Nutrition Programme through the Anganwadi Centres of the districts of Assam so that the pregnant women and lactating mothers are the beneficiaries of such programme.”
Section 4 of the National Food Security Act, 2013 entitles pregnant women and lactating mothers in the country to nutritional support. It allows for free meals for pregnant women and mothers till 6 months after childbirth and a Maternity Benefit of a minimum of six thousand rupees.
The Supplementary Nutrition Programme was created with the aim “to improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.” It has provisions for a ‘Hot Cooked Meal’ for preschool children of age group 3-6 years who attends Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) regularly and ‘Take Home Ration’ children of the age group 6 months to 3 years, severely malnourished children of the age group 6 months to 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
The respondents had informed the court that the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) which is presently in place provides a cash benefit in two instalments to the expecting women. The first instalment is Rs.3000 and Rs.2000 is the second instalment for pregnant women for her first child through the direct bank transfer method and further that the scheme would cover even the second child in case of a girl child and Rs.6000 in one instalment will be after the birth of the girl child.
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