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WCD min worried over irregularities in ICDS implementation

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Mar 20 2015 | 6:28 PM IST
WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi today expressed concern over irregularities dogging the proper implementation of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) even as she said that a five-tier monitoring mechanism has been introduced to put the scheme on the right track.
The Woman and Child Development Minister said the issues which beset ICDS are due to the complete absence of any system of monitoring over the last 40 years of its existence and that the situation was "extremely alarming".
To rectify the problems arising out of that lacuna, a five-tier monitoring mechanism has been introduced at the national, state, district, block and anganwadi levels in order to strengthen the performance of ICDS, Gandhi said while replying to a question on the working of anganwadi centres today in Lok Sabha.
She said that the problems with ICDS and anganwadis persist despite guidelines having been issued on March 31, 2011, for constitution of monitoring committees at different levels to review the progress in implementation of the scheme.
"There has been no training of anganwadi workers and supervisors on nutrition-related issues. The services of anganwadi workers have been used for purposes like electoral work and there are insufficient number of anganwadi centres in the country," Gandhi said.
She explained that out of 12.45 crore children (0-6 years) in the operational anganwadi centres, 8.42 crore children are availing services under ICDS.

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"There is also no check on the quality and quantity of food distributed by anganwadi workers," she said, adding that it was an issue which her ministry was trying to address.
The Minister said that the anganwadi workers will be given tablet devices for real-time monitoring of nutrition levels while nutrition laboratories would be set up to test the quality of food being supplied under ICDS.
Replying to another questions, she said that community involvement was crucial for the success of ICDS. A scheme, 'Sneh Shivir', is being implemented in 200 districts in which a community approach is being followed by forming teams of mothers, anganwadi and ASHA workers, she added.
Meanwhile, on the reduction in the budgetary allocation for ICDS by 50 per cent, Gandhi said she will meet the Finance Minister along with the Health Minister and request more funds. She also urged the state governments to commit more funds to children's schemes saying that substantial funds have now been transferred to the states under a new scheme of allocation.

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First Published: Mar 20 2015 | 6:28 PM IST

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