National Food Security Mission

Aug 8, 2010, 09.40pm IST

VARANASI: The Central government launched the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) in August 2007 to meet the food requirements of the country. The main objective of this scheme is to increase production and productivity of wheat, rice and pulses on a sustainable basis. According to NFSM report, the total financial implications for the NFSM will be Rs 4,882.48 crore during the XI Plan (2007-08 201112). The implementation of the NFSM would result in increasing the production of rice by 10 million ton, wheat by 8 million ton and pulses by 2 million ton by 2011-12. To fight against hunger, the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has also joined hands with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines, to work through a project-Cereal System Initiative in South Asia (CSISA)-- launched in April 2009. BHU is associated for identifying hub specific technology needs and opportunities, system components and combinations that meet farmers livelihood for increasing overall impact. This project includes major cereals like rice, maize and wheat.

Work under National Food Security Mission monitored

TUTICORIN, February 2, 2012

Plans are afoot to include fodder under the scheme

Food security has been a long-pending demand of the people. To increase productivity, the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) has been established said, R.S. Malik, National Consultant (Agriculture Extension) of the NFSM, while visiting various fields in Ottapidaram block here on Tuesday. He interacted with the farmers and saw the benefits being availed from various government schemes. While monitoring the works executed under NFSM at Sillanatham, Mr. Malik interacted with a farmer and asked about the yield of pulse crops and methods adopted to cultivate the crop. Accompanied by T. Ranjith Singh Dhanraj, Joint Director of Agriculture, Mr. Malik also visited Malaipatti, Nainarpuram, Ramasamypuram and few places in Ottapidaram taluk, where farmers were engaged in raising green gram and black gram. To increase production and productivity of agricultural crops under the guidance of agriculture officers various techniques have been adopted, he said. Prior to farming, the stakeholders were advised to test the quality of soil and enhance productivity of agriculture with certified seeds. The NFSM was launched during the eleventh five year plan period and was introduced in eighteen States across India. In Tamil Nadu, the National Food Security Mission was launched in thirty districts mostly for cultivation of rice, wheat and pulses. Plans were also afoot to include fodder also under the scheme in the next five year plan.

The central government had set an expenditure target of Rs. 142 crore for Tamil Nadu and expenditure to the tune of Rs.114 crore has incurred until December, 2011. About eighty percent of the allocated funds under the scheme has been spent. An expenditure of Rs. 3, 544 crore has incurred until December, 2011 against the target of Rs. 4, 408 crore in various States across India, Mr. Malik informed.

Centre to launch National Food Security Mission

Aug 01, 2007

States must draw district-wise decentralised plans: Manmohan Our Bureau Hyderabad, July 31 Targeting 4 per cent growth in the agriculture and allied sectors, the Union Government has decided to launch the National Food Security Mission that is aimed at achieving an additional production of 30 lakh tonnes of rice, 3.5 lakh tonnes of pulses, 5 lakh tonnes of oil seeds and 32 lakh tonnes of milk. At a high-level meet to review the state of affairs with regard to agriculture attended by Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, and Mr Sharad Pawar, Union Agriculture Minister, here on Tuesday - it has been resolved to kick off a national campaign to increase productivity, reducing yield gaps. The meeting followed decisions taken at the NDC meeting in May that included Prime Minister's visit to six States to discuss growth plans for the agriculture sectors. Addressing the meet, the Prime Minister said the States needed to draw districtwise decentralised plans, keeping in mind the local realities and opportunities. He also advised them to converge these activities across all departments, while focusing on closing yield gaps and increasing farm livelihoods. Pointing out that 40 per cent of Andhra Pradesh was still rain-fed, he said pastoralism (a way of rural life intertwined with animal husbandry) held the key for increasing livelihoods in the countryside. FINANCIAL INCLUSION Stating that more than 50 per cent of the farmers were defaulters in the cooperative sector, he asked the States to work with the Reserve Bank of India for covering them under the financial inclusion programme. Mr Pawar said the meeting resolved to set up postharvest management infrastructure and marketing facilities for horticulture produce. While helping the publicprivate initiatives achieve fi- nancial closure for Terminal Marketing complexes at Hyderabad, the meeting decided to prepare project proposal of about Rs 400 crore by September for appraisal by the World Bank under MultiState Agricultural Competitiveness Project.

The meeting also resolved to expedite implementation of the Vaidyanathan Committee report and provide credit to additional 18-lakh farmers. It was decided bring 10-lakh hectares under organic farming in 5,000 villages in rain-fed areas, covering 10-lakh farm families in association with self-help groups and nongovernmental organisations.
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Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (Hindi:

)(English:National Agriculture
[1]

Development Scheme) is a State Plan Scheme of Additional Central Assistance launched in August 2007 as a part of the 11th Five Year Plan by the Government of India. Launched under the aegis of the National Development Council, it seeks to achieve 4% annual growth in agriculture through development of Agriculture and its allied sectors (as defined by the Planning Commission (India)) during the period under the 11th Five Year Plan (2007 11)

Aims
The scheme is essentially a State Plan Scheme that seeks to provide the States and Territories of India with the autonomy to draw up plans for increased public investment in Agriculture by incorporating information on local requirements,geographical/climatic conditions, available natural resources/ technology and cropping patterns in their districts so as to significantly increase the productivity of Agriculture and its allied sectors and eventually maximize the returns of farmers in agriculture and its allied sectors

Eligibility
A State is eligible for funding under the RKVY if it maintains or increases the percentage of its expenditure on Agriculture and its Allied Sectors with respect to the total State Plan Expenditure, where the Base Line (which will move every year) for this expenditure is the average of the percentage of expenditure incurred by a State Government for the previous three years on Agriculture and its Allied Sectors minus any funds related to Agriculture and its allied sectors that it may already have received in that time under its State Plan. Consider the following hypothetical situation where a State seeks eligibility under the RKVY for the year 2010-11.

Year

Expenditure on Agriculture and Allied Sectors(minus funds received under RKVY) (in Rs. Crore)

Total Outlay under State Plan (in Rs. Crore)

Percentage

200708

200

2000

10%

200809

150

2000

7.5%

200910

175

2250

7.7%

201011

198

2200

9%

To be eligible for funding under the RKVY for the year 2010-11, the State must have a percentage of expenditure higher than the average of years 2007-08,08-09 and 09-

10 As the percentage of expenditure in 2010-11 is higher than the baseline percentage by 0.6%, the State is eligible for allocation of funds under the RKVY. If the expenditure in subsequent years falls below the base line, the resources required to complete projects started under the RKVY will now have to be provided by the State Government.

Funding
It was decided that 5,875 crore (US$1.07 billion) would be released by the Central Government every year under the 11th Five Year Plan and 1,500 crore (US$273 million) would be allocated in [5] 2007-08. During the first three years (20072010) of the implementation of the RKVY, an amount of 8,462.11 crore (US$1.54 billion), which is roughly 33% of the total allocation under the RKVY of [6] 25,000 crore (US$4.55 billion). While presenting the 2011 Union Budget Of India, India's Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee stated that the allocation under the RKVY had been increased from the existing 6,755 crore (US$1.23 billion) in 2010-11 to 7,860 crore (US$1.43 billion) for the year 2011-12

Additions
On June 17, 2010, the Government of India announced that it would include Sericulture and Allied activities to boost production of high quality silk and contribute to the global market in a larger way to [9] combat the declining trend of Sericulture productivity. The Saffron Mission in J&K was launched in 2010-11 with an outlay of million) as an additional scheme under the RKVY 372 crore (US$67.7

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Food Security Act The National Food Security Act, also referred to as the Right to Food Bill, is a proposed act which makes food availability a right for every citizen of India. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) is a centrally sponsored scheme launched on December 2000 for one crore of the poorest families. It is on the look out for the 'poorest of the poor'[7] by providing them 35 kilos of rice and wheat at Rs.2 per kg. Whereas the National Food Security Act helps the poor to purchase 25 kg of rice or wheat per month at Rs.3 per kg. It calls for broader reforms in

the public distribution system. Food Security Act takes into consideration the following three important aspects:

Food Availability. Food Access. Food Absorption.

Food availability in the market depends on domestic production and imports whereas access to food hinges on the purchasing power of Aam Aadmi. Food absorption means the inclusion of required calorie-content micro and macro nutrients in our daily food intake and thereby enables the human body to fight against deficiency diseases.[8] The absorption of food in the body also depends on non-food factors such as safe drinking water, environmental hygiene, primary health care and access to toilets. Targeting the BPL families is one of the main issues in the implementation of the Act. In 2005 Planning Commission has made an evaluation of PDS schemes. They found that more than 50 per cent of food did not reach the poor families. In the words of Dr. C Rangarajan, "Food prices must be controlled, otherwise they have a tendency to lead to manufacturing inflation. That will require monetary action especially on the supply management side" Right to Food: Gujarat violating SC order Thu Dec 06 2012 The Gujarat Government has for eight years "outrightly violated" the Supreme Court's directions on guaranteeing the Right to Food and continue, since 2010, to employ two Rajasthan-based contractors at about Rs 500 crore to feed 32 lakh children below six years and eight lakh pregnant and lactating women, the SC's Commissioners, N C Saxena and Harsh Mander, on the issue has told the apex court. The commissioners reported this is in spite of findings that the food supplied by these contractors is costlier, has a shorter shelf-life, is less nutritious and provides employment to only a fraction of people when compared to a decentralised process of food preparation by local women groups, which the SC has advocated since 2004. Besides, the Rajasthan Government had June penalised one of these two contractors almost Rs 10 crore for supplying "poor quantity and quality" to its own food programme, the report also noted. "Gujarat has been outrightly violating the orders of the Honorable Supreme Court in the matter of appointing contractors for the provisioning of Supplementary Nutrition Provisioning in the Integrated Child Development Scheme," the commissioners said in the report that pertains to Take Home Rations distributed under the scheme. It was submitted on November 30. Samples of the "Extruded Micronutrient Fortified Blended Food" supplied by these contractors Kota Dal Mills and Murliwala Agrotech, Udaipur have also been tested at the National Institute of Nutrition, a CSIR laboratory in Hyderabad, and found to be far less nutritious in terms of proteins, calories, fat and vitamins when compared to the recommendations of Central guidelines, the SC was also told. Interestingly, both the SC and the Gujarat High Court had directed Gujarat at least four times to do away with these contractors and entrust the preparation of such food to local women's groups. The government had in November 2010 told the HC that handing over the programme to these groups at a go would "jeopardise" the food facility, and later said in court that they would hand over completely to the women's groups by the first quarter of 2012. Although meetings have been held on how the decentralisation should be done, the SC commissioners' report shows the government continues to employ the contractors. In May 2001, the People's Union for Civil Liberties had filed a writ petition in the SC demanding the Right to Food be made a fundamental right under the provisions of the Right

to Life. The Government of India, the Food Corporation of India and several state governments were marked as respondents. In subsequent hearings in 2002, the SC passed two interim orders under which the SC Commissioners were appointed, and bestowed the powers to monitor and report to the SC steps taken by governments to implement court orders, and to conduct enquires. Supreme court orders In subsequent hearings in 2002, the SC passed two interim orders under which the SC Commissioners were appointed, and bestowed the powers to monitor and report to the SC steps taken by governments to implement court orders, and to conduct enquires. Interestingly, both the SC and the Gujarat High Court had directed Gujarat at least four times to do away with these contractors and entrust the preparation of such food to local women's groups Food as people's right January 3, 2012 India is on the threshold of a historic transition from a ship-to-mouth existence to implementing the world's largest social protection programme against hunger with homegrown food. This is the season to count blessings. India's greatest blessings are its adherence to the democratic system of governance, an independent judiciary, a free and fearless media, and an Election Commission that inspires confidence. I hope that soon India will have an independent and effective Lokpal, which will pave the way for a corruption-free India, a prerequisite for a hunger-free India. The other major paradigm shift observed in recent years is the substitution of political patronage with legal rights. Thus, a few years ago, the United Progressive Alliance government, then supported by the Left parties, enacted legislation designed to confer entitlements to information, education and work, in the third case the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Tribal families and other forest-dwellers have been conferred the right to land. The brightest jewel in the crown of Indian democracy will be the conferment of the right to food through the National Food Security Act, recently introduced in Parliament. When it is implemented, this country will have taken the essential steps necessary to convert Gandhiji's dream of a hunger-free India into reality. It is important to realise the significance of the Act in the light of the conditions that prevailed in India during the first 20 years after Independence. During the 1960s, India was the largest importer of food aid, mainly under the PL480 programme of the U.S. In fact, during 1966, over 10 million tonnes of wheat was imported, leading to India being labelled as a nation surviving on a ship-to-mouth basis. Today, India is set to commit over 60 million tonnes of home-grown wheat, rice and nutri-millets to fulfil the legal entitlements under the Food Security Act. When it becomes law, India will operate the largest social protection programme against hunger in human history. How did this transition occur? Here is the historical context in which we should view the Act. ROLE OF GREEN REVOLUTION The Bengal Famine of 1942-43, which claimed over two million lives, provided the backdrop to India's Independence in 1947. The country's population was then a little over 300 million, that is, 25 per cent of the current population. In 1947, not more than 30 persons could be fed at a wedding; today money is the only limit to the number of people who can be entertained on such occasions. Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri even issued an appeal that every Indian should fast one day a week in order to enable the government to balance the food budget. In 1947, our soils were both thirsty and hungry, and to quote Aristotle, soil is the stomach of the plant. Hardly 10 per cent of the cultivated area had assured irrigation, and the average consumption of NPK nutrients was less than 1 kg a hectare. The average yield of wheat and rice was about 800 kg per ha. Mineral fertilizers were mostly applied to plantation crops; food crops got whatever organic manure farmers could mobilise. During the first two Five

