During pandemic situations, villages at large face a lot of difficult situations which make it difficult for the community in general and vulnerable families in particular. The key issues are:
- Food shortages including shortage of essential items like water during the summer.
- Difficulties with lack of access to healthcare
- Absence of expert or health workers/ doctors in the rural areas
- Social support system for vulnerable, poor, destitute, landless agricultural labourers, single women etc.
- Closing of Anganwadi Centre and school will lead to nutrition/food issues for children (take home ration, hot cooked meal in Anganwadi center & mid-day meal in school)
Listed below are some critical measures which must can help in this situation.
7.1.6.1 Database of vulnerable families
Priority: Immediate
Development of a database of vulnerable families and individuals with food insecurity will be the first critical step to be undertaken. Children, aged, single women, the physically challenged etc. will need to be taken into account while developing the database. PRI members will play a very critical role in the development of this database and they will have the authority to authenticate this vulnerable family database. This database will help the various levels of administration in delivering essential support.
Areas where Civil Society Organizations can help:
- Support Panchayat/block in developing the vulnerability assessment criteria.
- Support Panchayat/Block in developing the database based on the agreed vulnerability assessment criteria.
7.1.6.2 Dry ration delivery via School/Anganwadi
Priority: Immediate
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the govt to close the anganwadi centers and schools for a long duration. In reality, taking home ration and hot cooked meals in anganwadi center and mid-day meal in schools constitute a major part of a child’s daily food intake. Due to long closure of school and Anganwadi Center (AWC) food intake by children will invariably come down. Many governments have already taken a decision to supply the dry ration to each enlisted child in AWC and school in lieu of food at AWC and school.
Areas where Civil Society Organizations can help:
- Build awareness among the rural community about govt decisions.
- Take feedback from the community on the implementation of the same.
- If there is a gap in the implementation, coordinate with the teacher and AWW to ensure delivery of dry ration.
- Give feedback to the Panchayat/Block/District level authorities on the gaps, if any, in the implementation.
- Devise a coping strategy for the malnourished children with the help of Anganwadi workers and ASHA
7.1.6.3 Community Monitoring of Public Distribution System (PDS)
Priority: Immediate
The Public Distribution System (PDS) also plays a critical role in food security of vulnerable families in the villages. As a welfare measure to overcome the humanitarian impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, both central and state govt notified many special measures related to PDS. But there might be some gaps in the implementation of those measures. Thus it is important to ensure community monitoring of PDS functioning. With the help of the local NGOs functionaries/Youth groups/SHGs/farmers groups, the functioning of PDS shop can be monitored at the village /panchayat level to ensure that the vulnerable families are not denied the ration. Also there is a need to establish links with the government department and provide real time data on bottlenecks in distribution & distribution at the doorstep.
Areas where Civil Society Organizations can help:
- Build awareness among the rural community about the govt decision with respect to PDS (It will vary from state to state. NGOs need to refer to state specific PDS websites.)
- Take feedback from the community on the implementation of the same.
- If there is a gap in the implementation, coordinate with the PDS dealer to ensure delivery of ration to the left out families.
- Give feedback to the Panchayat/Block/District level authorities on the gap in the implementation.