Malnourished India!
Worse than the coronavirus, the country is facing a more severe health threat in the form of malnutrition. There is a saying that children are the future of India.
By witnessing how today’s children are growing, we can understand how tomorrow’s India could turn out to be. Malnutrition is not a contagious disease but is a mother of several diseases. A vaccine can be discovered for the coronavirus but it is impossible to find a cure for malnutrition that the coronavirus has created in this country.
The only way to address this problem is to provide nutritious food. Malnutrition starts affecting a child right in the womb of the mother. It is impractical to expect a healthy baby when the mother struggles with malnutrition and lack of adequate nurturance.
The first phase of the National Family Health Survey of 2019-2020 was released earlier this month and the survey spanned 17 states and five Union Territories. According to this survey, the number of children below five years whose growth has been stunted has increased in several states including progressive states such as Kerala and Goa and several Union Territories.
North Eastern states such as Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura, where traditionally the consumption of nutritious food has been encouraging, have also shown an increase in the number of children with stunted growth. Most of the states have registered a significant increase in the number of malnourished children.
Ladakh that has been centrally administered has seen an increase in malnourished children from 9.3 per cent to 17.3 per cent. The number of malnourished children has increased significantly in Bihar and Assam as well. In Nagaland alone, malnourished children has increased from 11.3 per cent to 19.10 per cent. Children’s stunted growth and malnutrition is a very serious malaise. The reasons for these health malaises need to be investigated and action must be taken to stop this dangerous trend.
At the same time, it is worrying that it has not been possible to control the problem of anemia that is growing. Even now, the number of people suffering from anemia is high in several states and in many of them, this problem has seen an increase, especially in children (between six and nine months), mothers, and women in the age group of 15 years to 49 years. Among children, youth, women, and the aged, the problem of anemia leaves an impact on both mental and physical growth, learning abilities, physical activities, and earning capabilities. To sum it up, the problem of anemia reduces the quality of human resources.
Another dangerous trend is that in many states, the number of infants below 24 months who have access to and consumed adequate and healthy diet has reduced by less than 20 per cent. Only in Kerala, Meghalaya, Ladakh, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Goa, about 20 per cent to 30 per cent children had adequate diet. But in Gujarat, only 5.9 per cent of children had access to adequate diet. While the provision of nutritious food supplements is reducing under the comprehensive child development programme, moderately priced nutritious food supplements are also not available in the market. If this problem is not mitigated, it is impossible to address the problems of low body weight, stunted growth, and malnutrition in children.
Compared to urban areas, the numbers are worse for rural areas. A multitude of reasons including poverty, unemployment, and perhaps demonetization, and its impact on the economy could be responsible for this pathetic state in rural areas. Demonetization saw an impact on jobs, salaries, and expenditure in rural areas over the following two years.
The problem of malnutrition that has impacted large numbers of people in India including children and the elderly does not kill the affected directly neither is it an epidemic. On the contrary, the problem of malnutrition results in long term exhaustion, stunted physical growth, and poor emotional growth. The report has divided districts into those with very poor development indicators, poor distribution systems, and minimum income. But if the government is sincere in its efforts to address the issues of malnutrition and low body weight, it should review and redesign its programmes such as ICDS and mid-day meal scheme. Only then can it obtain expected results.
Post lockdown, several reports have revealed that the problem of hunger has become worse. In this situation, the priority of the government should be on providing nutritious food. But by implementing the law against cow slaughter, the government is trying to snatch nutritious food from the poor. In the North Eastern states, beef is the main food in rural areas.
The poor have direct connection with the leather industry and the meat industry. The government’s decisions of promulgating these laws have a direct impact on this section society. And if the government’s decisions continue in this manner, it will not be surprising if India reaches the top position of being the most malnourished country in the world.
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80% Indian Haj Pilgrims may miss out on Haj as Saudi cancels quota for Private Operators
New Delhi/Mumbai: In a major setback to over 52,000 Indians who had booked their Haj pilgrimage through private tour operators, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has issued a fresh circular stating that only 20% of the private quota that were booked already will be confirmed initially. This means that 80% of those who registered under Combined Haj Group Organisers (CHGOs) may not be able to perform Haj 2025.
The development comes after the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah shut down access to the Nusuk portal—a mandatory online platform used to finalise contracts and services for pilgrims. Due to delays in payments and non-finalisation of service agreements, the Saudi authorities cancelled Mina Zones 1 and 2, which had been allotted to CHGOs. The remaining zones (3, 4 and 5) have also been held up, further worsening the situation.
According to the circular, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has held private tour operators responsible for the lapse. It stated that each CHGO was supposed to independently finalise service arrangements on the Nusuk portal, but most of them failed to upload contracts or process payments on time. The Saudi authorities, as a result, revoked access and froze all zones meant for private Indian pilgrims.
However, a private tour operator speaking to Vartha Bharati on condition of anonymity stated that the lapses were made from the government’s side, as starting last year, the Saudi authorities had made changes to the procedure and had asked the Private Operators to deposit their payments to through the government channel and the government had to deposit the amount to Saudi authorities. The operator who spoke to VB further added that majority of these operators had deposited their payments to the government while a few might have delayed it. He added prior to 2024, the private operators used to make payments directly from their accounts to Saudi authorities.
“The government, however, while waiting to the payment from all the operators, delayed the payment and that led to the closure of payment channels of Saudi authorities. Because of the negligence of the government, all the operators, including those who had processed their payments are now facing difficulty,” the operator alleged.
What is Mina and Why This Decision Matters?
