Lok Sabha Question No. 289 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-03
Subject: Strengthening of ICDS Scheme
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Rahul Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 289

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.02.2023

## STRENGTHENING OF ICDS SCHEME

289.    SHRI RAHUL GANDHI:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  measures  being  taken  to  strengthen  the  Integrated  Child  Development Services (ICDS) scheme in aspirational districts, particularly in Wayanad district in Kerala;
- (b) whether the Ministry is planning to implement targeted interventions to address malnutrition and anaemia among tribal communities in Wayanad Parliamentary Constituency;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  details  of  Anganwadi  Centres  proposed  to  be  upgraded  to  Saksham Anganwadi Centres in Kerala, district-wise along with the funds sanctioned for the same during the current year; and
- (e) the current status of the 250 Anganwadi Centres proposed to be upgraded in Wayanad district in the current year?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) Under  Anganwadi  Services,  following  initiatives have  been  taken  for strengthening  of  Anganwadi  Services  across  the  country  (including  Aspirational Districts):

(i)        Under Saksham Anganwadi, infrastructure in 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) @ 40,000 AWCs per year is being strengthened and upgraded across the  country  for  improving  nutrition  delivery  and  early  childhood  care  and development services. 40,000 AWCs have been identified in FY 2022-23 for upgradation as Saksham Anganwadi. Out of these 40,000 AWCs, 250 AWCs have been approved for Wayanad District of Kerala.

- (ii)        Under Swachhta Action Plan, provision of drinking water facilities and toilet facilities has been made. The cost norm for toilet/sanitation facility has been revised from Rs.12,000/- to Rs.36,000/- per unit while for drinking water facilities, the cost norm has been revised from Rs.10,000/- to Rs.17,000/- per unit.
- (iii)       Provision has been made for construction of 50,000 AWCs (with toilet and water facilities) under Saksham Anganwdi and Poshan 2.0 during 2021-22 to 2025-26, to target those AWCs which are running in rented premises or in open spaces.

(iv)      Anganwadi Centres across the country have been provided with Growth Monitoring Devices and Smart Phones for efficient service delivery.

(v)        Streamlined  Guidelines  were  issued  on 13.01.2021,  covering  several aspects such as quality assurance, roles and responsibilities of duty holders, procedure for procurement, integrating AYUSH concepts and Data management  and  Monitoring  through  'Poshan  Tracker'  for  transparency, efficiency and accountability in delivery of Supplementary Nutrition.

(b)&(c) POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched on 8th March 2018 with an aim to achieve improvement in nutritional status of Children under 6 years, Adolescent Girls, Pregnant  Women  and  Lactating  Mothers  in  a  time  bound  manner  by  adopting  a synergised and result oriented approach. Further, Mission Poshan 2.0, an integrated nutrition  support  programme  has  been  announced  in  budget  2021-2022  for  all States/UTs. POSHAN Abhiyaan being a multi-ministerial convergence mission also focuses on converting the agenda of improving nutrition into Jan Andolan through Community Mobilization/ Sensitisation and thus bringing nutrition-linked Behavioral Change across India. Under Jan Andolans, Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada are celebrated annually in the month  of September  and  March  respectively. In convergence  with  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs,  Poshan  Abhiyaan  activities  being leveraged for focusing on traditional foods for women and children, making Eklavya Schools hub of nutrition learning among tribal populations.

In  the  most  recently  held  Jan  Andolan  viz.  Poshan  Maah,  celebrated  in September  2022,  a  total  of  17.57  crore  sensitisation  activities  on  nutrition  were reported from the country. Out of the 182 Tribal Districts (as reported by MoTA), 88% of the Tribal Districts of India (161 nos.) have actively participated in Poshan Maah 2022 and have contributed to 18% of the total reported activities (3.17 crore). During Poshan Pakhwada 2022, total reported activities were 2.96 crore, in which 85% of Tribal Districts of India (155 nos.)  participated while contributing to 12% of the total reported activities (35.84 lakh). During Poshan Maah 2022, in Wayanad district 2,764 activities  were  conducted,  whereas  during  Poshan  Pakhwada  2022,  sixty  six  (66) activities were conducted.

(d)&(e) A total of 250 Anganwadi Centres have been approved by the Ministry for upgradation to Saksham Anganwadi Centres in Kerala (in Wayanad District) for which an amount of Rs. 116.12 lakhs have been released in Financial Year 2022-23.

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