Year Plans (1950-60), emphasis was placed on enlarging the area under irrigation and on fertilizer production. Scientists began extensive experiments in the 1950s to assess the response of rice and wheat varieties to fertilizer application. The varieties cultivated had tall and thin straw and the crop lodged when even small quantities of nutrients were applied. It became clear that varieties with short and stiff straw were needed to get positive response from water and fertilizer. It is in this background that Dr. K. Ramiah, an eminent rice scientist, suggested in 1950 that we cross the japonica varieties of rice obtained from Japan with our indica rice varieties. The logic was that thejaponica varieties were even then yielding over five tonnes a ha, while Indian varieties gave one tonne to two tonnes a ha. Thus began the indica-japonica rice hybridisation programme at the Central Rice Research Institute in Cuttack in the early 1950s. The programme lost its priority after genes to develop semi-dwarf varieties of rice became available in the 1960s from Taiwan and the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. After the Second World War, American scientists were examining the significant findings made in Japan both in agriculture and industry. Solomon, a biological scientist, was fascinated by the semi-dwarf wheat varieties developed by Dr. Gonziro Inazuka at the Norin Experiment Station. This variety had short and stiff straw but long panicles, and consequently a high-yield potential. Dr. Solomon gave seeds of the Norin wheat variety to Orville Vogel of Washington State University, who developed the semi-dwarf winter wheat variety Gaines, with a yield potential of over 10 tonnes a ha. Norman Borlaug, working in Mexico, obtained the seeds containing the Norin dwarfing gene from Dr. Vogel and started the Mexican dwarf wheat breeding programme. Winter wheats like Gaines do not do well under Indian conditions. On the other hand, Dr. Borlaug's material was suited for the rabi season in India. I therefore approached Dr. Borlaug in 1959 for some of his semi-dwarf wheat breeding material. Dr. Borlaug wanted to see Indian growing conditions before making up a set of breeding lines, and paid a visit in March 1963. We tested the material at locations all over North India during rabi 1963. The multi-location trials revealed that the semi-dwarf wheats of Mexican origin could yield four to five tonne a ha, in contrast to about two tonnes a ha of the tall Indian varieties. It became clear that India had the tools with which to shape its agricultural destiny. In July 1964, C. Subramanian became Union Minister for Food and Agriculture and he gave his whole-hearted support to spreading high-yielding varieties on a large scale, together with irrigation water and mineral fertilizer. In 1968, Indian farmers harvested about 17 million tonnes of wheat; the earlier highest harvest was about 12 million tonnes in 1964. Such a quantum jump in production and productivity led Indira Gandhi to announce the Wheat Revolution' in July 1968. In addition to the yield breakthrough in wheat and rice, hybrids of maize, jowar and bajra developed by Indian scientists in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation, opened up opportunities to increase productivity and production of the crops. This led to the introduction by the Government of India in 1967 a High-yielding Varieties Programme in wheat, rice, maize, jowar and bajra. For the first time, yield consciousness was born in farmers' minds and they organised a National Tonnage Club of Farmers. The membership eligibility criterion was the production of an agreed minimum quantity of foodgrains per ha. The term Green Revolution coined by William Gaud of the U.S. in 1968, involved synergy among technology, services, public policies and farmers' enthusiasm. Farmers, particularly those in Punjab, converted a small government programme into a mass movement. The Green Revolution was criticised by social activists on the ground that the high-yield technology involving the use of mineral fertilizers and chemical pesticides is environmentally harmful. Similarly, some economists felt that the new technologies would bypass small and marginal farmers, for although the technologies are scale-neutral, they are not resourceneutral. This led to my coining the term ever-green revolution, to emphasise the need to enhance productivity in perpetuity without ecological harm.

UNTAPPED RESERVOIR Looking ahead, the bright spot in Indian agriculture is the availability of a large untapped production reservoir. For example, the productivity of foodgrains in China is currently 5,332 kg a ha, while it is 1,909 kg a ha in India. A bridge the yield gap movement is needed. The dark spots in Indian agriculture relate to ecology and economics. The heartland of the Green Revolution, comprising Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, is in an ecological crisis, as a result of the over-exploitation of groundwater and the spread of salinity. This region will also suffer most if the mean temperature rises by 1 degree to 2 degrees C as a result of global warming. Conservation and climate-resilient farming will help check ecological hazards. The Food Security Act will confer double benefits procurement at a remunerative price for the public distribution system will stimulate production, and consumers who need social support to ward off hunger will be able to have economic access to the food needed for a productive life. One of India's major blessings is the rich store of experience and knowledge available in the rural and tribal areas. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recently recognised the Traditional Agriculture System of Koraput, Odisha, as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System. This is because the system provides an outstanding contribution to promoting food security, biodiversity, indigenous knowledge and cultural diversity for sustainable and equitable development. The future of food security will depend on a combination of the ecological prudence of the past and the technological advances of today. (The author is a member of the Rajya Sabha and Chairman of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai.) Oustanding article. The level of knowledge shown from a high level of biological science to ground level growers was wonderful. I feel smarter having read the article, and more hopeful. China's 1950's era policy of the Iron Ricebowl, the concept of US Department of Agriculture's Food Stamps - now a major election issue - show that food security for the poorest among us is a world-wide concern, and can have many solutions. It is also something that cannot be solved in one swift action; it is a continual, evolving battle. What would be wonderful if is small scale farmers in India could be incentivized and trained to grow high yield sustainable food crops on a continual basis. Perhaps the urban poor could be given jobs involving shipping and distribution and sales in the cities. More food, more work. Bypass corporate farms, corporate distribution and big chain retail sales networks. These entities take care of themselves. from: Ed Hayden Posted on: Jan 18, 2012 at 04:34 IST The contribution of Lalbahdur shastri in the agrarian revolution pioneered by Dr Swaminarthan cannot be over emphasised. It was shatri who coined the slogan Jay Jawan, Jay Kissan and inspired the nation to confront food dependency on PL480 wheat import when America used the scheme to pressurise India during 1964 Indo-Pak war. My family including my diabetic uncle joined millions to follow his advice on skipping a meal a week to tide over the food shortage faced by the nation. Sastri had total support from the public and all political parties and thus the condition was extremely favourable for the speedy implementation of the green revolution using the science pioneered by Dr Swaminathan. It was because of the sustained support of the successive governments that his efforts suceeded all these years while the success of Argentina and Mexico where short lived. Indian agriculture is at another cross road. Just as in 1964, we need total support (public, political and governmental) for scientists and technocrats to find internally developed solutions to tackle the new challenges facing the provision of food for the huge and growing Indian population. In my view, there are three major areas where concentration needs to be focussed. They are management of water resources, management of forests and (environmentally rooted) planning for land use. The current constitutional provisions and

laws may be inadequate to achieve the objectives. It is high time that India need to consider fresh water as a national resource and manage it scientifically through a non-ministerial body of experts. Forests should be brought under a national forestry commission that will own and manage it. Examples in other countries such as the National Rivers Authority and Forestry commission of Great Britain could be used as a template for constituting such authorities. These resources which are vital for survival of all species including humans cannot be left to local political and vested interests to abuse and destroy. Strict planning laws are to be enacted to allocate land for dwelling, industrial development, agriculture and environmental protection. There are so many different schemes in different countries based on their ecology, climate and natural resources from which India could learn a lot. India has to study its problems and find indigenously designed solutions using the lessons learnt from other countries. Pray the authors research foundation focus attention into these areas also. from: B. Baburajan Posted on: Jan 9, 2012 at 22:59 IST Its very reassuring to hear about the deaths due to starvation shall not happen in Mother India almost after 60 years of independance . Yes Dr.M.S.Swaminathan could talk about the increase in the grain production,however the STORAGE,after procurement,not allowing the same to perish,is a task not yet handled. The wastage is 100% preventable; Prof.Sainath and other grass root workers should come forth and team together to streamline,without curruption and pilferage.The huge malls etc etc need not consume the finances,let there be essential store houses built on a war footing,waste not want not. from: Dharma Chatterji Posted on: Jan 5, 2012 at 18:26 IST Food Security Bill contains security of food for the BPL people. The BPL group also covers the small as well as marginal farmers who produces food(wheat, Rice) for their consumption. Let's suppose if we provide food to them at subsidized rate then they will stop doing their farming and this will definitely lead to food scarcity in India. Secondly: In my views implementing the Food Security Bill through PDS scheme is not good. Food Security Bill should have different provisions for implementation like Online Tracking System of Food grain, Removing the Middleman. We should also not give red subsidy in the form of cash because in the BPL families mostly men are dominating so we can't expect that whether this money would go for family development or not. There should be a provision of coupons system or like that. from: vivek bansal Posted on: Jan 5, 2012 at 14:06 IST There is no free lunch, or 'right' to food. Availability of food depends on growers -- and their effort cannot be the right of another. Public Distribution is a statutory charity that an individual cannot opt out of -- his tax burden, and the government fiscal deficits affect his ability to save. Farming will thrive when government withdraws, and produce can be sold at market prices that cover production costs. Farmers will then seek productivity and yield, and not subsidies. We need to create a proactive, technology savvy farming, and affluent farming community instead of the poor hand to mouth existence -- and that journey begins with the farmer getting more interested in farming per se; this will happen only when produce prices are not artificially deflated by government policies. We need to get rid of the politicians who offer higher price to farmers, and lower price to

consumers, put our country under duress by increasing public debt to finance this vote bank scheme. from: Thomas George Right to food In his article From Bengal Famine to Right to Food (Feb. 13), M.S. Swaminathan has recalled how, during his college days, he and his friends used to discuss different ways in which they could contribute to the development of the nation. It touched my heart. The youth (including me) I see around today are unable to raise their thinking to such a level. The maximum they are willing to do is protest, that too only when something disturbs their conscience. There is as such no informal or friendly discussion on engaging actively in policymaking or contributing to the countrys growth using whatever skills one might have. Ajish Jimmy George, Delhi Dr. Swaminathans article on the Bengal famine will serve as education to youngsters. I was 13 when the famine struck. Famine and starvation were a regular feature in our taluk the Mudukulatur taluk in the south-east end of India. We saw rainfall only once in three or four years. My maternal grandfather owned 1,000 acres of land and was a leading lawyer. His house faced the Revenue Tahsildars office on the north and the Vaigai on the south. It had 14 rooms, seven of them with lofts filled with grains. Unlike the Bengal famine, the Ramnad district famine was caused mostly by hoarders. Dr. Swaminathan and others like him have saved me and my next generation from starvation. S. Charuhasan, Chennai I would like to add to the threats outlined by Dr. Swaminathan to the future of food production the disinterest among the youth in farming. Youngsters do not want to take to farming as a profession. Even if they do, their parents and society discourage them. Satish Keshri, Chennai Although we have changed our agricultural destiny from the ship to mouth situation to the right to food commitment, we have miles to go before fulfilling the commitment. It is said that we produce less than what we sow, harvest less than what we produce, procure less than what we harvest, and consume less than what we procure. This phrase should give us an idea of the losses incurred in various stages of agricultural production to consumption. Although most of these losses have been covered through the intervention of modern techniques, the last stage of loss storage has not been tackled. The lack of poor infrastructure and ignorance of existing facilities are among the prime concerns. Jaiprakash Bisen, Hyderabad The use of farmland for non-farm purposes is indeed a cause for concern. It may cause serious consequences such as import of food grain, non-availability of grains for PDS and

black marketing. The government must ensure the unhindered use of farmland for agriculture to sustain food security. Prafulla K. Rai, The right to food must be for all August 9, 2010 The recommendation by the National Advisory Council for a revised Food Security Bill is, in essence, a proposal to enhance entitlements in some spheres while reducing them in others. The enhancement lies in the fact that the Bill will recognise, for the first time, a justiciable right to food for all persons in the yet-to-be-identified 150 most disadvantaged' districts. The reduction lies in the fact that the revised Bill will not envisage such a right to food as a universal right, but as one restricted to a target group in this case, to be identified by geographical targeting. This is in contravention of the letter and spirit of Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which declares that the right to food must be for all individuals (and not circumscribed by region or any other factor) and that a variety of instruments must be used to respect, protect, and fulfil that right. The most unjust feature of the proposed revised Bill will be the restriction of the right to food to people living in a fourth of India's districts and not even necessarily comprising a fourth of the country's deprived population the world's largest mass of poor, credibly estimated to be in the region of 800 million. A malnourished person must have recourse to the same justiciable right to food wherever she or he lives. The parallel the NAC draws with the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in this respect, that is, with a scheme begun on a pilot basis in 150 districts and then extended across the country, is misleading. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act offered a new entitlement. By contrast, the institutional structure for the public distribution system and other measures of food and nutrition security notably, school meals and supplementary nutrition for mothers and young children are already in place throughout the country. Rising India' is way off track in implementing the first Millennium Development Goal, that is, halving (during 2000-2015) the population in extreme poverty and hunger. The central government must wake up to the enormity of the task of ensuring adequate food and nutrition to our population. The least it can do here and now in line with international covenants is to make the right to food a universal entitlement. Tamil Nadu has shown that this is eminently achievable. Not committing the necessary financial resources to this end at the all-India level signals weakness of political will. It also means ideologically misconstrued social priorities. It goes without saying that the obligation to fulfil a right to food for all will require special and additional interventions and safeguards to serve the most vulnerable and food-deprived sections of our population. Food Security Bill tabled in Lok Sabha December 23, 2011 63.5% of country's population entitled to cheaper foodgrains The much-awaited National Food Security Bill, 2011, which makes cheaper foodgrains a legal entitlement to 63.5 per cent of the country's population, was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The Bill was introduced by Food Minister K.V. Thomas in the presence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who has been keen on ensuring that the law is enacted. It seeks to provide

food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people [to enable them] to live a life with dignity. The proposed law marks a paradigm shift in addressing the problem of food security from the existing welfare approach to a right-based approach. Besides expanding the coverage of the Targeted Public Distribution System, it will confer legal rights, enabling eligible beneficiaries to receive foodgrains entitlements at highly subsidised prices. FREE MEALS The law will also confer legal rights on women, children and other special groups destitute, the homeless, disaster-and-emergency-affected persons and persons living in starvation to receive meals free or at an affordable price. The law will entitle people eligible under the priority category (Below the Poverty Line families) to a monthly allotment of 7 kg of foodgrains, comprising rice, wheat and coarse grains, per person. Rice will be provided at Rs. 3 kg, wheat at Rs. 2 and coarse grains at Re. 1. The general category will get at least 3 kg of grain at a rate not exceeding 50 per cent of the minimum support price. The subsidy will be extended to up to 75 per cent of the rural population and up to 50 per cent of the urban population with not less than 46 per cent of the rural population and 28 per cent of the urban population designated as priority households. MATERNITY BENEFITS Every pregnant woman and lactating mother will be entitled to meals free of charge during pregnancy and six months after childbirth, through the local anganwadi. The Bill provides for a maternity benefit of Rs. 1,000 a month for six months. Besides, every child up to the age of 14 shall have entitlement to nutritional needs. For children between six months and six years, appropriate meal would be provided free of charge through the local anganwadi to meet nutritional standards. For children in the 6-14 age group, one mid-day meal would be given free of charge everyday, except during holidays, in all schools run by local bodies, and government and government-aided schools up to class VIII. The National Food Security Act must include strong safeguards' July 21, 2011 A letter to the Prime Minister on the importance of a near-universal PDS.' July 21, 2011 Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India Respected Prime Minister,

We are a group of research scholars and student volunteers who have just spent three weeks surveying the Public Distribution System (PDS) around the country. We are writing to share a few thoughts on the National Food Security Act in the light of this experience. Our survey covered more than 100 randomly-selected villages spread over nine States (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh). We inspected the local Fair Price Shops and interviewed more than a thousand BPL households. Oblivious of the heat or rain, we reached the country's remotest nooks and crannies and spared no effort to understand people's situations and views. This survey points to an impressive revival of the PDS across the country. In all the sample States, with the notable exception of Bihar, there have been major initiatives in the recent past to improve the PDS and these efforts are showing results. Most of the sample households were getting the bulk if not the whole of their foodgrain entitlements under the PDS (up to 35 kg per month, at a nominal price). The days when up to half of the PDS grain was diverted to the open market are gone. We also found that the PDS had become a lifeline for millions of rural households. A wellfunctioning PDS virtually guarantees that there is always food in the house. This is an enormous relief for people who live on the margin of subsistence, and a welcome support for everyone. It is a big step towards the end of hunger, which has blighted this country for centuries. The bad news is that the BPL list is very defective. In many States, entire communities have been left out, and almost everywhere, there are enormous exclusion errors. This has severely reduced the effectiveness of the PDS as a tool of food security. Therefore, we support the case made recently by a group of academic economists for a near-universal PDS, whereby all households are entitled to food subsidies unless they meet well-defined exclusion criteria. The said economists also believe that there is a strong (though unspecified) theoretical case for cash transfers as an alternative to the PDS. We discussed this proposal with the respondents, and found that a majority opposed it. The reluctance was particularly strong in areas with a well-functioning PDS, and among poorer households. Further, we felt that the reasons they gave for opposing cash transfers were generally quite thoughtful and convincing. In most cases, the reasons pertained in one way or another to food security an overwhelming concern for poor households. For instance, many respondents were worried that money might be misused or frittered away. Where markets are distant, they wondered where they would buy grain, and how they would cope if there is a sudden increase in local food prices. Even where markets are accessible, there were apprehensions, such as a fear that traders might raise prices if the PDS is closed. Similarly, the local bank was often said to be too far, overcrowded, or difficult to handle. Many respondents had a bitter experience of the banking system in the context of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) wage payments. In contrast, the familiarity and convenience of the local Fair Price Shop were widely valued. It is only in areas where the PDS was not working, notably Bihar and parts of Uttar Pradesh, that we found substantial interest in cash transfers as a possible alternative. Accordingly, we urge you to ensure that the National Food Security Act includes the strongest possible safeguards against a hasty transition from food entitlements to cash transfers.

