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Achhipolavalasa Anganwadi Distributes Rations |
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After more than 3 months campaign and Joint Enquiry, on April 16, 2008 villagers of Achhipolavalasa (Ponduru Mandal, District Srikakulam) saw the anganwadi distribute the full quota of take-home rations to pregnant women and new mothers of the village. Read More...
Achhipolavalasa Anganwadi Enquiry Report: Telugu| English
See earlier part of campaign featured in Food Habits (download, save and play)
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After initial surveys in December 2007, villagers had first submitted a petition to the District Collector in January 2008. They received no response. When the new Collector took office in February 2008, they took their petition to him and he ordered an enquiry. When this proved to be a sham, they met him again in March and he ordered a joint enquiry, where AID India volunteers would also be present. This took place on April 2 2008. Here people voiced their complaints that the anganwadi was not delivering rations on time or in prescribed quantity. People who were supposed to receive twice each month had actually received only once or twice in the past year, mostly after sending the letters to the Collector. Furthermore they did not receive all items, nor did they receive the full quantity. They also complained that the daily angnawadi program for children up to age 6 was not running and parents were turned away or even insulted if they asked questions.
 The Project Director acknowledged that the anganwadi services had not been functioning well and promised that it would function from now on. She announced that the next date for distributing rations would be April 15. On April 15 AID India workers and villagers came to the anganwadi center to find it closed. They called ICDS officials who promised to come the next day. On April 16 they came with the supplies. AID India volunteers went through the village to call the eligible women to come and collect the rations. They made sure that the women who had newly registered on the day of the enquiry also received the rations. Although ICDS workers did not bring the measuring cups as promised, they used a scale to measure out the quantities. Villagers demanded that from next time they bring the standard measuring cups. The Sector Supervisor asked people to be patient, noting that "the system has not been functioning since past 10 years." The next date for distribution is set for May 1, 2008.
-- Aravinda Pillalamarri
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