new delhi the supreme court on tuesday questioned the centre for not reporting any starvation death the court said if it can be understood that there is no starvation death in the country the apex court asked the government to furnish latest data on starvation deaths and also frame a model scheme for state governments to implement on community kitchens to address hunger and malnutritiona bench headed by chief justice nv ramana and comprising justices as bopanna and hima kohli told attorney general ag kk venugopal government of india should give us data on starvation deaths latest information ask your officer to give us informationthe bench emphasized that the central government should frame a model scheme for community kitchens and leave it on state governments to implement it the top court clarified that it does not mean that a universal scheme should be framed as there is no straitjacket formula to address the issue but at least government can frame a model schemeduring the hearing the bench remarked that several freebies are announced by political parties during polls and added that it does not want to comment during election time the bench asked state governments to provide data on malnutrition starvation deaths and other related issues within two weeks the ag argued that no state government has reported starvation death but pointed out a news report claiming a starvation death in tamil nadu as doctors did not find food in the body of the 5yearold child in the post mortemin the backdrop of centre already funding 131 welfare schemes the ag cited scarcity of funds for the operationality of community kitchen scheme across the country to address hunger and malnutrition venugopal said state governments will have to work the funds for the scheme and also carry out the logisticsthe chief justice told the ag to look into the problem as a human problem and engage with the central government to develop a model scheme for community kitchens citing ags submission on starvation death reported by states the bench further queried venugopal can we afford to take that there is no starvation death in the countrythe petitioners counsel ashima mandla urged the top court to set up an expert committee in the matter to formulate scheme for community kitchens across the country ag submitted we do not dispute malnutrition the issue is of fundingthe chief justice told the ag that the centre can explore possibility of providing additional food grains to the state governments and they can take care of logistics it further added that the centre can develop a model scheme after receiving data and suggestions from the states the top court has scheduled the matter for further hearing after three weeksthe top court was hearing a petition filed by anun dhawan and others seeking subsidised canteens in all states and union territories to ensure food security in the backdrop of the havoc wreaked by the pandemic