This is sought to be substantiated by the hiccups encountered in the implementation of the Aksharadasoha, midday meal programme for children in government primary schools of Karnataka. While the scheme announced in the State Budget proposals for 2003-2004 has come into vogue from July 1, close on its heels started reports of school children taking ill on partaking of the food served under the scheme also known as ‘bisioota’ in local parlance.  

What is cause for real consternation is that there seems to be a set pattern in the cases of school children falling sick and these reports have emanated from different parts of Karnataka in a short span of a few days. The places of such incidents vary from Naragund in Gadag district, Gangavathy in Koppal district and Mandya, Davangere and Chikmagalur districts. The last word on the fatal case reported from Chikmagalur district is yet to be heard. 

The State Government, which has deployed Rs 200 crore for this programme, had made known its intention to push through the programme by associating non-governmental organisations and sthree shakthi groups. The underlying purpose of the programme was to give a key initiative to improve the literacy rate among children and check the drop-out rate. Both the objectives are beyond dispute and are laudable. Even according to conservative official estimates 23 per cent of children live below the poverty line in the rural areas and 10.9 per cent in the urban areas. The actual magnitude of the problem of poverty among children might be manifold. One indicator available and again based on the official data is that over 32, 000 children are engaged in hazardous industries.  

There is no need for any profound erudition to conclude that it is the grinding poverty of the parents which compels them to make their own children to work in such hazardous units. It is again the official statistics which reveal that 11 lakh children had dropped out and of them eight lakh were lured back into schools. 

Worrisome feature  

Even the three lakh children who are out of school is an alarmingly high figure. Viewed against such a grim scenario, the need for implementing the Aksharadasoha programme with all earnestness and vigour would assume added significance. The Government deserved fulsome compliments for including in the scheme the component under which the students belonging to the socially disadvantaged segments of the population cook the food. If this reformative idea is implemented in right spirit that would be of substantial help in eliminating the sense of social gradation among the children at a very impressionable phase of life.  

But the worrisome feature of the otherwise highly commendable scheme is the absence of adequate preparations at the administrative level before embarking on such a scheme involving lakhs of school children. What the spin doctors of the present establishment want us to believe is that the flurry of cases of school children taking ill needs to be taken only as the teething trouble of the programme but this cannot be accepted as such because the authorities concerned were not asked to embark on this programme all of a sudden.  

Considering the fact that the midday meal programme was already in vogue in seven districts of the State, it is a debatable point whether those at the higher echelons of the power structure should have spared a thought on expanding the programme in a phased manner with due regard to the availability of human and other resources.  

Apart from marshalling sufficient funds and quality material, the need for evolving a team with dedication and commitment is also crucial for the success of such programmes. If similar ventures undertaken by the philanthropic organisations have been in smooth operation and those with the State initiative have run into rough weather that might explain the lack altruistic spirit and philanthropic dedication among those involved in the Government-sponsored programmes. 

Pinning accountability 

Complaints of misuse of funds and material in such programmes meant for the poor and underprivileged are not uncommon. But an uncaring and callously heartless attitude towards the health of children is much more baffling and perplexing if the reports which seek to link the illness of school children and the quality of food or the shoddy manner of implementation were to bear scrutiny. The need for legislative vigil and official alertness in avoiding such grave pitfalls would become all the more crucial. 

The Government should spare no effort to make an objective assessment of the apparent shortcomings in the implementation of the ameliorative programme and effect tangible corrective measures without any delay. The temptation to use these hiccups to draw political mileage should be resisted at all costs. But at the same time there should be no room for any laxity in the process of taking a hard and critical look at the pattern of implementing the Aksharadasoha and pinning down the responsibilities if there are any lapses in giving effect to the measure. The emphasis should be more on finding facts and not faults and much worse witch-hunting.