Centre should provide Rs 2003 crore for supplementary nutrition

Maha Minister Yashomati Thakur demands in a meeting with Union Minister Smriti Irani

@the_news_21

New Delhi: Maharashtra women and child development minister advocate Yashomati Thakur today demanded the union women and child development Minister Shrimati Smriti Irani approve rupees 2003 crore and 91 lakhs under the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) scheme for the supplementary nutrition program for the year 2020-21.

Adv Thakur said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the figure of the beneficiary had soared and this had compelled to prepare the revised plan for the Supplementary nutrition program. She also said that it is essential to get the funds within the period.

Advocate Thakur today met Mrs Irani in New Delhi in concern with the pending issues of Maharashtra with the Union government related to the woman and child development department, The secretary of union women and child development department Ram Mohan Mishra, secretary of state women and child development department Mrs Idjez Kundan, commissioner of integrated child development services scheme Mrs Indra Mallo, women and child development commissioner Dr Rushikesh Yashod and others were present during the meeting.

The state government had presented the Annual Project Implementation Plan (APIP) to the union government under the ICDS supplementary nutrition program for the year 2020-21 in March 2020 which was about one thousand 630 crore and two lakh rupees. But because of the situation created due to Corona, the scope of the Supplementary nutrition program was required to be broadened.

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Since April 2020 more than seven lakh, 27 thousand more beneficiaries are being added and due to this, the provision for more fund is inevitable and thus the revised 2003 crore and 91 lakh rupees plan was today presented by Mrs Thakur to Mrs Irani who also requested her to approve. The state government has made the provision of 1700 crore rupees for this program, she informed.

Advocate Thakur said that many labourers working in Metropolitan cities have returned to their native places and this had taken the figure of the beneficiaries of supplementary nutrition up. Similarly, many families in the state had shifted to rural areas and they are also taking benefit of the Supplementary nutrition program.

Earlier, those who were not in the list of beneficiaries of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme have now started taking benefit. The children belonging to the playgroup, between the age of 3 to 6 years, who were not benefited under the Supplementary nutrition diet scheme are being added following the closedown of schools due to the Corona pandemic and now they are getting the benefit of the supplementary nutrition program. Due to this reason, since more than seven lakh 27 thousand beneficiaries are added in this program and as such the funds must be provided as per the revised plan, said advocate Thakur.

Release 554 crores immediately

The central government has sanctioned Rs 554 Crore to the state as per the 15th finance commission recommendation for a nutrition program and running new scheme under it.

Mrs Thakur said that the state government had made a provision of 277 crore rupees for this program but the central government had not yet disbursed the allotted fund. She told Mrs Irani that the Center should release this fund with immediate effect so that the state can undertake new ventures under the Supplementary nutrition program.