Home Women & Child 2548 Cr For Child Development

2548 Cr For Child Development

Bhubaneswar: In another step towards State’s Vision of ‘healthy child & healthy mother’, State Government Monday approved an annual programme implementation plan (APIP) of around Rs.2548.37 crore for integrated child development services during 2021-22.

This was approved in the State Level Empowered Committee meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra here.

Principal Secretary Women & Child Development Anu Garg outlined the financial and administrative issues for discussion.

Approving the proposal, the Chief Secretary directed the Department to develop the Angawadis to next higher level through district specific plans.

Mahapatra also emphasized on safe electricity, toilet, drinking water and ‘learning through playing’ facilities for the children and care of drop-out adolescent girls in the age group of 11 to 14.

The department was directed to have Aadhar linking of all the adolescent girls included under the ‘scheme of adolescent girls’.

Ms.Garg said that at present four broad programmes– Sakshyama anagnawadi services, supplementary nutrition, scheme for adolescent girls and Poshana– are being implemented through 338 ICDS projects with fund sharing from State and Central Government.

Director Social Welfare Aravind Agrawal appraised that now around 35.08 lakh children are under the fold of Anganwadis.

Besides, around 7.32 lakh pregnant and lactating women along with 13,082 adolescent girls are also being served through AWCs of these projects, he said.

Available data show that APIP for 2021-22 has been estimated around Rs.2548.37 cr out of which around Rs.2341.43 cr is meant for anganwadi services including supplementary nutrition, uniform medicine kit equipments etc for the children; Rs.7.42 cr is for care of adolescent girls in the age group of 11-14 years; and, Rs.199.52 cr is for Poshan programme.

The principal components of adolescent girl care scheme include the nutrition support at the rate of Rs.9.50 per girl for 300 days.

Besides, Rs.1.10 lakh per project is invested towards supply of iron folic acid supplement, health check-up and referral services, nutrition and health education, mainstreaming out of school girls to join formal schooling through bridge course, skill training, life skill education, home management, counseling/guidance on accessing public services etc.

The main activities under Poshan programme include IEC, behavior change communication, incentives and awards for better performance, observance of different days and occasions associated with nutrition and children, digitization all the registers maintained at Angawadi centers and tracking of the real time information through mobile phones.

Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena, Principal Secretary Finance Ashok Kumar Meena, Principal Secretary School and Mass Education  Satyabrata Sahu, Principal Secretary Energy  Nikunjabihari Dhala along with Principal Secretaries, Secretaries and senior officers from concerned departments participated in the deliberations.