*Secy SWD adopts defiant attitude on grave issue
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 23: Taking serious note of defiance of its earlier directives by the Commissioner/Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department, the State Accountability Commission (SAC) has directed the officer in unambiguous terms to file a detailed reply mentioning the steps taken to ensure strict implementation of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and supply of hygienic food items to Anganwari centres across Jammu and Kashmir as issue involves health of large number of children of underprivileged sections of society.
The directions were passed in a case relating to supply of rotten food items to Anganwari centres which came to the fore in Pulwama district of Kashmir valley more than a year back. The Accountability Commission had taken suo-moto cognizance of reports in this regard and accordingly initiated proceedings in order to ensure that foolproof mechanism is put in place for supply of hygienic and standard food items to the Anganwari centres.
However, right from the very beginning there was no seriousness from the officers of ICDS and Social Welfare Department towards the proceedings of the Accountability Commission, which is evident from the fact that Mission Director ICDS responded on the rotten food items issue only after being served several notices.
Last month the ICDS Mission Director filed a reply on the issue but the same was not found satisfactory by the Accountability Commission and accordingly the officer was directed to file fresh reply. In order to ensure that issue receives attention at highest level, the Commission had also issued notice to Commissioner/ Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department for furnishing action taken on the findings of the officials committee, which was constituted following detection of supply of rotten food items to Anganwari centres in Pulwama.
“Though the ICDS Mission Director personally appeared before the Accountability Commission few days back with a fresh reply yet he again failed to convince the SAC on certain vital issues”, sources in the Social Welfare Department told EXCELSIOR.
The officer apprised the Commission that last year Social Empowerment Committee was constituted at various levels for effective implementation of ICDS and other social protection schemes but he failed to specify the outcome of such an initiative and positive impact on the ground if any, sources said.
However, there was no reply from the Commissioner/ Secretary to the Government, Social Welfare Department thereby indicating the level of defiance of the directives of the Accountability Commission that too in an important matter, sources regretted, adding the failure of the Commissioner/ Secretary to respond to the notices issued twice was viewed seriously by the Accountability Commission.
Now, the Full Commission comprising of Justice B A Khan (Chairperson), Justice J P Singh and Justice B A Kirmani (Members) has issued a fresh notice to the Commissioner/ Secretary Social Welfare Department asking him to furnish detailed reply by or before May 30 highlighting the steps taken for strict implementation of ICDS scheme across Jammu and Kashmir especially in the light of detection of supply of rotten food items to Anganwari centres in Pulwama.
The officer has also been asked to specifically highlight in the reply as to what steps have been taken to ensure that food-items are stored in most hygienic conditions before supply to the Anganwari centres for further use by the children, sources further said.
“It is a matter of serious concern that bureaucrats have yet not developed the habit of responding to the notices of Accountability Commission even in the issues of immense public importance like the one of rotten food items”, they said.
It is pertinent to mention here that in November last year the Government had constituted Social Empowerment Committees at different levels in respect of social protection schemes and the mandate of such committees was to ensure operational efficiency and accountability.
But, what result this step has yielded is not known to anybody and complaints about lacunas in the implementation of ICDS are still coming from different parts of the State, sources said.
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