We do recognise, of course, that there is enormous scope and urgent need for further improvements in the PDS. We have some suggestions on this too, and would be glad to discuss them with you at your convenience. Yours sincerely, Eminent development economists write an open letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India March 12, 2012 Dear Prime Minister, We welcome the tabling of a National Food Security Bill in the Lok Sabha as an important step towards the elimination of hunger and undernutrition in India. However, we feel that the Bill in its current form has some serious shortcomings. We are writing to propose a simpler and more effective framework for the Public Distribution System (PDS), which requires only minor amendments of the Bill. The Bill relies on a complicated three-way division of the population between priority, general and excluded households. This division, we feel, is problematic for several reasons. First, there is no clarity as to how these different groups are to be identified, and we have serious doubts about the possibility of devising a practical, fair and effective method of doing it. Second, with PDS benefits largely restricted to priority households, this approach would have many of the weaknesses of BPL targeting, which has proved so unreliable and divisive in the past. Third, this rigid framework, based on selection criteria and other parameters prescribed by the Central Government, would undermine the positive trend towards a more inclusive PDS in many states. Last but not least, this framework is confusing simplicity and transparency are essential for the success of this historic legislation. We submit that it would be simpler, safer and more effective to abolish the distinction between general and priority households, and give the same PDS entitlements to all households outside the excluded category. This would dispense with the need for a complicated identification process, except for the use of exclusion criteria, which is relatively straightforward. The risk of exclusion errors would be small. And everyone would be able to understand this framework, making it much more likely to succeed. (The poorest households would continue to receive special support under the Antyodaya programme.) The attached note, Simplifying the National Food Security Bill, presents a more detailed outline of this proposal. As explained in this note, this approach could go a long way even without additional resources (compared with the current version of the Bill). We, the signatories of this letter, take different views on other aspects of the Bill, especially PDS reforms, including alternative models of subsidy delivery such as food coupons or cash transfers. The Bill, best thought of as an enabling legislation, should facilitate informed scrutiny of these alternatives without imposing a rigid model across the country. As far as the issue raised in this letter is concerned, we unanimously believe that simplifying the framework is essential for the success of the Bill. We urge you to consider this proposal.

Yours sincerely, Dilip Abreu (Princeton University); Pulapre Balakrishnan (Director, Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram); Abhijit Banerjee (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); Sangeeta Bansal (Jawaharlal Nehru University); Pranab Bardhan (University of California, Berkeley); V. Bhaskar (University College, London); Ashwini Deshpande (Delhi School of Economics); Bina Agarwal (Director, Institute of Economic Growth); Mahendra Dev (Director, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research); Jean Drze (Allahabad University); Bhaskar Dutta (Warwick University); Maitreesh Ghatak (London School of Economics); Deepti Goel (Delhi School of Economics); Ashima Goyal (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research); Himanshu (Jawaharlal Nehru University); Rajshri Jayaraman (European School of Management and Technology, Berlin); K.P. Kannan (former Director, Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram); Anirban Kar (Delhi School of Economics); Reetika Khera (Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi); Ashok Kotwal (University of British Columbia); Srijit Mishra (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research); Dilip Mookherjee (Boston University); K. Nagaraj (Asian College of Journalism); R. Nagaraj (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research); Sudha Narayanan (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research);

Pulin Nayak (Delhi School of Economics); Rohini Pande (Harvard University); Kirit Parikh (Chairman, Integrated Research and Action for Development); Bharat Ramaswamy (Indian Statistical Institute); Debraj Ray (New York University); Atul Sarma (former Vice-Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University); Abhijit Sen (Member, Planning Commission); K. Sundaram (Delhi School of Economics); Jeemol Unni (Director, Institute of Rural Management, Anand); Sujata Visaria (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology); Vijay Vyas (Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister). (All the signatories are development economists.) The cost of food security January 20, 2013

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food, which examined the draft food security bill, has recommended one more version in terms of the coverage and support that the Act should guarantee. It has reportedly argued for mandatory coverage of 67 per cent of the population based on multiple criteria that would separate the population into groups either included or excluded. However, it has scaled down the monthly entitlement of subsidised grain to a uniform 5 kg per month for every person covered under the act. Assuming five persons per household that amounts to an entitlement of 25 kg per household per month. In the view of the committee, identified beneficiaries should be provided the stipulated quantity at Rs. 3, 2 and 1 per kg respectively for rice wheat and millets. There is no unanimity here. One member of the committee, T.N. Seema, submitted a note of dissent objecting to, among other recommendations, the reduced entitlement and the cap on coverage. This is not surprising since the Left in and outside Parliament, civil society groups like the Right to Food Campaign and many analysts and academics have been arguing for universal coverage on the grounds that targeting would in many ways defeat the purpose of the bill. The recommendations of the Standing Committee not only fall short of this but put out a scheme which is one among the many involving less-than-universal coverage. The governments draft bill, for example, seeks to cover 63.5 per cent of the population, consisting of 75 per cent of the population in rural India and 60 per cent in urban India. These proportions have been broken down into priority and general groups with the former eligible for 7 kg of subsidized grain at the low prices mentioned above, whereas the general category will be eligible for 3 kg each at half the economic cost of grain distributed through the public distribution system. The National Advisory Council (NAC), on the other hand, had made a case for providing food grains using the Rs. 3-2-1 pricing formula to 75 per cent of the population (90 per cent in rural areas and 50 per cent in urban areas) divided into priority (46% rural; 28% urban) and general (39% rural; 12% urban) categories. Priority households were to be entitled to 35 kg of subsidized food grain per month and general households to 20 kg, at a price not exceeding 50 per cent of the minimum support price (MSP). Finally, the Expert Committee set up by the Prime Minister and chaired by C. Rangarajan, which took on the task of pruning the NACs recommendations, elected for a substantial reduction in the population that is to be guaranteed access. It favoured a scheme that would restrict the assured delivery of foodgrains at Rs 2 per kg for wheat and Rs 3 per kg for rice, to the really needy households and cover the rest through an executive order with a varying quantum depending on the availability of foodgrains. This would in effect give the government the option of dropping those not really needy from the scheme. The really needy households were defined as the set of those falling in income terms below the revised official Tendulkar poverty line plus an additional 10 per cent above that line. This was a clumsy concession to keeping coverage equal to at least the priority section identified by the NAC. Given this potpourri in terms of schemes defined by coverage, quantum of access and price, the debate is being shifted from one between those demanding universal coverage and those wanting to restrict the right to food to the so-called needy, to one about how much of Indias current population should be seen as needy. However, there can be no agreement on what being needy means, as the scorn widely poured on the governments earlier poverty line made clear. And having a multi-dimensional perspective on deprivation, while appropriate, creates significant difficulties in identifying beneficiaries leading to errors of exclusion. The real reason why such targeting is still favoured by sections in government is that they see it as a way of reducing the cost of the programme. This effort to reduce cost has been backed by arguments to suggest that a food security programme with universal or even extensive

coverage would either be infeasible because of inadequate food supplies or would be impossible to sustain because of the burden it would place on the governments budget. In the elaboration of the first of these arguments the emphasis is on the inadequacy of the domestically available surplus of foodgrains and the fact that if India places a significant demand in global markets to support its food security programme it would result in a spike in prices that would be damaging for all. That such arguments, advanced by both the Rangarajan Committee and the Parliamentary Standing Committee, could even be made is shocking. It amounts to stating that production in India is not in current circumstances and can never be adequate to support an effort to ensure minimum access to food at affordable prices for that segment of the population that would choose to avail of grains supplied through the PDS. Besides the fact that this judgement is based on questionable assumptions on availability and offtake, it also ignores the fact that Indias current plight is the result o f long years of neglect of agriculture and food grain production (refer Wages of Neglect) that has resulted in a long-term decline in the per capita availability of food grain in the country. This neglect is now being made the reason to prune the food security programme by a government that celebrates the high growth rates of recent years and makes tall claims about Indias current position in the global order. The other argument, which has been the focus of the case against an extensive or universal food security programme, is that the cost involved is too high for a government already burdened by a high fiscal deficit. It may be useful to reiterate once more that a fiscal deficit can also be pruned by mobilising more resources through increased taxation, reduced tax concessions and better implementation. The controversy surrounding the capital gains demand made on Vodafone makes clear that this government is committed more to incentivising investors, including foreign investors, than to mobilising resources to finance crucial expenditures. To conceal the failure to mobilise required resources official discussions on the food security programme quote absolute numbers of the subsidies entailed in even the current programme and the way they have risen over time in nominal or current price terms. This, to start with, exaggerates the real increase in food provided. Thus while the central food subsidy bill rose in nominal terms from Rs.23,280 crore to Rs. 60,573 crore between 2004-05 and 2011-12, the figure in 2011-12 after adjusting for inflation in the wholesale prices of food articles between those dates was Rs. 30,239 crore. One reason why food prices rise is the adjustment that the government has to make to the Minimum Support Price for food grains to compensate for cost of production increase. To use that to declare food subsidy as the burden is clearly disingenuous. But without making this clear nominal figures are quoted and taken as being irrefutably indicative of how burdensome it is. The Rangarajan Committee estimated that the subsidy required to support the NACs scheme could go up to Rs. 92,000 crore and the Parliamentary Standing Committee estimates the subsidy required to support its recommendations at Rs. 1.12 crore. These figures are controversial and involve strong assumptions. Further, besides the inflation factor, there is another reason why absolute figures convey little. Take for example the numbers reported in Chart 1 giving the ratio of actual food subsidies over the last decade relative to GDP. In most years subsidies have amounted to between 0.6 and 0.8 per cent of GDP, and touched 1 per cent in only a single year. Raising this figure to more than one per cent is a reasonable demand given the fact that the World Food Programme estimates that, despite high growth over two decades and more, a quarter of the worlds hungry population resides in India and around 43 per cent of children under the age of five years are malnourished.

Moreover, Chart 2 shows that during the 2000s, when corporate profits were soaring, tax concessions in different forms provided to the corporate sector amounted to well above one per cent of GDP. Thus the sum estimated by the Parliamentary Standing Committee as needed to support its recommendation was at 1.35 per cent of GDP in 2011-12, less than the 1.36 per cent of GDP transferred to the corporate sector through these concessions in 200708. And corporate tax rebates are only one form in which the corporate sector is favoured, as the controversies over spectrum sale, coal blocks and even gas pricing suggest. Anyone with a sense of social priorities should, in the circumstances, recognise that the argument that the money is not available is without much basis. What is lacking is the will to mobilise the surplus and allocate it to where it is needed most. Food Security Bill needs amendments As it is drafted, the Bill actually deprives people, and the State governments, of existing rights on multiple counts. The Food Security Bill finalised by a Group of Ministers should not be accepted by Parliament in its present form. The overriding negative features of the proposed legislation far outweigh its positive initiatives. The framework itself is questionable since the Central government usurps all powers to decide the numbers, criteria and schemes while imposing a substantial level of expenditure on the State governments. Far from meeting the basic requirements for a universalised system of public distribution, it actually deprives people and also State governments of existing rights on several counts in spite of the opportunity created through huge buffer stocks. First, it cuts down on the number of eligible households. At the Chief Ministers' Conference in February 2010, the government's agenda paper gave the total number of APL (above poverty line) and BPL (below poverty line) households covered by the Targeted Public Distribution System as 18.03 crore. This works out to over 90 per cent of the population, calculated on the basis of the population projections used by the Central government. But the Bill sets a cap of 75 per cent households in rural India and just 50 per cent in urban India. This means that lakhs of families holding APL cards will be excluded from the PDS. Second, the Bill ignores the State government estimations of BPL families. As opposed to 6.52 crore families recognised by the Central government as being poor, State governments, based on their own estimation, have extended BPL coverage to 11.03 crore households, comprising 56 per cent of the population. But the Bill puts a cap on BPL households at 46 per cent in the rural areas and just 28 per cent in the urban areas. At the heart of the differences between the Centre and many States on this issue is the utterly inhuman poverty line determined by the Planning Commission, which was Rs. 13 for an adult in rural India and Rs. 18 in urban India. And it was fraudulently linked with poverty quotas or caps. The Bill legalises this anti-poor framework through Section 13(1), which states: The Central Government shall, for each State determine the number of persons belonging to the priority (BPL) households. In this, the Bill prepared by the National Advisory Council (NAC) provides the government an alibi. Section 21 of the NAC draft states that the identification of priority households will be based on the criteria notified by the Central Government. It is unfortunate that the NAC members who lead the right-to-food campaign should have accepted such a flawed policy. It surely undermines their own campaign. Third, it cuts down on allocations. The Bill shifts from the present quota of 35 kg per family to an individual-based system fixed at a monthly quota of 7 kg per person for a BPL family. While individual-based quotas may appear to be reasonable, it will end up punishing poor

