Source: The Sangai Express / Manipur Information Centre
New Delhi, October 19:
The Central Government has released a sum of Rs 215518.87 lakh during the current year till the end of July for Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme to all 38 States and Union Territories to improve the nutritional status of the children (0-6) years and pregnant and lactating mothers.
Out of the amount, a sum of Rs.1435.36 lakh was released to Manipur.
Under the Scheme, Arunachal Pradesh received Rs 886.75 lakh, Assam Rs 7931.1 lakh, Meghalaya Rs 870.16 lakh, Mizoram Rs 556.96 lakh, Nagaland Rs 1241.90 lakh, Sikkim Rs 217.47 lakh and Tripura Rs 1274.63 lakh during the period.
The Centre provided 50 percent cost of the supplementary nutrition to the States under the Scheme.
At present, nutritional support under the Scheme is being provided to about 546.31 lakh beneficiaries comprising of about 452.88 lakh children and about 93.42 lakh pregnant and lactating mothers through a network of about 7.45 lakh Anganwadis in the country.
The Integrated Child Development Services was introduced in the year 1975 with an aim to improve the nutritional and health status of vulnerable groups including pre-school children, pregnant women and nursing mothers through providing a package of services including supplementary nutrition, immunization, health check-up, referral services and health education.
Targeted beneficiaries are most vulnerable population including children up to 6 years of age, pregnant women and nursing mothers belonging to poorest of the poor families and living in disadvantages areas including backward rural areas, tribal areas and urban slums.