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.
"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.
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.