families that have fewer children. For example, in a State like Kerala where the average family size is smaller than elsewhere in the country, the present quota of 35 kg will be cut, say for a BPL family with four members, to 28 kg. It would have been fairer to have kept the minimum allocation at 35 kg for a family and increased it by a certain amount per additional person over an average of five members per family. For APL sections it is even worse, with just a 3-kg quota per individual. Can 3 kg a month provide food security? This is an affront to human dignity and shows an utter lack of social conscience. Also, it needs to be clarified whether a child would have the same entitlement as an adult has. The fourth issue is that of prices. Around 10 State governments have established a system where BPL families get rice at Rs. 2 a kg. In Tamil Nadu, rice is being provided at Re. 1 a kg and to some sections free of cost. The Bill ignores these existing price benefits. In the Bill, the price of rice for BPL families is Rs. 3, not Rs. 2 a kg. However, the price of wheat has been kept at Rs. 2 a kg and that of millets at Rs. 1 a kg. But the Central government has the right to change these prices at any time. For APL cardholders, Schedule 1 of the Bill pegs the price of foodgrains at 50 per cent of the minimum support price (MSP) given to farmers for wheat and rice. Instead of a fixed price as at present, APL prices are bound to move upwards given the farmers' genuine demand to raise the MSP every year to cover higher input costs. Thus the Bill creates a division and a possible conflict between consumers and farmers. While the farmers demand a higher MSP, the APL cardholders' interests will come to lie in lower MSPs. The Bill has a section on reforms that takes forward the government's neo-liberal agenda. Chapter 13, Section 3(g), of the Bill states: Introducing scheme for cash transfer to the targeted beneficiaries in lieu of their foodgrain entitlements in areas and manner to be prescribed by the Central Government. This is in tune with the recommendation made by the World Bank in its recent analysis of social protection schemes in India. Thus the cash transfer scheme opposed by a large number of food experts is made mandatory. The State governments are given no choice. It also links the right to food with the questionable Aadhar, or unique identification system based on biometric information. Clause 3 of the same chapter mentions leveraging aadhaar for unique identification with biometric information of entitled beneficiaries for proper targeting under this Act. The main problem of corruption in the PDS is not impersonation which is what the UID seeks to address but diversion and leakages to private traders. The technology is admittedly prone to serious errors. In India, a country with a large number of manual labourers, it has been estimated that the error could go up to 15 to 20 per cent. To make food security rights conditional on biometric proof would be to use another instrument of exclusion. POSITIVE FEATURES There are some positive features in the Bill including the inclusion of the mid-day meal scheme in its ambit. There are good provisions for nutritional guarantees in the form of a cooked meal for pregnant and lactating women, including for mothers for six months after childbirth. These are universal free-of-cost benefits. There are other schemes proposed for community kitchens for destitute persons, for migrant workers and special provisions for groups or communities identified as victims of starvation. However, disabled persons are once again left out. But where will the funds come from? According to the Bill, the entire payment for all these free schemes proposed by the Central government will have to be made by the State government. Since the largest number of poor people reside in precisely those States where there are very limited resources, expecting the State governments to bear the huge expenditures is unjust and unfair. Already the Right to Education legislation is facing serious hurdles, one of these being the lack of resources at the State level. The Food Bill will become

a victim of the same lack of resources syndrome if the present framework for expenses is not drastically changed. The government's desire to get out of public provisioning and the fiscal conservatism underlying the rejection of a universal PDS, and on the contrary the urge to cut entitlements and beneficiaries, are the Bill's key macroeconomic foundations. This was the experience with the Rural Employment Guarantee and the Forest Rights Bills also, but those were quite radically improved because of the intervention of the Left parties. With their parliamentary strength reduced and with the NAC seemingly willing to compromise on fundamental issues, clearly a hard struggle lies ahead to ensure any pro-people amendments in the Bill. (Brinda Karat is a member of the Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India Marxist.) From food security to food justice February 1, 2012 A quarter of a million women in Kerala are showing us how to earn livelihoods with dignity. If the malnourished in India formed a country, it would be the world's fifth largest almost the size of Indonesia. According to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), 237.7 million Indians are currently undernourished (up from 224.6 million in 2008). And it is far worse if we use the minimal calorie intake norms accepted officially in India. By those counts <http://www.thehindu. com/news/resources/article2803621.ece> (2200 rural/2100 urban), the number of Indians who cannot afford the daily minimum could equal the entire population of Europe. Yet, the Indian elite shrieks at the prospect of formalising a universal right to food. Notwithstanding the collective moral deficit this reveals, it also shows that the millions of Indians whose food rights are so flagrantly violated are completely voiceless in the policy space. India's problem is not only to secure food, but to secure food justice. What can food justice practically mean? First, to prevent situations where grains rot while people die a very basic principle of distributive justice. But it has to mean a lot more: people must have the right to produce food with dignity, have control over the parameters of production, get just value for their labour and their produce. Mainstream notions of food security ignore this dimension. Food justice must entail both production and distribution. Its fundamental premise must be that governments have a non-negotiable obligation to address food insecurity. They must also address the structural factors that engender that insecurity. Most governments, however, appear neither willing nor able to deliver food justice. It needs therefore the devolution of power and resources to the local level, where millions of protagonists, with their knowledge of local needs and situations, can create a just food economy. Collective struggle This is not quite as utopian as it may sound. Something on these lines has been unfolding in Kerala a collective struggle of close to a quarter million women who are farming nearly 10 million acres of land. The experiment, Sangha Krishi, or group farming, is part of Kerala's anti-poverty programme Kudumbashree. Initiated in 2007, it was seen as a means to enhance local food production. Kerala's women embraced this vision enthusiastically. As many as 44, 225 collectives of women farmers have sprung up across the State. These

collectives lease fallow land, rejuvenate it, farm it and then either sell the produce or use it for consumption, depending on the needs of members. On an average, Kudumbashree farmers earn Rs.15,000-25,000 per year (sometimes higher, depending on the crops and the number of yields annually). Kudumbashree is a network of 4 million women, mostly below the poverty line. It is not a mere project' or a programme' but a social space where marginalised women can collectively pursue their needs and aspirations. The primary unit of Kudumbashree is the neighbourhood group (NHG). Each NHG consists of 10-20 women; for an overwhelming majority, the NHG is their first ever space outside the home. NHGs are federated into an Area Development Society (ADS) and these are in turn federated into Community Development Societies (CDSs) at the panchayat level. Today, there are 213,000 NHGs all over Kerala. Kudumbashree office-bearers are elected, a crucial process for its members. We are poor. We don't have money or connections to get elected only our service, is a common refrain. These elections bring women into politics. And they bring with them a different set of values that can change politics. The NHG is very different from a self-help group (SHG) in that it is structurally linked to the State (through the institutions of local self-government). This ensures that local development reflects the needs and aspirations of communities, who are not reduced to mere executors of government programmes. What is sought is a synergy between democratisation and poverty reduction; with Kudumbashree, this occurs through the mobilisation of poor women's leadership and solidarity. Sangha Krishi or group farming is just one example of how this works. It is transforming the socio-political space that women inhabit who in turn transform that space in vital ways. This experiment is having three major consequences. First, there is a palpable shift in the role of women in Kerala's agriculture. This was earlier limited to daily wage work in plantations at wages much lower than those earned by men. Thousands of Kudumbashree women hitherto underpaid agricultural labourers have abandoned wage work to become independent producers. Many others combine wage work with farming. With independent production comes control over one's time and labour, over crops and production methods and, most significantly, over the produce. Since the farmers are primarily poor women, they often decide to use a part of their produce to meet their own needs, rather than selling it. Every group takes this decision democratically, depending on levels of food insecurity of their members. In Idukki, where the terrain prevents easy market access and food insecurity is higher, farmers take more of their produce home as opposed to Thiruvananthapuram where market access is better and returns are higher. Sangha Krishi Second, Sangha Krishi has enabled women to salvage their dignity and livelihoods amidst immense adversity. Take the story of Subaida in Malappuram. Once widowed and once deserted, with three young children, she found no means of survival other than cleaning dead bodies. Hardly adequate as a livelihood, it also brought her unbearable social ostracism. Now Subaida is a proud member of a farming collective and wants to enter politics. In the nine districts this writer visited, there was a visible, passionate commitment to social inclusion amongst Kudumbashree farmers. Our survey of 100 collectives across 14 districts found that 15 per cent of the farmers were Dalits and Adivasis and 32 per cent came from the minority communities. Third, Sangha Krishi is producing important consequences for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in Kerala. Because of Kerala's high wages for

men, the MGNREGS in Kerala has become predominantly a space for women (93 per cent of the employment generated has gone to women where the national average is 50). From the beginning, synergies were sought between the MGNREGS, the People's Plan and Kudumbashree. Kudumbashree farmers strongly feel this has transformed MGNREGS work. We have created life and food, which gives life, not just 100 days of manual labour, said a Perambra farmer. In Perambra, Kudumbashree women, working with the panchayat, have rejuvenated 140 acres that lay fallow for 26 years. It now grows rice, vegetables and tapioca. Farmers also receive two special incentives an area incentive' for developing land and a production incentive' for achieving certain levels of productivity. These amounted to over Rs.200 million in 2009-10. They were combined with subsidised loans from banks and the State, and seeds, input and equipment from Krishi Bhavan and the panchayats. Challenges However, serious challenges remain. Kudumbashree farmers are predominantly landless women working on leased land; there is no certainty of tenure. Lack of ownership also restricts access to credit, since they cannot offer formal guarantees on the land they farm. Whenever possible, Kudumbashree collectives have started buying land to overcome this uncertainty. But an alternative institutional solution is clearly needed. It is also difficult for women to access resources and technical know-how the relevant institutions (such as crop committees) are oriented towards male farmers. There is also no mechanism of risk insurance. Is this a sustainable, replicable model of food security? It is certainly one worth serious analysis. First, this concerted effort to encourage agriculture is occurring when farmers elsewhere are forced to exit farming in large numbers. It re-connects food security to livelihoods, as any serious food policy must. But more importantly, the value of Sangha Krishi lies in that it has become the manifestation of a deep-rooted consciousness about food justice amongst Kerala's women. Kannyama, the president of Idamalakudy, Kerala's first tribal panchayat, says she wants to make her community entirely self-sufficient in food. She wants Sangha Krishi produce to feed every school and anganwadi in her panchayat to ensure that children get local, chemical-free food. Elsewhere, Kudumbashree farmers plan to protest the commercialisation of land. Even in the tough terrain of Idukki's Vathikudy panchayat, women were taking a census of fallow land in the area that they could cultivate. Some 100,000 women practise organic farming and more wish to. Kudumbashree farmers speak passionately about preventing ecological devastation through alternative farming methods. In the world of Sangha Krishi, food is a reflection of social relations. And only new social relations of food, not political manoeuvres, can combat the twin violence of hunger and injustice. (Ananya Mukherjee is Professor and Chair of Political Science at York University, Toronto. Her latest work is a co-edited volume in collaboration with UNRISD, Geneva (Business Regulation and Non-state actors: Whose Standards? Whose Development? Routledge Studies in Development Economics, 2012.)) Right to Food Campaign demands comprehensive food security Act December 17, 2012 SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SHARE PRINT T+ Protesting against the Centres proposal to extend the cash transfer scheme to the Public Distribution System, the Right to Food Campaign on Saturday demanded that the government bring in a comprehensive national food security Act that provides for universal PDS. Ensuring nutrition through various measures should be the focus of the Bill. The Bill is under consideration of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food. Participating in the concluding session of the three-day protest rally here, economist Jayati Ghosh argued that a universal PDS was an essential part of sound economic policy. She expressed the apprehension that the main beneficiaries of cash transfers would be commercial enterprises. While Nikhil Dey of the Masdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan was appalled that the government was holding on to huge foodgrains stock rather than distribute it to the poor, Bezwada Wilson representing the Safai Karamchari Andolan observed that in a welfare state this sort of dharna would not be necessary if food security and other basic needs were addressed. A.K. Shiva Kumar pointed out that the Unique Identification scheme ended up excluding the poor from the system, instead of including them. Activist Jean Dreze recalled the earlier achievements of the Right to Food Campaign and pointed out that it was about time that a comprehensive Act was brought, not to indulge piecemeal measures. Kavita Srivastava said the struggle for peoples right to food will continue and the Campaign will hold a convention on the right to food in New Delhi during the budget session. The Campaign, a conglomeration of several NGOs, has been seeking universal PDS linked to Integrated Child Development Scheme. Right to Food Campaign agitates for a comprehensive food security bill August 28, 2012 Right to Food Campaigna conglomeration of civil society groups on Tuesday held a daylong protest at Jantar Mantar here, raising seven questions with MPs on the proposed National Food Security Bill, particularly in relation to people going hungry when the country has surplus food stocks. Rejecting the proposed amendments to the Bill that might reduce beneficiaries and entitlements under the Public Distribution System (PDS), they sought to know why a food security bill is needed. They assailed the government for minding the food subsidy that will accrue from a universal distribution of cheap grains in the PDS when the greed of politicians of all hues had made the country lose thousands of crores of rupees in the allocation of coal blocks, 2G scam, Delhi airport scandal and corruption in the Commonwealth Games. Pressing the demand for a universal public distribution system, the activists questioned need for a national food security law disregarding the fact that targeting of programmes had failed. On the other hand, they said, universal or near-universal public distribution systems as in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and the KBK districts of Odisha were functioning better with fewer leakages and benefits reaching the poor. Instead of meeting only a fraction of the requirement of the poor through the PDS, the government should if it must target

the programme provide at least 50 kg of food grains to every eligible family every month, they said. Rejecting outright the latest proposal to reduce the entitlements of eligible families and the coverage, the activists said this meant that irrespective of their incidence of poverty and the distribution of rural and urban areas, the country would have 33 per cent of the population excluded from the PDS. Whereas, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has shown that the nutrition requirements of a family of five, comprising two adults, two children, an elderly person/third child is 48.2 kg of cereals a month. The Centres alternative proposal has whittled down the grievance redress mechanism and removed all new food-related schemes suggested in the Bill, such as community kitchens for the urban poor, destitute feeding centres and free meals for people living in starvation, the activists bemoaned. Providing each household with 50 kg of grains is possible without a national law. The country needs to produce more grains and the government needs to procure more and not only from traditional States but in a de-centralised manner from every producing State. Along with this, subsidised pulses and cooking oil should be provided. Justifying the additional subsidy that would accrue if the government were to distribute 50 kg a household, the campaign said it would be mere one-fifth of the tax waiver of Rs. 5 lakh crore that the government gives to the corporate sector. Hundreds of people from 15 States participated in the day-long sit-in to press for a universal PDS and related measures to take care of nutrition requirements of pregnant women, elderly people, single women and people with disabilities, among others. ! Feb 07, 2013

