WE THE PEOPLE
Many Anganwadi Centres have failed to Cover Prescribed Coverage of Beneficiaries in Kashmir valley
Hence People demand impartial Probe to identify Persons responsible for defeating Objective of Programme
By: MNS/M. Shirjeel
Srinagar: In our Eight Series, we have dwelt at length on various facets of J&K Social Welfare Department, which is responsible for implementation of various developmental schemes, especially those relating to women, children, SC/ST/OBC population and social justice empowerment. The scrutiny of the records by the audit of the Department brought out glaring gaps in planning, financial management and programme management. Due to non-availability of baseline data and non-disbursement of assistance to the beneficiaries in time, the unspent balances have increased over a period of time.
Apart from other activities, one of main components of ICDS is to supplement Children below six years: 300 calories and 8-10 gm proteins: Pregnant/locating mothers and adolescent girls: 500 calories and 20-25 gms of proteins the intake of nutrition of children below six years and pregnant/lactating mothers/adolescent girls. Malnourished children were also to be given therapeutic nutrition on medical advice. As per the guidelines the identified beneficiaries were to avail of nutrition for 300 days in a year.
Though the Department has failed to provide supplementary nutrition to all the beneficiaries despite allocation of sufficient funds to cover the targeted beneficiaries, but shortfall in achievement of targets has come down from 40 per cent to seven per cent during 2005-09.
However, it has been established that no nutrition was provided (June 2008 to November 2008) to Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) under DSWO Pulwama due to non-availability of stocks as the rate contract for purchase of stock was not finalized. It was also noticed that CDPO, Srinagar had not distributed (March 2008 to July 2008) the other ingredients to AWCs despite having full stocks due to non-verification of stock/supply by a committee.
As per the guidelines, each Anganwadi centre (AWC) was to cover a population of up to 1,000 in rural/urban areas, 700 in tribal and 300 in hilly areas. But scrutiny of records has shown that in the seven Batwara, Khanyar, Kupwara, Pampore, Pulwama, Shopian and Srinagar CDPOs (out of 15 test-checked), average coverage of beneficiaries in the centres ranged between 119 and 997 people which was significantly lower than the prescribed coverage. It has also been noticed that two to 11 AWCs were created in the same Mohalla/village, which has resulted in high cost of establishment and non-provision of the facilities to the deserving in some other location.
As per the guidelines, health care for children below six years of age, antenatal care of expectant mothers and post natal are of nursing mothers are to be provided by Auxiliary Nurse-cum-Midwives (ANM) and Medical Officers attached to primary health centres/sub-divisional/district hospitals. These services include regular health check-ups, immunization, management of malnutrition, etc. But scrutiny of records has shown that necessary basic survey data to identify such cases was not maintained in any of the five test-checked CDPOs/AWCs in Jammu Division, No data of intended beneficiaries referred to health centres/district hospitals, etc. as mal-nourished or for general check-ups was maintain at Anganwadi centre level during 2005-08. The centres also did not maintain record of referral slips/cards.
The growth surveillance of children was to be monitored by recording serial height and weight of each child. General check-ups, every three to six months, to be conducted to detect evidence of disease were also not done. The scrutiny has shown that weight charts were maintained in 430 out of 577 centres and height charts were not maintained in any centre. In absence of data relating to referral services and basic growth surveillance, the achievement of the objective of scheme could neither be tracked by the department nor verified during on –spot verification.(To be continued)
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