ASHOK BHUSHAN,J. - (1.) This writ petition has been filed as a Public Interest Litigation under Article 32 of the Constitution of India questioning the closure of the Anganwadi Centres across the country. The petitioner states that through Anganwadi Centres supplementary nutrition to pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls and children upto the age of 6 years were being provided which fulfilled the State objective of holistic development of children under 6 years and to provide food and nutrition to the beneficiaries. In the writ petition the petitioner impleaded the Union of India, all States and Union Territories and has prayed for following reliefs: a) For a writ of mandamus directing the Union of India and all States and Union Territories to forthwith reopen all the Anganwadi Centres in the country and provide Anganwadi services as before the lockdown and in accordance with Sections 4 to 7 of the National Food Security Act, 2013. b) For writ of mandamus directing the Union of India and all States and Union Territories to provide Hot Cooked Meals, Take Home Rations in consonance to the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013 as well as The Supplementary Nutrition (under the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme)Rules, 2020 as well as make provisions for additional Supplementary Nutrition provisions to all beneficiaries of the ICDS Scheme in the form of a comprehensive package of Cooked Food, Eggs, Fruits, dry rations including cereals, pulses, etc. c) For a writ of mandamus directing the Union of India and all States and Union Territories to conduct growth monitoring of children to document growth in the wake of the after effects of the pandemic more particularly main nourishment among children and anemia in girl children and initiate corrective steps forthwith. d) For an order in terms of recommendations 1-6 of the Right to Food Campaign in its representation dated 6.8.20 to the Union of India at Annexure P-8 hereto and as set out in paragraph no.37 above. e) For any other order deemed fit and proper under the circumstances of the present case."
(2.) The Constitution of India with the object of securing to all its citizens social and economic justice contains various Articles which empower making of special law in favour of women and children. Article 47 of the Constitution which forms the part of Directive Principles of the State Policy provides that the State shall regard the raising of the level of nutrition and the standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health as among its primary duties. The Government of India with the above objective launched a welfare scheme, namely, Integrated Child Development Services Scheme in the year 1975. The Scheme was designed as an early childhood development programme aimed to address health, nutrition and development needs of young children who are future of India and pregnant and nursing mothers. The Scheme was designed to promote holistic development of children under 6 years of age. This Court in a Public Interest Litigation in Writ Petition No.196 of 2001, People's Union for Civil Liberties vs. Union of India and others, had issued various directions for protection of right to food of the poor and the underprivileged sections including children and women. This Court has been pro-actively directing the Central Government and the State Governments to effectively implement the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme. Various directions were issued by this Court from time to time.
(3.) The Parliament enacted the National Food Security Act, 2013 (hereinafter referred to as the "Act, 2013") to provide for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity and for matters connected therewith. The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Act apart from containing various other objects, proposed to provide following also in paragraph 4 (c) , (d) and (e): "4. In view of the preceding paragraphs, it is proposed to enact a new legislation, namely, the National Food Security Bill, 2011, to- ...... ...... ...... ...... (c) entitle every pregnant woman and lactating mother to meal, free of charge, during pregnancy and six months after child birth, through the local anganwadi, so as to meet the nutritional standards specified in Schedule II; and to provide to such women maternity benefit of rupees one thousand per month for a period of six months in accordance with a scheme, including cost sharing, payable in such instalments as may be prescribed by the Central Government. (d) entitle every child up to the age of fourteen years- (i) age appropriate meal, free of charge, through the local anganwadi so as to meet the nutritional standards specified in Schedule II in the case of children in the age group of six months to six years; and (ii) one mid day meal, free of charge, everyday, except on school holidays, in all schools run by local bodies, Government and Government aided schools, up to class VIII, so as to meet the nutritional standards specified in Schedule II in the case of children in the age group of six to fourteen years; (e) require the State Government to identify and provide meals through the local anganwadi, free of charge, to children who suffer from malnutrition, so as to meet the nutritional standards specified in Schedule II; and implement schemes covering entitlements of women and children in accordance with the guidelines, including cost sharing, between the Central Government and the State Governments in such manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government.;