, , 25 35 250

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Integrated Child Development Services (India) Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) (Hindi: ), Government of India sponsored programme, is India's primary social welfare scheme to tackle malnutritionand health problems in children below 6 years of age and their mothers. The main beneficiaries of the programme were aimed to be the girl child up to her adolescence, all children below 6 years of age, pregnant and lactating mothers. The gender promotion of the girl child by trying to bring her at par with the male child is a key component of the scheme. Background Majority of children in India have underprivileged childhoods starting from birth. The infant mortality rate of Indian children is 44[1] and the under-five mortality rate is 93 and 25% of newborn children are underweight among other nutritional, immunization and educational deficiencies of children in India. Figures for India are substantially worse than the developing country average.[2] Given such a daunting challenge, ICDS was first launched in 1975[3] in accordance to the National Policy for Children in India.[4] Over the years it has grown into one of the largest integrated family and community welfare schemes in the world.[2] Given its effectiveness over the last few decades, Government of India has committed towards ensuring universal availability of the programme Objectives The predefined objectives of ICDS are:[3] 1. To raise the health and nutritional level of poor Indian children below 6 years of age 2. To create a base for proper mental, physical and social development of children in India 3. To reduce instances of mortality, malnutrition and school dropouts among Indian Children 4. To coordinate activities of policy formulation and implementation among all departments of various ministries involved in the different government programmes and schemes aimed at child development across India. 5. To provide health and nutritional information and education to mothers of young children to enhance child rearing capabilities of mothers in country of India Scope of Services The following services are sponsored under ICDS to help achieve its objectives:[6] 1. Immunization 2. Supplementary nutrition 3. Health checkup 4. Referral services 5. Pre-school non formal education 6. Nutrition and Health information Implementation For nutritional purposes ICDS provides 300 calories (with 8-10 grams of protein) every day to every child below 6 years of age.[7] For adolescent girls it is up to 500 calories with up to 25 grams of protein everyday. Delivery of services under ICDS scheme is managed in an integrated manner through Anganwadi centres,[Note 1] its workers and helpers. The services of Immunisation, Health Check-up and Referral Services delivered through Public Health Infrastructure under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.[3] UNICEF has provided essential supplies for the

ICDS scheme since 1975.[6]World Bank has also assisted with the financial and technical support for the programme.[5] The cost of ICDS programme averages $10$22 per child a year.[5] The scheme is Centrally sponsored with the state governments contributing up to 1.00 (US$0.02) per day per child.[7] Furthermore, in 2008, the GOI adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for measuring and monitoring the child growth and development, both for the ICDS and the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).[3] These standards were developed by WHO through an intensive study of six developing countries since 1997.[3] They are known as New WHO Child Growth Standard and measure of physical growth, nutritional status and motor development of children from birth to 5 years age. Impact By end of 2010, the programme is claiming to reach 8.06 million expectant, pregnant and lactating mothers along with 39.35 million children (under 6 years of age).[6] There are 6,719 operational projects with 1,241,749 operational Aanganwadi centres.[3] Several positive benefits of the programme have been documented and reported

A study in states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka demonstrated significant improvement in the mental and social development of all children irrespective of their gender.[5] A 1992 study of National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development confirmed improvements in birth-weight and infant mortality of Indian children along with improved immunization and nutrition.[5]

However, World Bank has also highlighted certain key shortcomings of the programme including inability to target the girl child improvements, participation of wealthier children more than the poorer children and lowest level of funding for the poorest and the most undernourished states of India. , - , , , 00-0 , 0 . . 24 2012-13 , , 2012 200 . . 2013-14 . ( , )

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The Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) comes under the purview of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). Recently MWCD released their annual report (2008-2009) on child development. According to this report the ICDS which was launched in 1975 has been working diligently to eliminate hazards to child health and development. The following are the objectives of ICDS. To advance the nutritional and health standing of children in the age-group 0-6 years. To create a system that tackles the proper psychological, physical and social development of the child. To fight the rate of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropout. To have all the various ministries and departments work in a coordinated fashion to achieve policy implementation and create an effective ECCE system. To support the mother and help her become capable of providing of the necessary nutritional and development needs of the child and aware of her own needs during pregnancy. The scheme aims at providing an integrated package of services. These services include supplementary nutrition, immunization, medical check-ups, recommendation services, preschool non-formal education and nutrition & health awareness. The purpose of providing these services as a package is because each of these issues is dependent on the other. In order to ensure that the overall care and education of the child is addressed the MWCD envisions the scheme as a complete parcel of provisions.

For Rural/Urban Projects ( Anganwadi Centres- AWC) 400-800 800-1600 1600-2400 Thereafter in multiples of 800 For Mini AWC 1 AWC 2 AWCs 3 AWCs 1 AWC

150-400 300-800 For Mini AWC in above areas

1 Mini AWC 1 AWC

For Tribal/Riverine/Desert, Hilly and other difficult areas/Projects

150-300 1 Mini AWC The structure of ICDS is that it is a centrally funded scheme implemented through the States and Union Territories. Originally, financially it was 100% backed by the central government, except the supplementary nutrition, which must be provided by the State's resources. But in 2005-2006 it was noted that many of the States were not capable of providing adequately for supplementary nutrition in view drought, economic slowdown, etc. Hence it was decided to support the States up to 50% of their economic norms or to support 50% of expenses acquired by them on supplementary nutrition, whichever is less. The reason for the Central assistance for Supplementary nutrition is to ensure that all beneficiaries are receiving the supplements for 300 days of the year as has been laid out in the norms of the scheme. Another modification in the financial responsibility of state and central has been that instead of 100% support in non-supplementary expenses the central government is now only responsibly for 90% in all States and Union Territories. In the 2009-2010 financial year the sharing pattern of supplementary nutrition in respect of North-eastern States between Centre and States has been changed from 50:50 to 90:10 ratio. In other States and UTs, with regard to supplementary nutrition, the pattern continues to be a 50:50 ratio sharing. Anganwadi's are set up according to the population in a given area. The population norms are as follows. ICDS also outlines the amount in calories that the beneficiaries should receive. A child between the ages 6-72 months should receive 500 calories of food with 12-15 grams of protein. This should cost Rs. 4 per child/ per day. A child severely malnourished on medical advice after health check-up (6-72 months) should receive 800 calories of food with 20-25 grams of protein. This should cost Rs. 6 per child/ per day. Lastly pregnant and lactating mothers should receive 600 calories of food with 18-20 grams of protein. This should cost Rs. 5 per beneficiary/ per day. ICDS is no longer only available to below the poverty line beneficiaries; hence states are responsible to register all eligible beneficiaries. In accordance with this development the third phase of the ICDS scheme has begun. The GOI has sanctioned 792 additional Projects, 213286 additional Anganwadi Centres and 77102 Mini-Anganwadi Centres. This expansion aims especially to reach SC/ST and minority population in remote rural areas. To support these increases the eleventh Five Year Plan has set aside Rs.51,400 crores for ICDS which includes Rs.9000 Crores for Conditional Maternity Benefit Scheme. The ICDS scheme receives aid from various other non-government bodies. Three of the main contributors are Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE), UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP). Pre-school education (PSE) has come under the purview of the MWCD along with pre-primary education. The MWCD does not specify much information about this area, simply that it will continue as planned under the ICDS scheme. The Non-formal education offered as per the Ministry of Human Resources (MHR) consists of providing a learning environment to children between the ages of 3-6. PSE is supposed to be implemented through a medium of play to allow for social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of the child as well as prepare him for primary education in the formal system. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme Launched on 2nd October 1975, today, ICDS Scheme represents one of the worlds largest and most unique programmes for early childhood development. ICDS is the foremost symbol of Indias commitment to her children Indias response to the challenge of providing preschool education on one hand and breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition, morbidity, reduced learning capacity and mortality, on the other.

1. Objectives: The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme was launched in 1975 with the following objectives: i. to improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age-group 0-6 years; ii. to lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of the child; iii. to reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropout; iv. to achieve effective co-ordination of policy and implementation amongst the various departments to promote child development; and v. to enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutrition and health education. 2. Services: The above objectives are sought to be achieved through a package of services comprising: i. supplementary nutrition, ii. immunization, iii. health check-up, iv. referral services, v. pre-school non-formal education and vi. nutrition & health education. The concept of providing a package of services is based primarily on the consideration that the overall impact will be much larger if the different services develop in an integrated manner as the efficacy of a particular service depends upon the support it receives from related services. Services Supplementary Nutrition Target Group Children below 6 years: Pregnant & Lactating Mother (P&LM) Children below 6 years: Pregnant & Lactating Mother (P&LM) Children below 6 years: Pregnant & Lactating Mother (P&LM) Children below 6 years: Pregnant & Lactating Mother (P&LM) Children 3-6 years Women (15-45 years) Service Provided by Anganwadi Worker and Anganwadi Helper ANM/MO

Immunization*

Health Check-up*

ANM/MO/AWW

Referral Services

AWW/ANM/MO

Pre-School Education Nutrition & Health Education

AWW AWW/ANM/MO

*AWW assists ANM in identifying the target group. Three of the six services namely Immunisation, Health Check-up and Referral Services delivered through Public Health Infrastructure under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. 2.1 Nutrition including Supplementary Nutrition: This includes supplementary feeding and growth monitoring; and prophylaxis against vitamin A deficiency and control of nutritional anaemia. All families in the community are surveyed, to identify children below the age of six and pregnant & nursing mothers. They avail of supplementary feeding support for 300 days in a year. By providing supplementary feeding, the Anganwadi attempts to bridge the caloric gap between the national recommended and average intake of children and women in low income and disadvantaged communities.

Growth Monitoring and nutrition surveillance are two important activities that are undertaken. Children below the age of three years of age are weighed once a month and children 3-6 years of age are weighed quarterly. Weight-for-age growth cards are maintained for all children below six years. This helps to detect growth faltering and helps in assessing nutritional status. Besides, severely malnourished children are given special supplementary feeding and referred to medical services. 2.2 Immunization: Immunization of pregnant women and infants protects children from six vaccine preventable diseases-poliomyelitis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, tuberculosis and measles. These are major preventable causes of child mortality, disability, morbidity and related malnutrition. Immunization of pregnant women against tetanus also reduces maternal and neonatal mortality. 2.3 Health Check-ups: This includes health care of children less than six years of age, antenatal care of expectant mothers and postnatal care of nursing mothers. The various health services provided for children by anganwadi workers and Primary Health Centre (PHC) staff, include regular health check-ups, recording of weight, immunization, management of malnutrition, treatment of diarrhoea, de-worming and distribution of simple medicines etc. 2.4 Referral Services: During health check-ups and growth monitoring, sick or malnourished children, in need of prompt medical attention, are referred to the Primary Health Centre or its sub-centre. The anganwadi worker has also been oriented to detect disabilities in young children. She enlists all such cases in a special register and refers them to the medical officer of the Primary Health Centre/ Sub-centre. 2.5 Non-formal Pre-School Education (PSE) The Non-formal Pre-school Education (PSE) component of the ICDS may well be considered the backbone of the ICDS programme, since all its services essentially converge at the anganwadi a village courtyard. Anganwadi Centre (AWC) a village courtyard is the main platform for delivering of these services. These AWCs have been set up in every village in the country. In pursuance of its commitment to the cause of Indias Children, present government has decided to set up an AWC in every human habitation/ settlement. As a result, total number of AWC would go up to almost 1.4 million. This is also the most joyful play-way daily activity, visibly sustained for three hours a day. It brings and keeps young children at the anganwadi centre - an activity that motivates parents and communities. PSE, as envisaged in the ICDS, focuses on total development of the child, in the age up to six years, mainly from the underprivileged groups. Its programme for the three-to six years old children in the anganwadi is directed towards providing and ensuring a natural, joyful and stimulating environment, with emphasis on necessary inputs for optimal growth and development. The early learning component of the ICDS is a significant input for providing a sound foundation for cumulative lifelong learning and development. It also contributes to the universalization of primary education, by providing to the child the necessary preparation for primary schooling and offering substitute care to younger siblings, thus freeing the older ones especially girls to attend school. 2.6 Nutrition and Health Education: Nutrition, Health and Education (NHED) is a key element of the work of the anganwadi worker. This forms part of BCC (Behaviour Change Communication) strategy. This has the long term goal of capacity-building of women especially in the age group of 15-45 years so that they can look after their own health, nutrition and development needs as well as that of their children and families. 1. Funding Pattern: ICDS is a Centrally-sponsored Scheme implemented through the State Governments/UT Administrations. Prior to 2005-06, 100% financial assistance for inputs other than supplementary nutrition, which the States were to provided out of their own resources, was being provided by the Government of India. Since many States were not providing adequately for supplementary nutrition in view of resource constraints, it was decided in

2005-06 to support to States up to 50% of the financial norms or to support 50% of expenditure incurred by them on supplementary nutrition, whichever is less. 2. From the financial year 2009-10, Government of India has modified the funding pattern of ICDS between Centre and States. The sharing pattern of supplementary nutrition in respect of North-eastern States between Centre and States has been changed from 50:50 to 90:10 ratio. So far as other States and UTs, the existing sharing pattern of 50:50 continues. However, for all other components of ICDS, the ratio has been modified to 90:10(100% Central Assistance earlier). 2. 4. Population Norms:3. The revised Population norms for setting up a Project, Anganwadi Centre and MiniAWC are as under: 4. Projects: 5. (i) Community Development Block in a State should be the unit for sanction of an ICDS Project in rural/tribal areas, irrespective of number of villages/population in it. 6. (ii) The existing norm of 1 lakh population for sanction of urban project may continue. 7. Further to this, for blocks with more than two lac population, States could opt for more than one Project ( @ one per one lac population) or could opt for one project only. In the latter case, staff could be suitably strengthened based on population or number of AWCs in the block. Similarly, for blocks with population of less than 1 lac or so, staffing pattern of CDPO office could be less than that of a normal block. 8. Anganwadi Centres 9. For Rural/Urban Projects 10. 400-800 1 AWC 11. 800-1600 - 2 AWCs 12. 1600-2400 - 3 AWCs 13. Thereafter in multiples of 800 1 AWC 14. For Mini-AWC 15. 150-400 1 Mini-AWC 16. For Tribal /Riverine/Desert, Hilly and other difficult areas/ Projects 17. 300-800 - 1 AWC 18. For Mini- AWC 19. 150-300 1 Mini AWC 20. 5. Supplementary Nutrition Norms: 21. 5.1 Financial norms:- The Government of India has recently, revised the cost of supplementary nutrition for different category of beneficiaries vide this Ministrys letter No. F.No. 4-2/2008-CD.II dated 07.11.2008, the details of which are as under:22. Sl.No. 1. 2. 3. Category Children (6-72 months) Severely malnourished children (6-72 months) Pregnant women and Nursing mothers Pre-revised rates Rs.2.00 Rs.2.70 Rs.2.30 Revised rates (per beneficiary per day) Rs.4.00 Rs.6.00 Rs.5.00

5.2 Nutritional Norms:- Revised vide letter No. 5-9/2005-ND-Tech Vol. II dated 24.2.2009

Sl. Category No.

