Delayed delivery: ITDP food kits yet to reach beneficiaries

Udupi: The Koraga and Malekudi communities, residing across Dakshina Kannada region, and other seven districts in the state, have yet to receive the nutritious food supplies allocated for the 2022-23 period through the Integrated Tribal Development Scheme (ITDP) by the state government’s Scheduled Castes Welfare Department.

Since its initiation in 2008, the ITDP has been committed to providing these communities with six rounds of nutritious food distribution from July to December each year. The distribution was scheduled to commence in July, but as September unfolds, the essential supplies have not yet reached the intended beneficiaries.

What’s causing the delay?
As per department regulations, these food kits are meant to be supplied to Anganwadi centers after inspection by the assistant director of the social welfare department for each taluk, along with their committee, between the 5th and 20th of each month. However, the materials allocated for July have not been released, leaving the beneficiaries in a state of distress.

What’s included in the kit?
The food kits contain 16 kg of pounded rice, 2 kg of togari dal, 1 kg each of groundnut, groundnut seeds, alasande kal, haruli kal, name kal, sugar, jaggery, 30 eggs, 1 liter of cooking oil, and half a kilogram of Nandini ghee. Workers at Anganwadi Centers responsible for delivering these kits to the beneficiaries are compensated with Rs.10 per family by the ITDP office.

These communities primarily reside in Udupi, D.K., Karwar, Chikkamagaluru, Mysore, Chamaraja Nagar, Kodagu, and Shimoga districts of the state, where their livelihoods are rooted in traditional practices.

The Impact on Families
There are 3,200 beneficiaries in Udupi and 2,968 in D.K., with a significant portion of them relying on manual labor. During the rainy season, when employment opportunities are scarce, many families depend on government-provided food supplies to survive. Unfortunately, due to the delay in distribution, impoverished families are grappling with food shortages.

Initially, the intention was to distribute these supplies across the state through the government subsidiary. However, technical issues have caused delays in the delivery process. This matter has been brought to the government’s attention, and they have assured swift action, said Dhoophir, Project Coordinator,ITDP, Udupi.