THE STUDY labelled ‘the Impact of Growth on childhood poverty in Andhra Pradesh’ reveals that one-third of children have stunted growth. This has long term complications for health and education apart from psychological and mental developments. The survey conducted by an NGO, ‘Young Lives’, collected data from 2011 children in 6-18 months age-group and 1008 children from the 7 ½ to 8 ½ years age-group.

The problems are very much real and not unknown to those in authority. Funds earmarked for the upliftment of the under privileged are seldom implemented at the state level. The funds are squandered and go to the pockets of individuals. Similarly for the health centres, doctors do not want to move out of the cities, hence villages remain neglected.

The fact remains – the sad condition of lack of nourishment is direct fallout of the attitude of political leaders. To them the uneducated must remain uneducated. Then only can they be exploited, when required, with the lure of very little inducement. Keep them under nourished and uneducated – that only will pay rich dividends when the time comes. And that is the golden time of elections.