[Pr-revised]

[Revised]

1. 2. 3.

(per beneficiary per day) Calories Protein Calories Protein (g) (K Cal) (g) (K Cal) Children (6-72 months) 300 8-10 500 12-15 Severely malnourished children (6600 20 800 20-25 72 months) Pregnant women and Nursing 500 15-20 600 18-20 mothers

5.3 Type of Supplementary Nutrition : Children in the age group 0 6 months : For Children in this age group, States/ UTs may ensure continuation of current guidelines of early initiation (within one hour of birth) and exclusive breast-feeding for children for the first 6 months of life. Children in the age group 6 months to 3 years : For children in this age group, the existing pattern of Take Home Ration (THR) under the ICDS Scheme will continue. However, in addition to the current mixed practice of giving either dry or raw ration (wheat and rice) which is often consumed by the entire family and not the child alone, THR should be given in the form that is palatable to the child instead of the entire family. Children in the age group 3 to 6 years : For the children in this age group, State/ UTs have been requested to make arrangements to serve Hot Cooked Meal in AWCs and mini-AWCs under the ICDS Scheme. Since the child of this age group is not capable of consuming a meal of 500 calories in one sitting, the States/ UTs are advised to consider serving more than one meal to the children who come to AWCs. Since the process of cooking and serving hot cooked meal takes time, and in most of the cases, the food is served around noon, States/ UTs may provide 500 calories over more than one meal. States/ UTs may arrange to provide a morning snack in the form of milk/ banana/ egg/ seasonal fruits/ micronutrient fortified food etc. 6. Registration of beneficiaries: Since BPL is no longer a criteria under ICDS, States have to ensure registration of all eligible beneficiaries. 7. Expansion of the ICDs Scheme: Number of Sanctioned Projects/ AWCs EXISTING ADDITIONAL (sanctioned in 2008-09)* PROJECTS ANGANWADI CENTRES (AWCs) MINI-AWCs Total AWCs 6284 10.53 lakh 36,829 789 1.89 lakh 77,102 7073 12.42 lakh 1,13,931 13.56 lakh# TOTAL

* State-wise no. of Projects/AWCs/Mini-AWCS sanctioned in 2008-09 under 3rd phase of expansion of the Scheme available at Data Table on ICDS. # Total number of AWCs Budgeted for is 14 lakh leaving a cushion for Anganwadi on- Demand.

8.1 BUDGETARY ALLOCATION : Alongside gradual expansion of the Scheme, there has also been a significant increase in the Budgetary allocation for ICDS Scheme from Rs.10391.75 crore in 10th Five Year Plan to Rs.44,400 crore in XI Plan Period. The details of Budget Allocation and Expenditure for the year 2007-08 to 2009-10 in respect of ICDS (General) and supplementary nutrition are given as under:a. Budget Allocation S.No. 1 2 3 Year 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Budget Allocation (Rs. In Lakh) 529300.00 630000.00 670500.00

(b) Funds released (Rs. In Lakh) S.No. 1 2 3 Year 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 ICDS(G) 310803.27 401319.16 177894.15 Supplementary Nutrition 206231.05 228131.33 182001.76

State-wise details of funds released are available under Data Table on ICDS in Child Development portion. 9 THE ICDS TEAM: 9.1 The ICDS team comprises the Anganwadi Workers, Anganwadi Helpers, Supervisors, Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) and District Programme Officers (DPOs). Anganwadi Worker, a lady selected from the local community, is a community based frontline honorary worker of the ICDS Programme. She is also an agent of social change, mobilizing community support for better care of young children, girls and women. Besides, the medical officers, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM) and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) form a team with the ICDS functionaries to achieve convergence of different services. 9.2 Role & responsibilities of AWW, ANM and ASHA: Role and responsibilities of AWW, ANM & ASHA have been clearly delineated and circulated to States/UTs under the joint signature of Secretary, MWCD and

Secretary, MHFW, vide D.O. No. R. 14011/9/2005-NRHM I (pt) dated 20 January 2006. 9.3 STATUS OF ANGANWADI WORKERS AND HELPERS: Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) & Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs), being honorary workers, are paid a monthly honoraria as decided by the Government from time to time. Government of India has enhanced the honoraria of these Workers, w.e.f. 1.4.2008 by Rs.500 above the last honorarium drawn by Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and by Rs.250 of the last honorarium drawn by Helpers of AWCs and Workers of Mini-AWCs. Prior to enhancement, AWWs were being paid a monthly honoraria ranging from Rs. 938/ to Rs. 1063/- per month depending on their educational qualifications and experience. Similarly, AWHs were being paid monthly honoraria of Rs. 500/In addition to the honoraria paid by the Government of India, many States/UTs are also giving monetary incentives to these workers out of their own resources for additional functions assigned under other Schemes. 9.4. FACILITIES/BENEFITS EXTENDED TO AWWs &AWHs:9.4.1 By the Govt. of India

Honorarium: At the beginning of the Scheme in 1975, the Anganwadi Worker was paid honorarium of Rs.100/- per month (Non-Matriculate) and Rs.150/- per month (Matriculate) and Helper was paid Rs.35/- per month. Govt. has increased their honorarium from time to time, as indicated below: 197576 100 150 1.4.78 1.7.86 2.10.92 125 175 225 275 250 350 400 375 16.5.97 438 500 469 1.04.02 938 1000 969 1.04.08 1438 1500 1469

Qualification/Year Non-Matriculate Matriculate Non-Matriculate With 5 year exp Matriculate With 5 year exp Non-Matriculate With 10 year exp Matriculate With 10 year exp Mini-Anganwadi Workers

300

425

531

1031

1531

275

400

500

1000

1500

325

450

563

1063

1563

500 (w.ef. 1.1.2007)

750

Honorarium of Helper: Helper

35

50

110

200

260

500

750

Leave: They have been allowed paid absence of 135 days of maternity leave. Insurance cover: The Govt. of India introduced `Anganwadi Karyakartri Bima Yojana to Anganwadi Workers/Anganwadi Helpers w.e.f.1.4.2004 under Life Insurance Corporations Social Security Scheme. The amount of premium of Rs. 80/payable by AWWs and AWHs has also been waived of w.e.f. 1.4.2007 for a period of two years. Under this Bima Yojana, a free add on scholarship is available for the children of the members who are covered under the scheme. Scholarship of Rs.300/- per quarter for students of 9th to 12th standard [including ITI courses] would be provided. Scholarship is limited to two children per family.

Award: In order to motivate the Anganwadi Workers and give recognition to good voluntary work, a Scheme of Award for Anganwadi Workers has been introduced, both at the National and State Level. The Award comprises Rs.25,000/- cash and a Citation at Central level and Rs.5000/- cash and a Citation at State level. Uniform: Government has made a provision for a Uniform (saree/suit @ Rs. 200/per saree per annum) and a name badge to Anganwadi Workers and Helpers; 9.4.2 By State Governments/UT Administartions:-

To consider the services rendered as AWWs as additional qualification for being recruitment of Primary School Teachers, ANMS and other such village based posts; To recruit at least 25% of Supervisors under ICDS Scheme from AWWs with 10 years experience of satisfactory service; To Engage 25% of AWWs from amongst the Anganwadi Helpers who have put in minimum 10 years of satisfactory service and also possess the requisite qualifications (age, education etc.) as laid down by the concerned States for selection of AWWs. To set up Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Welfare Fund at the State/UT level out of the contribution from Workers/Helpers and State/ UT Governments; To set up Grievances Redressal Machinery at the State/UT and Districts level for prompt redressal of their grievances. 10. ICDS Training Programme: Training and capacity building is the most crucial element in the ICDS Scheme, as the achievement of the programme goals largely depends upon the effectiveness of frontline workers in improving service delivery under the programme. Since inception of the ICDS scheme, the Government of India has formulated a comprehensive training strategy for the ICDS functionaries. Training under ICDS scheme is a continuous programme and is implemented through 35 States/UTs and National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) and its four regional centres. During the 11th Five Year Plan, the Government of India has laid much emphasis on strengthening the training component of ICDS in order to improve the service delivery mechanism and accelerate better programme outcomes. An allocation of Rs. 500 crore has been kept for the ICDS Training Programme during the 11th Five Year Plan.

Financial norms relating to training of various ICDS functionaries and trainers have been revised upwardly with effect from 1 April 2009.

1. Types of Training Courses: Three types of regular training are imparted to AWWs, AWHs, Supervisors, CDPOs/ACDPOs and Instructors of AWTCs and MLTCs, viz.:
o o o

Induction Training (on initial engagement/appointment) mainly to AWWs Job/Orientation Training (once during service period) Refresher Training (in-service, once in every two years)

Also, specific need based training programmes are organized under the Other Training component, whereby the States/UTs are given flexibility to identify state specific problems that need specialized issue based training and take up such training activities.

1. Training Infrastructure: There is a countrywide infrastructure for the training of ICDS functionaries, viz.
o o o

Anganwadi Workers Training Centres (AWTCs) for the training of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers. Middle Level Training Centres (MLTCs) for the training of Supervisors and Trainers of AWTCs; National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) and its Regional Centres for training of CDPOs/ACDPOs and Trainers of MLTCs. NIPCCD also conducts several skill development training programmes.

[Govt. of Tamil Nadu has established a State Training Institute (STI) at the State level for the training of Trainers of MLTCs and CDPOs/ACDPOs] Based on the needs, State Governments identify and open up AWTCs and MLTCs after due approval by the Government of India. As on 31.3.2009, 490 AWTCs and 31 MLTCs were operational across the country. About 80% of the AWTCs and 70% MLTCs are run by State/District based NGOs.

10.3 Monitoring & Supervision of Training Programme: A separate ICDS Training Unit within the Ministry of Women and Child Development headed by a Director/Dy. Secretary level officer is responsible for overall monitoring, supervision and evaluation of the training programme. The following measures are undertaken for monitoring and supervision:
o

Physical and financial progress are captured through Quarterly Progress Reports (QPRs) in a standardized format, that are submitted by the States/UTs to GoI at the end of every quarter;

o o

A detailed analysis of the QPRs is carried out by the ICDS Training Unit and based on the same, quarterly review meetings are organized with the States at the central level; Monthly/quarterly review meeting with the Training Centres at the state level; Necessary feedback and guidelines are issued to the States after each of the review meetings; Field visits to AWTCs/MLTCs by Nodal Officer or the District Programme Officers (DPOs)/CDPOs; and also by the officials from the Ministry of WCD and NIPCCD. Annual meeting of State Training Task Force (STTF) for the approval of STRAP and review of past performance and chalking out future actions.

10.4 Recent Initiatives: The Ministry has recently initiated a process of consultations with the States and other stakeholders to review and identify gaps in the existing training system and make suggestions to strengthen the ICDS Training programme including its contents/syllabi, training methodology and the existing monitoring mechanism under ICDS training programme. Three regional workshops have since been organized in collaboration with NIPCCD and with technical support from USAID/CARE INDIA during July-August 2009 at three Regional centres of NIPCCD at Bangalore, Lucknow and Guwahati.

11. Existing Monitoring System under ICDS Scheme: 11.1 Central Level Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has the overall responsibility of monitoring the ICDS scheme. There exists a Central Level ICDS Monitoring Unit in the Ministry which is responsible for collection and analysis of the periodic work reports received from the States in the prescribed formats. States have been asked to send the State level consolidated reports by 17th day of the following month. The existing status of monitoring of these six services is as under : (i) Supplementary Nutrition : No. of Beneficiaries (Children 6 months to 6 years and pregnant & lactating mothers) for supplementary nutrition; (ii) Pre-School Education : No. of Beneficiaries (Children 3-6 years) attending pre-school education; (iii) Immunization, Health Check-up and Referral services : Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is responsible for monitoring on health indicators relating to immunization, health check-up and referrals services under the Scheme. (iv) Nutrition and Health Education This service is not monitored at the Central Level. State Governments are required to monitor up to State level in the existing MIS System. (v) No. of ICDS Projects and Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) w.r.t. targeted no. of ICDS Projects and AWCs are taken into account for review purpose.

Analysis & Action The information received in the prescribed formats is compiled, processed and analysed at the Central level on quarterly basis. The progress and shortfalls indicated in the reports on ICDS are reviewed by the Ministry with the State Governments regularly by review meetings/ letters. 11.2 State Level Various quantitative inputs captured through CDPOs MPR/ HPR are compiled at the State level for all Projects in the State. No technical staff has been sanctioned for the state for programme monitoring. CDPOs MPR capture information on number of beneficiaries for supplementary nutrition, pre-school education, field visit to AWCs by ICDS functionaries like Supervisors, CDPO/ ACDPO etc., information on number of meeting on nutrition and health education (NHED) and vacancy position of ICDS functionaries etc.

11.3 Block Level At block level, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) is the in-charge of an ICDS Project. CDPOs MPR and HPR have been prescribed at block level,. These CDPOs MPR/ HPR formats have one-to-one correspondence with AWWs MPR/ HPR. CDPOs MPR consists vacancy position of ICDS functionaries at block and AWC levels. At block level, no technical post of officials have been sanctioned under the scheme for monitoring. However, one post of statistical Assistant./ Assistant is sanctioned at block level to consolidate the MPR/ HPR data. In between CDPO and AWW, there exist a supervisor who is required to supervise 25 AWC on an average. CDPO is required to send the Monthly Progress Report (MPR) by 7th day of the following month to State Government. Similarly, CDPO is required to send Halfyearly Progress Report (HPR) to State by 7th April and 7th October every year.

