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Right To Food Campaign Says Union Budget 2021-22 Ignored Women And Children
The demands of the outfit include universalization of PDS, hot cooked meals for children under three years and pregnant and lactating women, minimum wages for anganwadi workers and helpers and ASHAs
Right to Food Campaign has expressed disappointment with the Union Budget for 2021-22 as it has reduced allocations for “crucial” social security schemes such as the integrated child development services (ICDS), mid-day meals, maternity entitlements, and the national rural employment guarantee Act (NREGA) at a time of growing hunger and malnutrition.
The revised budget estimates for 2020-21 show that ICDS and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) “suffered greatly” because of the lockdown and closing of Anganwadi centers. The revised estimate for PMMVY (Rs 1,300 crore for 2020-21) was barely half of what was initially allocated