Opposition stages walk out' over lack of funding to anganwadis

Mumbai: Irked by the state government’s alleged negligence towards providing funds and nutritious food to pregnant women and infants in anganwadis, Congress –NCP held walk out on Wednesday at the Legislative Assembly. 

Admitting delays in receiving fund from the centre, Women and Child welfare Minister Pankaja Munde said that the government was pursuing the remaining funds.  She said that Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) is a centrally sponsored scheme in which 50 per cent share of funds is borne by the state and centre each.

"In 2017-18, a proposal of Rs 1,236 crore was submitted to the centre and an additional demand of Rs 279 crore for payment of bills to self help groups to provide nutritious food was also sought. Out of which an amount of center sanctioned Rs 994 crore and state sanctioned Rs 594 crore. In addition to that Rs 400 crore was made available in the supplementary demands during the winter session of the state legislature in December last year. She said the amount has been received now and the pending bills are being cleared from the amount of Rs 400 crore," the minister said.

However, the opposition did not agree with the reply and charged that Rs 800 crore worth bills are pending for providing of ration to 97,000 anganwadis. These anganwadis provide nutritious food to 73 lakh children and three lakh pregnant women.  Despite sanction of Rs 400 crore in supplementary demands in December last year, the money was not being utilized, they alleged.