11.4 Village Level (Anganwadi Level) At the grass-root level, delivery of various services to target groups is given at the Anganwadi Centre (AWC). An AWC is managed by an honorary Anganwadi Worker (AWW) and an honorary Anganwadi Helper (AWH). In the existing Management Information System, records and registers are prescribed at the Anganwadi level i.e. at village level. The Monthly and Half-yearly Progress Reports of Anganwadi Worker have also been prescribed. The monthly progress report of AWW capture information on population details, births and deaths of children, maternal deaths, no. of children attended AWC for supplementary nutrition and pre-school education, nutritional status of children by weight for age, information on nutrition and health education and home visits by AWW. Similarly, AWWs Half yearly Progress Report capture data on literacy standard of AWW,

training details of AWW, increase/ decrease in weight of children, details on space for storing ration at AWC, availability of health cards, availability of registers, availability of growth charts etc. AWW is required to send these Monthly Progress Report (MPR) by 5th day of following month to CDPO In-charge of an ICDS Project. Similarly, AWW is required to send Half-yearly Progress Report (HPR) to CDPO by 5th April and 5th October every year. Note : Details of various circulars/ orders on monitoring/ MIS issued from GOI and existing Management Information System (MIS) on ICDS are given at Child Development portion of the web-site of the Ministry viz. www.wcd.nic.in

12. Evaluation of ICDS Scheme: A number of evaluation studies on implementation of ICDS Scheme have been conducted in the past viz., Programme Evaluation Organisation of the Planning Commission in 1982, National Evaluation of ICDS Scheme conducted by National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) in 1992, Evaluation Results of Annual Survey during 19751995, published by Central Technical Committee on Integrated Mother and Child Development on completion of 20 years of ICDS and Nationwide Evaluation of ICDS by National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) 1998-1999. Main findings of study conducted by NCAER (1996-2001) are as follows:i. Most of the AWCs across the country were located within accessible distance (100200 meters) from beneficiary households. A majority of the beneficiary households was within 100 metres of the AWC. Another 10 per cent were about 150-200 meters away. The rest were beyond 200 meters. Thus, the factor of distance of beneficiary households from the AWC was unlikely to affect attendance at the AWC during inclement weather; Most of the AWCs in the country, except those in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Orissa were functioning from community buildings. The type of building plays an important role in safeguarding against any natural hazards. Of those sampled, about 40 per cent were functioning from pucca buildings. Nearly 50 per cent AWCs reported adequate space, especially for cooking. One out of two AWWs was found to be educated at least up to matriculate level across the country. In all central and southern states, less than 50 per cent of the AWWs were at least matriculate; more than 75 per cent of AWWs were matriculates in the northern and eastern states of the country. Gujarat and Rajasthan reported lowest percentage of matriculate functionaries. Though about 84 per cent of the functionaries reported to have received training, the training was largely pre-service training. In-service training remained largely neglected. The day to day functioning of the AWC is a critical indicator of the effectiveness of the ICDS programme. An assessment of on-going activities of sample AWCs through observations, record reviews and personal interviews with the AWWs revealed that, on average, an AWC functioned for 24 of 30 days in a month. On a given day, the AWC functioned for about 4 hours. By and large, environmental factors did not affect the functioning of the AWC. On an average nearly 66 per cent of eligible children and 75 per cent of eligible women were registered at the AWCs. This indicates lack of motivation on the part of the AWW in identifying and registering the entire eligible population.

ii.

iii. iv.

v. vi.

vii.

vii.

Community leaders were generally positive about the functioning of the AWCs (more than 80 per cent in all states) while more than 70 per cent found the programme to be beneficial to the community; ix) Participation of beneficiary women and adolescent girls in AWC activities was reported to be low. These two segments of population form the foundation for any child care programme and their involvement is imperative for successful implementation of the ICDS Services.

Rapid facility Survey by NCAER: The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) conducted a Rapid Facility Survey on ICDS infrastructure in 2004. The report submitted by NCAER in February, 2005 has, inter-alia, brought out that; i. ii. More than 40 per cent AWCs (Anganwadi Centres) across the country are neither housed in ICDS building nor in rented buildings. One-third of the Anganwadis are housed in ICDS building and another one-fourth are housed in rented buildings; As regards the status of Anganwadi building, irrespective of own or rented, more than 46 per cent of the Anganwadis were running from pucca building, 21 per cent from semipucca building, 15 per cent from kutcha building and more than 9% running from open space; It is quite encouraging to observe that average number of children registered at the Anganwadi centre is 52 for boys and 75 for girls; The survey data reveal that more than 45 per cent Anganwadis have no toilet facility and 40 per cent have reported the availability of only urinal; Of the 39 per cent Anganwadis reporting availability of handpumps, half of the handpumps were provided by the Gram Panchayat and 12 per cent provided by the ICDS; Regarding the provision of services at the Anganwadi centres, more than 90 per cent Centres provided supplementary food, 90 per cent provided pre-school education and 76 per cent weighed children for growth monitoring; Only 50 per cent Anganwadis reported providing referral services, 65 per cent health check-up of children, 53 per cent for health check-up of women and more than 75 for nutrition and health education; Average number of days in a month in which services are provided at the Anganwadi centres are 24 for supplementary food, 28 for pre-school education and 13 for Nutrition and health education; More than 57 per cent of Anganwadi centres reported availability of ready-to-eat food and 46 per cent availability of uncooked food at the Anganwadi centres; Nearly three-fourth of the Anganwadis have reported the availability of medical kits and baby weighing scale. On the other hand adult weighing scale has been reported only by 49 per cent of the Anganwadis. Three Decades of ICDS An appraisal by NIPCCD (2006) The study covered 150 ICDS Projects from 35 States/UTs covering rural, urban and tribal projects. A total of five Anganwadi centres (AWCs) were randomly selected from each sample projects covering 750 AWCs. The main findings of the appraisal is as under: i) Around 59 per cent AWCs studied have no toilet facility and in 17 AWCs this facility was found to be unsatisfactory. ii) Around 75% of AWCs have pucca buildings; iii) 44 per cent AWCs covered under the study were found to be lacking PSE kits;

iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. ix. x.

iv) Disruption of supplementary nutrition was noticed on an average of 46.31 days at Anganwadi level. Major reasons causing disruption was reported as delay in supply of items of supplementary nutrition; v) 36.5 per cent mothers did not report weighing of new born children; vi) 29 per cent children were born with a low weight which was below normal (less than 2500 gm); vii) 37 per cent AWWs reported non-availability of materials/aids for Nutrition and Health Education (NHED).

13. Wheat Based Nutrition Programme (WBNP) The Government of India allocates food grains (wheat and rice) at BPL rates to the States, on their demand, for meeting their requirement for supplementary nutrition to beneficiaries under the ICDS Scheme. Total quantity of food grains allotted during last 3 years is as under:2006-07 523095 MTs 1. 544000 MTs

2008-09 716745 MTs Presently, 23 States are availing the allocation of wheat/rice under the WBNP. 4. INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS Government of India partners with the following international agencies to supplement interventions under the ICDS: i. ii. iii. United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) World Food Programme (WFP) UNICEF supports the ICDS by providing technical support for the development of training plans, organizing of regional workshops and dissemination of best practices of ICDS. It also assists in service delivery and accreditation system where the capacity of ICDS functionary is strengthened. Impact assessment in selected States on early childhood nutrition and development, micro-nutrient and anemia control through Vit. A supplementations and deworming interventions for children in the age group of 9-59 months is also conducted by UNICEF from time to time. CARE is primarily implementing some non-food projects in areas of maternal and child health, girl primary education, micro-credit etc. Integrated Nutrition and Health Project (INHP)-III, which is a phaseout programme of INHP series would come to an end on 31.12.2009. WFP has been extending assistance to enhance the effectiveness and outreach of the ICDS Scheme in selected districts (Tikamgarh & Chhattarpur in Madhya Pradesh, Koraput, Malkangir & Nabrangpur in Orissa, Banswara in Rajasthan and Dantewada in Chhattisgarh), notably, by assisting the State Governments to start and expand production of low cost micronutrient fortified food known as Indiamix. Under this the

concerned State Government are required to contribute to the cost of Indiamix by matching the WFP wheat contribution at a 1:1 cost sharing ratio. 15. Special Focus on North East : Keeping in view the special needs of North Eastern States, the Central Government sanctioned construction of 4800 Anganwadi Centres at a cost of Rs.60 crore in 2001-02, 7600 Anganwadi Centres at a cost of Rs.95.00 crore in 2002-03 and 7600 AWCs at a cost of Rs.95.00 crore in 2004-05. In the wake of expansion of ICDS Scheme in 2005-06, it was provided in the Scheme itself that GOI will support construction of AWCs in NE States. The cost of construction was also revised from Rs.1.25 lakh per centre to Rs.1.75 lakh per center. In 2006-07, 50% of funds have been released to all the NE States except the State of Manipur. 16. Recent Initiatives
o o

Revision in Population norms for setting up of AWCs/Mini-AWCs Universalisation and 3rd phase of expansion of the Scheme of ICDS for 792 additional Projects, 2.13 lakh additional Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and 77102 Mini-AWCs, as per the revised population norms, with special focus on coverage of SC/ST and Minority population. Introduction of cost sharing between Centre & States, with effect from the financial year 2009-10, in the following ratio:

a. 90:10 for all components including SNP for North East; b. 50:50 for SNP and 90:10 for all other components for all States other than North East.
o

Budgetary allocation for ICDS Scheme increased from Rs.10391.75 crore in 10th Five Year Plan to Rs.44,400 crore in the 11th Plan Period Revision in financial norms of supplementary nutrition enhancing the unit cost per ben per day as follows Category Pre-revised rates Revised rates (per beneficiary per day) Rs.4.00 Rs.6.00 Rs.5.00

Sl.No.

1. 2. 3.

Children (6-72 months) Severely malnourished children (6-72 months) Pregnant women and Nursing mothers

Rs.2.00 Rs.2.70 Rs.2.30

Revision of feeding and nutrition norms as under (vide letter No. 5-9/2005ND-Tech Vol. II dated 24.2.2009) Sl. No . Category Existing Calorie s (K Cal) Protei n (g) Revised (per beneficiary per day) Calorie s (K Cal) Protei n (g)

1. 2.

3.

Children (672 months) Severely malnourishe d children (6-72 months) Pregnant women and Nursing mothers
o

300 600

8-10 20

500 800

12-15 20-25

500

15-20

600

18-20

Revision in financial norms of other existing interventions to improve the service delivery. Details are given in Enhancement of honoraria by Rs.500 above the last honorarium drawn by Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and by Rs.250 of the last honorarium drawn by Helpers of AWCs and Workers of Mini-AWCs; Introduction of World Health Organisations (WHO) Growth Standards for monitoring the growth of children. Provision of Uniform for Anganwadi Workers and Helpers; Provision of flexi funds at Anganwadi level; Strengthening of Management Information System (MIS) and Revision in cost norms of Training component of ICDS Scheme.

o o o o o

17. INTRODUCTION OF WHO GROWTH STANDARDS IN ICDS The World Health Organization (WHO) based on the results of an intensive study initiated in 1997 in six countries including India has developed New International Standards for assessing the physical growth, nutritional status and motor development of children from birth to 5 years age. The Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Health have adopted the New WHO Child Growth Standard in India on 15th of August, 2008 for monitoring the Growth of Children through ICDS and NRHM. Implications . - Change in current estimates - increase in total of normal weight children - increase in severely underweight children - increase in underweight children (mild/moderate and severe) in age group of 0-6 months. ii. iii. The requirement of funds for SNP; Centre and State contribution would be almost double. The Anganwadi Worker with the help of New Growth Chart would be able to assess correctly severely underweight children and number of such children would increase in each Anganwadi Centres. The number of normal children would also increase in all the Anganwadi Centres. The new charts would now help us in comparing growth of our children within projects, districts, states & also other countries.

iv.

18. Achievements: There has been significant progress in the implementation of ICDS Scheme during X Plan both and during XI Plan (up to 31.12.2010), in terms of increase in number of operational projects and Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and coverage of beneficiaries as indicated below:Year ending No. of operational projects No. of operational AWCs No. of Supplementary nutrition beneficiaries No. of pre-school education beneficiaries

31.03.2002 31.03.2003 31.03.2004 31.03.2005 31.03.2006 31.03.2007 31.03.2008 31.03.2009 31.03.2010 31.12.2010

4608 4903 5267 5422 5659 5829 6070 6120 6509 6719

545714 600391 649307 706872 748229 844743 1013337 1044269 1142029 1241749

375.10 lakh 387.84 lakh 415.08 lakh 484.42 lakh 562.18 lakh 705.43 lakh 843.26 lakh 873.43 lakh 884.34 lakh 918.65 lakh

166.56 lakh 188.02 lakh 204.38 lakh 218.41 lakh 244.92 lakh 300.81 lakh 339.11 lakh 340.60 lakh 354.93 lakh 355.02 lakh

Present Status of number of sanctioned/ operational projects/ AWCs/ miniAWCs and number of beneficiaries under supplementary nutrition/ pre-school education under ICDS Scheme is available under Data Table on ICDS in Child Development portion of Ministrys Website.

February 7, 2013,

35 250 90

25

35

Integrated Child Development Services scheme The unfulfilled potential C. P. Chandrasekhar Jayati Ghosh The Integrated Child Development Services scheme will be 30 years old this year. It has achieved some successes, yet the problems which it was meant to address remain substantial. In this edition of Macroscan, C. P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh assess the impact of the ICDS and consider how it can be made more effective. THIS year marks the 30th anniversary of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, which was initiated in October 1975 in response to the evident problems of persistent hunger and malnutrition, especially among children. Since then, the ICDS has grown to become the world's largest early child development programme. The coverage of the scheme has expanded rapidly, especially in recent years. From an initial 33 blocks in 1975, the programme covered an estimated 6,500 blocks by 2004. There are almost 600,000 anganwadi workers and an almost equal number of anganwadi helpers providing services to beneficiaries throughout the country. According to the government, the programme currently reaches 33.2 million children and 6.2 million pregnant and lactating women. Officially, the objectives of the scheme are: to improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age group 0-6 years; to lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of the child; to reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school drop out; to achieve effective coordinated policy and its implementation amongst the various departments to promote child development; and to enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutrition and health education. Accordingly, the ICDS involves the setting up of anganwadi centres, each of which is intended to cater to a population of around 1,000 in rural and urban areas and to around 700 in tribal areas. The anganwadi worker and helper, who are the basic functionaries of the ICDS, run the anganwadi centre and implement the scheme in coordination with the functionaries of the health, education, rural development and other departments. They are called `social workers' and are paid an honorarium of Rs 1,000 per month for the worker and Rs 500/- for the helper. However, the supervisors and other higher officials are government employees. The anganwadis are meant to provide the following services:

supplementary nutrition to the children below six years of age, and nursing and pregnant mothers from low income families; nutrition and health education to all women in the age group of 15- 45 years; immunisation of all children less than six years of age and immunisation against tetanus for all the expectant mothers; health check-up, which includes antenatal care of expectant mothers, postnatal care of nursing mothers, care of newborn babies and care of all children under six years of age; referral of serious cases of malnutrition or illness to hospitals, upgraded PHCs/ Community Health Services or district hospitals; and non-formal preschool education to children of 3-5 years of age. By many accounts, thus far the scheme has been a success. Most of the studies conducted on the functioning of the ICDS have recognised its positive role in the reduction of infant mortality rate, in improving immunisation rates, in increasing the school enrolment and reducing the school dropout rates. The most important impact of the scheme is clearly reflected in significant declines in the levels of severely malnourished and moderately malnourished children and the infant mortality rate in the country. The percentage of children suffering from severe malnutrition declined from 15.3 per cent during 1976-78 to 8.7 per cent during 1988-90. Infant mortality rates declined from 94 per 1,000 live births in 1981 to 73 in 1994. Nevertheless, it is also clear that for a scheme that has been in operation for three decades, the benefits are still far too limited, and maternal and child health and nutrition are still areas of major concern for policy. Even today, around one-third of Indian children and more than half in rural areas are born with low birth weight.

