Improvement on ICDS services in Ukhrul stressed
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 22 2012: Civil Society Organizations including CBOs, different Alliance Bodies and NGOs along with Integrated Child Development Schemes (ICDS), Ukhrul mooted improvement in ICDS services in the district during an Interface Meeting held on June 20 at TTA Conference Hall.

The event was organised by Ukhrul District Alliance for Child Rights (UDACR), Ukhrul which is also a District Chapter of Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) .

According to a statement released by S Bheiga Sharma, State Coordinator of MACR, various agenda were deliberated in the meeting.

The meeting noted that ICDS centre at Ukhrul did not receive provisions for supplementary nutrition from January to April, 2012.It was clarified that it was because of the long route it has to take in processing fund transfer from Central Govt.to State and State to Department and Department to projects.

This matter needs to be addressed as otherwise it defies the objective of ICDS which is to provide supplementary nutrition (regular feedings) to fight malnutrition among the target population.

Difficulties in organizing pre-school education for 3-6 age group of children due to lack of ICDS centre building was also another concern shared during the deliberation.

It was learnt that while there were 1049 Anganwadi centre in the district there were about 250 buildings till date in the whole district.

The need to mobilize community participation was recommended strongly by all the participants to make the program successful as there is no adequate no.of Supervisors in the district.

As per the norms, one Supervisor is supposed to look after 25 Anganwadi Centres, whereas in Ukhrul district with the existing strength, one Supervisor is looking after 50-60 centres.

Untimely, payment of honorarium was another difficulty experienced by the Angawadi workers.

Members present also shared the concern over lack of provision of supplementary nutrition for adolescent girls till date.

They expressed disappointment for transferring the vocational training programmes for adolescent girls from district level to state level and urged the concerned authority to organize the program at districts level.

Lack of godown for storing and transportation of the items provided under ICDS and providing same amount of transportation cost of items from the storehouse to Anganwadi centre is provided to all the centres irrespective of the distance, thereby making it difficult to ensure reaching the provision to the target population in far flung remote villages' transportation cost of which higher than the amount allotted, were also discussed during the meeting.

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