Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 3: There is a large scale bungling in the Anganwari Centers working under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and vigilance probe is necessary to unearth it.
This was stated by Balvinder Singh, Convener, Sangarsh RTI Movement during a press conference here today. He shared the list of pregnant ladies of few Anganwari Centers, received from the PIO in the office Director Social Welfare Jammu along with the date of their delivery and place of birth of the child of each pregnant lady.
As per the list provided by the PIO in the office of the Director Social Welfare, SMGS Hospital showed 58 out of 68 as fake deliveries, whereas Government Hospital Sarwal showed two out of three as fake deliveries. Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar also showed 90 per cent as fake deliveries, he added.
“There is major scam in the Anganwari centers regarding distribution of ration. Anganwari center namely Gurha Keran Lane-9, shows only 8 beneficiaries, AWC Kamal Nagar Keran “A” shows only 8 beneficiaries, AWC TRT Nagrota Zone “B” shows 10 beneficiaries only and AWC Pamposh Colony Sec-1 Janipur shows 35 beneficiaries. As per documents, 350 kgs rice, 100 kgs moongi, 100 kgs channa, 50 kgs sugar and 40 kgs suji to all the above mentioned four Anganwari centers. As per the official data of the State Government there are 29599 Anganwari centers having 10,33,197 souls as beneficiaries. The numbers of Anganwari shown by the Department are correct but the number of beneficiaries shown are totally fake as there are not more than 4 lakh beneficiaries only”, he added.
Singh urged upon the Chief Minister of the State and Minister for Social Welfare, Bali Bhagat to kindly shelve the plan of opening up of 3316 new “On Demand” Anganwari centers. He also urged them to wind up all those Anganwari Centers which are having meager enrollment and club those AWCs in the adjoining ones instead of opening up of new centers.
He also urged them to take appropriate action by handing over one of the big scam in ICDS in the State to the Vigilance Organization. If the Government failed to initiate any probe in the scam, then PIL will be filed in the High Court of J&K, he added.
Among others present were Manmohan Singh, Ayaz Khan, Mahesh Kotwal, Sharanjit Singh, Jasbir Singh, etc.