RSS think tank proposes `Nanaji Thali' to meet nutritional needs

New Delhi: The Deen Dayal Research Institute (DRI), a think tank linked to RSS, has come up with suggestion of "Nanaji Thali" to meet the nutritional needs of the common man.

The suggestion will be further explored at a workshop to be held in Shillong next month which will be attended by well known nutritionists, social scientists and representatives from agriculture ministry, it said. 

DRI General Secretary Atul Jain said the focus all along has been on food security but emphasis should also be on nutritional security. 

"Since 1950 we have been following a policy of food security but we never thought of providing nutritional foods. During our last three seminars we had discussed the issue of providing nutritional thali to the common people. We found that this should be done and this can be done," Jain told reporters here. 

"This was the idea of Nanaji Deshmukh, whose birth centenary celebrations are underway," he said. 

A social activist, who worked in the fields of education, health, and rural self-reliance, Deshmukh was also a leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the precursor of BJP, and a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Jain said Nanaji Thali would be based on indigenous crops and traditional food habits of the people.

Jain also said that a seminar will be held at Ahmedabad next month to push for the Indianisation of education. 

"The two day seminar would be attended among others by opinion makers and officials of the HRD Ministry," he said.