Anganwadi workers, women’s self-help groupsand accredited social health activists from across the state gathered at the Azad Maidan on Wednesday to protest against the government’s decision of distributing instant packaged food in anganwadis as supplementary nutrition.
“Anganwadis are supposed to provide fresh, nutritious food to pregnant women and children till six years of age. The government has instead started providing ready-to-eat food packets to them,” said Sonya Gill, president, all India democratic women’s association.
She alleged that this decision had taken away the livelihoods of the women who used to cook fresh food at the anganwadis. “Also, packaged food cannot be compared with fresh food in terms of its nutrition values,” said Gill.
The agitators said the storage of these packets was becoming an issue, with proper hygiene not being maintained at most anganwadis.