Child development services in Bengal dismal, says CAG report

At a time when several dozens deaths are reported from the closed and sick tea gardens of north Bengal, CAG) has criticised that ICDS programme has not been implemented across the State.

July 31, 2014 09:21 am | Updated December 04, 2021 11:19 pm IST - KOLKATA:

At a time when several dozens deaths are reported from the closed and sick tea gardens of north Bengal, a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has criticised the State Government for the poor implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).

The report of the CAG made it clear that the State has “lagged behind” in implementing the programme not only in the closed tea gardens of north Bengal, but virtually across the State. The State has failed to reduce malnutrition among pregnant women and percentage of infants with low birth rates.

The report presented a dismal picture of anganwadi centres, as only 25 per cent had their own buildings, 14 per cent operated in open spaces and drinking water and toilet facilities were available in 57 per cent and 32 per cent, respectively.

Out of the 200 surveyed anganwadi centres, only 29 of them (25 per cent) provided supplementary nutrition for the stipulated 300 days. The report also found that an avoidable extra expenditure of Rs. 240.66 crore was incurred for not availing of the Centre’s offer of supply rice at BPL rates and non-lifting of BPL rice allotted by the Centre.

According to the report, projects sanctioned by the Centre were not started resulting in depriving beneficiaries of better access to services. Newly created projects were not provided with supervisory manpower. Shortfalls were noticed in implementing immunisation programmes, except for tuberculosis, and the lack of coordination with officials of the Health Department resulted in serious cases of malnutrition or illnesses, the report noted.

As there was a shortage between 53 to 69 per cent in key supervisory posts, almost half of the anganwadi centres were not supervised adequately.

However, “noticeable progress was observed towards universalisation of the programme during 2007-12. There was reduction in infant mortality rate in 2006,” the report mentioned.

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