Mina, known as the "tent city", is a crucial location for the Haj pilgrimage. Pilgrims stay here for five days during the ritual. The vast tent city is divided into five zones based on distance from the Jamarat, the symbolic pillars representing the devil, where the ritual of stone-pelting is performed.
For better planning and crowd control, the Saudi authorities allocate these zones in advance. Indian CHGOs had booked tents and made arrangements based on these allocated zones. However, the sudden cancellation of Zones 1 and 2 — which were among the most sought-after zones due to their proximity to Jamarat — and the halt in payments for the remaining zones has uprooted all existing arrangements.
Saudi Side Agrees to Reopen Portal for Limited Time
Following this chaos, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has taken up the matter with the highest levels of the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah. As a result, the Saudi side has agreed to temporarily reopen the Nusuk portal—but only for a short and unspecified window. This short reopening will allow CHGOs to upload service contracts and finalise accommodation, transport and logistics arrangements for their pilgrims.
However, the circular warns that since only a limited number of zones and camps are now available in Mina, the allocation will happen on a real-time and first-come-first-serve basis. There is no clarity yet on how many tents or zones will be available or which zones they will be in.
To manage this process, a help desk has been set up at the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. All CHGOs or their representatives have been asked to reach the help desk directly, along with details of their pilgrims and passport numbers, proof of accommodation in Mecca and Madinah, and evidence of payment.
There is no guarantee that all CHGOs will get equal or enough tents, and if camps are exhausted, many pilgrims may be left without basic accommodation in Mina—making it impossible to perform the mandatory rituals.
Allocation Policy Announced
As per the new guidelines:
• 20% of the booked quota will be initially allocated to each CHGO.
• The remaining camps will be evenly distributed among all CHGOs.
• If there are still any leftover camps, they will be given on a first-come-first-serve basis.
This process will be handled by the help desk at CGI Jeddah, and CHGOs have been asked to act urgently as the Saudi portal window may close anytime.
What Went Wrong?
According to senior officials, the Saudi side cancelled Zones 1 and 2 because of delays in payments by CHGOs. However, CHGOs have a different version. They claim that the IBAN (International Bank Account Number) linked to the Nusuk portal was not active, which blocked their ability to make payments directly.
Due to this issue, they were instructed to route payments via the Haj Committee of India, which would then send the money to the Consul General of India in Jeddah, who would finally credit it to the CHGOs' Nusuk wallets. However, several CHGOs said their payments were not reflected on the system even after following these steps.
“Many of us paid through the Haj Committee or directly to the IBAN-linked account. But the transactions didn’t show up. If the IBAN had been activated on time, this entire mess could have been avoided,” said a representative of one CHGO.
Some CHGOs also blamed the lack of coordination between the Indian Consul General in Jeddah, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and Saudi authorities for the crisis.
Financial Loss and Fear of Cancellation
Private Haj operators are now staring at huge financial losses as well as a credibility crisis. They had already booked pilgrims, committed packages, arranged flights and even paid advance money for services. With zones cancelled and contracts not finalised, the entire operation is now under threat.
More importantly, thousands of Indian pilgrims—who had chosen to perform Haj through these private tour operators—are at risk of missing Haj 2025 altogether.
One tour operator told us, “We had promised our pilgrims premium locations near Jamarat. The government had managed to get us the best zones, but now all those plans have gone haywire. Our reputation and trust are at stake.”
Most pilgrims had chosen CHGOs due to personalised services and early access to prime zones in Mina. But now, they are staring at the possibility of missing Haj altogether—despite having made full payments.
“This is heartbreaking. We paid in full, got confirmations, and now we’re told we might not go,” said a pilgrim from Mumbai who booked through a CHGO. “We were mentally and spiritually prepared. What do we do now?”
As per the Haj calendar, pilgrims are expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia in the last week of May, with Haj rituals scheduled for the first week of June. The situation is therefore extremely time-sensitive.
High Stakes for Pilgrims and the Government
India has a total Haj quota of 1.75 lakh pilgrims for 2025. Out of this, about 52,507 pilgrims had opted to go through HGOs, while the rest are handled by the Haj Committee of India.
This issue has jeopardized the pilgrimage plans of over 30% of Indian Haj applicants this year. If the matter is not resolved immediately, it could result in the entire CHGO quota being forfeited, which would be a massive blow for the community, the private tour operators, and the Indian government's image.
This is not just about logistics — it's about the dream of a lifetime for thousands of devout Muslims who spend years saving for this religious journey.
Call for Better Coordination and Accountability
Several CHGOs have raised serious concerns over the lack of coordination between the Indian Consulate in Jeddah, the Ministry of Minority Affairs in Delhi, and the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah. They say the system is too complex and unorganised, and such technical glitches should not be allowed to affect such a sensitive issue like Haj.
They are now demanding a simplified, transparent, and coordinated process for future Haj arrangements and clear communication from all authorities involved.
As the deadline approaches, thousands of Indian pilgrims and dozens of tour operators are watching anxiously, hoping for a miracle that will help them complete their journey to the holy land. The next few days will be crucial in determining whether they get to perform Haj or return home heartbroken.
The Ministry’s circular has sent shockwaves through the private Haj sector, making it clear that only a fraction of pilgrims—just one in five bookings that were confirmed earlier—will be allowed to proceed for Haj under CHGOs this year. Unless a last-minute breakthrough is achieved with Saudi authorities, thousands of Indian Muslims who had dreamed and prayed for Haj 2025 may be forced to stay back.
