Now Reading: 22 tribal children die of malnutrition in MP, Congress seeks probe
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22 tribal children die of malnutrition in MP, Congress seeks probe
The deaths of 22 tribal children from the Baiga community in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh due to malnutrition have sparked a political row. The Congress has demanded a special committee to…
The deaths of 22 tribal children from the Baiga community in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh due to malnutrition have sparked a political row. The Congress has demanded a special committee to investigate the deaths and sought details of funds allocated for nutrition in tribal blocks between 2020 and 2025.
Madhya Pradesh Adivasi Congress president Vikrant Bhuria alleged that nutritional meal delivery to homes has been stopped for six months, the nearest health centre is 20 km away, and land titles under the Forest Rights Act have been cancelled. The state government has announced compensation of Rs 20,000 per family, which Bhuria called inadequate, asking if a tribal life is worth only that amount.
Of 1,149 children under six screened at 28 Anganwadi centres in July, 213 were moderately underweight and 18 severely underweight. Officials said 125 children have recovered and been discharged. The Sarv Adivasi Samaj has demanded Rs 1 crore compensation per family and action against officials.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Baiga community is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in central India, historically among the most marginalised. Malnutrition deaths in this community have been reported for years, but large-scale screening data from Anganwadis is rare. The 28 centres in Balaghat that screened 1,149 children suggest a coverage gap: if many villages have no centre or irregular visits, the true undernutrition count could be higher. The key question is whether the state's nutrition schemes reach PVTGs at all. The next step is the Assembly response to Bhuria's budget query, which will reveal if funds were allocated but unspent, or never budgeted.
Source: nationalheraldindia.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
