The community kitchen scheme of the Kerala government, which was first started in tribal areas of Palakkad district to provide one full meal each day to children below six years, adolescents, pregnant women, and those above 60 years of age, will also be started in Wayanad district.

 

The New Indian Express reports that in the Attappady region of Palakkad there are more than 180 community kitchens which were successfully run under the Kudumbasree programme.

 

“In Attappadi, out of the 184 community kitchens sanctioned, 152 are working, leaving almost 32 to a non-functional state for a number of reasons. Most of those working kitchens are, however, managed by Kudumbasree ayalkootams constituted by Adivasis themselves,” K A Ramu of Thampu, an NGO standing for tribal welfare told The New Indian Express.

 

In the report, Dr R Prabhudas, nodal officer for Health in Attapadi says that community kitchens have brought down the numbers of infant deaths and abortions remarkably in the tribal areas.

 

“They have been brought down from 33 and 77 respectively in 2013 to 9 and 20 in 2015. Pregnant and lactating mothers can have food three times a day resulting in healthy childbearing and delivery,” he told TNIE.

The report also says earlier the tribals only ate tomatoes and dal when they didn’t have food. Birth of 700-to-800-gram infants two years ago was a pointer to it.

But now with various schemes and awareness they have been able to procure rice, vegetables, firewood  and other provisions.