Charts 1 and 2 indicate the extent of severe stunting and severe under-nutrition among young children in the major States, both of which are still unacceptably high.

It is noteworthy that these indicators are particularly bad in some ostensibly more "developed" and relatively high-income States, such as Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The high incidence of premature births, low birth weight and neonatal and infant mortality can be attributed to poor nutritional conditions of the mothers. The majority of women still do not get proper nutrition and health care during their pregnancy. In some areas, 60-75 per cent of pregnant women receive no antenatal care at all. More than 85 per cent of women in rural areas and 95 per cent in the remote areas give birth at home. Only 42 per cent of women in the country have access to safe delivery facilities.

In addition, surveys indicate that even the immunisation services were still well below minimally acceptable norms in the 1990s. Chart 3 shows that most children in the age group 1-2 years were not adequately immunised. What explains this continuing dismal picture even 30 years after what is one of the more successful of government schemes was launched specifically to address these problems? The basic answer must be that not enough resources have been devoted to this scheme, to meet the huge requirement. Quite simply, there are not enough anganwadis or anganwadi workers, and they do not have adequate resources to meet all the nutritional requirements of those pregnant and lactating mother, infants and small children who need them. If the declared norm of one anganwadi per 1,000 population is to be met, there should be 14 lakh anganwadis, as against the current 6.5 lakh such centres, of which only around 6 lakh centres are operational. There is the further problem of overloading the tasks assigned to anganwadi workers. The worker and helper in such centres are paid so little that they are no more than voluntary workers who receive a paltry "honorarium", and are called "part-time workers" in the centres which are supposed to open for only four hours a day.

Yet they have been found to be among the most dedicated and committed of public servants who have developed grassroots contacts and are able to identify particular individuals and groups in any community easily. They are, therefore, increasingly engaged in a wide range of other public interventions, especially in the rural areas. Some of these other jobs in which the anganwadi workers and helpers are involved relate to Health Department services such as creating awareness on diarrhoea and ORS, upper respiratory infections, directly observed treatment system for tuberculosis, AIDS awareness, motivation and education on birth control methods, and so on. There are also additional activities related to the Education Department such as Total Literacy Programmes, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, DPEP, Non Formal Education, and so on. In some areas, the close relationship that develops with the local women makes these women insist that the anganwadi workers accompany them to the hospital when they go for family planning operations, their children fall ill, and so on. It is easy to see that all this amounts to more than a full-time activity, yet the anganwadi workers and helpers are hardly compensated for all this. In any case there are simply not enough of them to cater to all of these varied demands even within a small population. There are other problems which stem directly from this inadequacy of centres, staff and resources to run this programme effectively. It has been found that one of the primary reasons for poor coverage of needy groups under the scheme is the location of the anganwadi centre, which typically tends to be in the main village or in upper or dominant caste hamlets in rural areas in most States. This restricts the access to such services by deprived communities such as SCs and STs who live slightly apart. Yet these are precisely the groups who require it the most. The expenditure for running the ICDS programme is currently met from three broad sources: funds provided by the Centre under `general ICDS; used to meet expenses on account of infrastructure, salaries and honorarium for ICDS staff, training, basic medical equipment, including medicines, play school learning kits, and so on; allocations made by State governments, to provide supplementary nutrition to beneficiaries; and funds provided under the Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY) as additional central assistance, technically to be used to provide monthly take-home rations to those children (age group 0-3 years) living below the poverty line and in need of additional supplementary nutrition. There are frequent complaints of the delay in Central Government transfer of resources for this programme, while State governments differ substantially in the amount and quality of supplementary nutrition that is provided. This makes the scheme uneven and sometimes even problematic in terms of the quality of food provided and its acceptability to small children. The original intent of the ICDS programme was to address the various sub-stages (conception to one month, less than three years and 3-6 years) of growth in order to ensure that negative health and nutritional outcomes do not accompany the child from one stage to the next. However, it has been pointed out by many researchers that the way the programme has been implemented, it effectively ends up concentrating mainly on the 3-6 years age group. While children under three years are usually enrolled in the programme, their involvement remains

nominal and there are no facilities to allow for reaching out to such children and their mothers at home in an effective way. The timing of the anganwadi centres also effectively rules out many of the poorest households, since they are open only for four hours a day. When both parents are working, which is typically the case among rural labour households in many parts of the country, it is difficult to deliver and pick up the child from the centre in time, and so children in such households get excluded from the services. Once again this really boils down to a question of resources, since these centres should be open for longer with higher associated expenditure. These problems have long been recognised, and public interest litigation (especially by the People's Union for Civil Liberties, among others) has ensured that some important orders have been passed by the Supreme Court in this regard. In 2001, the Supreme Court directed the State governments and Union Territories to implement the ICDS in full and to ensure that every ICDS disbursing centre in the country provide 300 calories and 8-10 gm of protein for each child up to six years of age; 500 calories and 20-25 gm of protein for each adolescent girl; 500 calories and 20-25 gm of protein for each pregnant woman and each nursing mother; and 600 calories and 16-20 gm of protein for each malnourished child. The court also ordered that there should be a disbursement centre in every settlement. Despite this order, the Government was slow to act and very little was done to ensure that these demands were met even four years later. However, in the latest Budget Speech of the Finance Minister, the following promise has been made: "The universalisation of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme is overdue. It is my intention to ensure that, in every settlement, there is a functional anganwadi that provides full coverage for all children. As on date there are 6,49,000 anganwadi centres. I propose to expand the ICDS scheme and create 1,88,168 additional centres that are required as per the existing population norms. Forty-seven per cent of children in the age group 0-3 are reportedly underweight. Supplementary nutrition is an integral part of the ICDS scheme. I propose to double the supplementary nutrition norms and share onehalf of the States' costs for this purpose. I also propose to increase the allocation for ICDS from Rs 1,623 crore in BE 2004-05 to Rs 3,142 crore in BE 2005-06." This appears very positive, but it is immediately evident that this is still well below the requirement and that even the additional centres will still not meet the declared population norms. Quite clearly, the required expansion, in terms of Central allocation of resources and hiring of more workers, is much greater than is being envisaged by the Government even now. More significantly, the Finance Minister's statement can be seen as a partial attempt to meet the increasing concern of the Supreme Court, which has already twice reprimanded the Government for not doing enough to ensure the univeralisation and greater effectiveness of the scheme. In the latest order, dated October 7, 2004, the Supreme Court issued very detailed and farreaching instructions, as follows: "1) The aspect of sanctioning 14 lakh AWCs and increase of norm of rupee one to rupees 2 per child per day would be considered by this court after two weeks. (It was subsequently put off following an affidavit by the Government.) 2) The efforts shall be made that all SC/ST hamlets/habitations in the country have Anganwadi Centres as early as possible.

3) The contractors shall not be used for supply of nutrition in Anganwadis and preferably ICDS funds shall be spent by making use of village communities, self-help groups and Mahila Mandals for buying of grains and preparation of meals. "4) All State Governments/Union Territories shall put on their website full data for the ICDS schemes, including where AWCs are operational, the number of beneficiaries category-wise, the funds allocated and used and other related matters. 5) All State Governments/Union Territories shall use the Pradhanmantri Gramodaya Yojna fund (PMGY) in addition to the State allocation and not as a substitute for State funding. 6) As far as possible, the children under PMGY shall be provided with good food at the Centre itself. 7) All the State Governments/Union Territories shall allocate funds for ICDS on the basis of norm of one rupee per child per day, 100 beneficiaries per AWC and 300 days feeding in a year, i.e., on the same basis on which the Centre makes the allocation. 8) Below Poverty Line shall not be used as an eligibility criterion for ICDS. 9) All sanctioned projects shall be operationalised and provided food as per these norms and wherever utensils have not been provided, the same shall be provided. The vacancies for the operational ICDS shall be filled forthwith. 10) All the State Governments/Union Territories shall utilise the entire State and Central allocation under ICDS/PMGY and under no circumstances, the same shall be diverted and preferably also not returned to the Centre and, if returned, a detailed explanation for nonutilisation shall be filled in the court. 11) All State/Union Territories shall make earnest efforts to cover the slums under ICDS. 12) The Central Government and the State/Union Territories shall ensure that all amounts allocated are sanctioned in time so that there is no disruption whatsoever in the feeding of children." These are extremely important guidelines, yet it is evident that the Government is not likely to conform to them without sufficient social and political pressure. It is a sad commentary on the state of public intervention, that even the most critical schemes that are universally acknowledged to be necessary to ensure the future of the country, must be fought for in courts of law and then insisted upon through activism and people's struggles.

Midday Meal Scheme The Midday Meal Scheme is the popular name for school meal programme in India which started in the 1960s. It involves provision of lunch free of working days. The key objectives of the programme are: protecting children from classroom hunger, increasing school enrollment and attendance, improved socialization among children belonging to all castes, addressing malnutrition, and social empowerment through provision of employment to women. The scheme has a long history, especially in the state of Tamil Nadu. The scheme was introduced statewide by the then Chief Minister K. Kamaraj in the 1960s and later expanded by the M. G. Ramachandran government in 1982. It has been adopted by most Indian states after a landmark direction by the Supreme Court of India on November 28, 2001.[1] The success of this scheme is illustrated by the tremendous increase in the school participation and completion rates in Tamil Nadu. History One of the pioneers of the scheme is the city of Madras that started providing cooked meals to children in corporation schools in the city in 1923. The programme was introduced on a large scale in the 1960s under the Chief Ministership of K. Kamaraj after visiting Sourashtra Higher Secondary School Madurai, where this program had been implemented by the linguistic minority people since 1922. The first major thrust came in 1982 when the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Dr. M. G. Ramachandran, decided to universalize the scheme for all children up to class 10. Tamil Nadus midday meal programme is among the best known in the country. Less known, but equally interesting is the history of Pondicherry, which started universal school feeding as early as 1930s. There is an interesting story about how K. Kamaraj got the idea of a noon meal scheme. He saw a few boys busy with their cows and goats. He asked one small boy, "What are you doing with these cows? Why didn't you go to school?" The boy immediately answered, "If I go to school, will you give me food to eat? I can learn only if I eat." The boy's retort sparked the entire process into establishing the midday meal programme. Several other states of India also have midday meal programmes. The most notable among them are Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, with both the states implementing the scheme since the late 1980's. Kerala started providing cooked meals in schools since 1995 and so did Madhya Pradesh and Odisha in small pockets. On November 28, 2001 the Supreme Court of India gave a landmark direction to government to provide cooked meals to all children in all government and government assisted primary schools. The direction was resisted vigorously by State governments initially, but the programme has become almost universal by 2005. Recently Govt. of India has launch new Mid day Meal Scheme Website i.e. http://mdm.nic.in National Programme for Nutrition Support to Primary Education Although the programme in Tamil Nadu was initially termed as an act of "Populism", the success of the scheme made the project hugely popular. The success was so spectacular that in 1995, the then Indian prime minister P.V.Narsimha Rao hailed the success of the project and suggested that the scheme be implemented all over the country, and thus began the "National Programme for Nutrition Support to Primary Education". According to the programme the Government of India will provide grains free of cost and the States will provide the costs of other ingredients, salaries and infrastructure. Since most State governments were unwilling to commit budgetary resources they just passed on the grains from Government of India to the parents. This system was called provision of dry rations. On November 28, 2001 the Supreme Court of India gave a famous direction that made it mandatory for the state governments to provide cooked meals instead of dry rations. The direction was to be implemented from June 2002, but was violated by most States. But with sustained pressure from the court, media and in particular from the Right to Food Campaign more and more states started providing cooked meals. In May 2004 a new coalition government was formed in the centre, which promised universal provision of cooked meals fully funded by the centre. This promise in its Common Minimum Programme was followed by enhanced financial support to the states for cooking and building sufficient infrastructure. Given this additional support the scheme has expanded its reach to

cover most children in primary schools in India. In 2005 it is expected to cover 130 million children. The Supreme Court Direction In April 2001 Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (Rajasthan) initiated the now famous right to food litigation. This public interest litigation has covered a large range of issues relating to right to food, but the best known intervention by the court is on midday meals. In one of its many direction in the litigation the Supreme Court directed the government to fully implement its scheme of providing cooked meals to all children in primary schools. This landmark direction converted the Midday Meal Scheme into a legal entitlement, the violation of which can be taken up in the court of law. The direction and further follow-up by the Supreme Court has been a major instrument in universalising the scheme. ISKCON Food Relief Foundation The ISKCON Food Relief Foundation (IFRF) was established in the year 2004 in Mumbai. The objectives of IFRF is to eradicate hunger and promoting education amongst the under-privileged sections of the society and thereby ensuring their socio-economic development. Akshaya Patra and private sector participation in midday meals The State of Karnataka introduced the provision of cooked meals in June 2002. Since then it has successfully involved private sector participation in the programme. One of the successful ventures is Akshaya Patra, which started with freshly cooked meals from ISKCON temple in Bangalore. The Foundation gets a corpus from the State government but meets a major share of its costs with donations from private corporations and individuals in the city. Other aspects of the programme The programme in Gujarat also includes regular provision of iron tablets (to counter anaemia) and deworming tablets once in six months. In Tamil Nadu also the children are dewormed at regular intervals. Mid Day Meal scheme is implemented by Annamrit School meal programmes in other parts of the world A school meal programme is now a standard welfare measure for school children in developing as well as developed nations. Even countries such as USA have it in many states. World Food Programme, among other organisations, are involved in the programme in many countries across the world. Scams Various scams involving Midday Meal Scheme have been unearthed since it was started. Distribution of contract of Midday meal scheme is one of the most corrupt practice in India. In January 2006, the Delhi Police unearthed a scam in the Midday Meal Scheme.[2] In December 2005, the police had seized eight truckloads (2,760 sacks) of rice meant for primary schoolchildren being carried from Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns in Bulandshahr District of UP to North Delhi. When the police detained the trucks, the drivers claimed that the rice was being brought all the way to Delhi to be cleaned at a factory. However, according to the guidelines, the rice has to be taken directly from FCI godown to the school or village concerned. Later it was found that the rice was being siphoned off by a UP-based NGO, Bharatiya Manav Kalyan Parishad (BMKP), in connivance with the government officials. In November 2006, the residents of Pembong village under the Mim tea estate (around 30 km from Darjeeling), accused a group of teachers of embezzling midday meals. In a written complaint, the residents claimed that students at the primary school had not got midday meal for the past 18 months.[3] In December 2006, The Times of India reported a scam involving government schools that siphon off foodgrains under the midday meal scheme by faking attendance.[4] The modus operandi of the schools was simplethe attendance register would exaggerate the number of students enrolled in the class. The additional students would not existthey were "enrolled" to get additional foodgrains which were pocketed by the school staff. The scam was exposed, when P Asha Kumari, an assistant teacher at the government model primary school, Jakkur,

in Yelahanka acted as awhistleblower. She informed the Lok Ayukta, who conducted a probe and indicted four persons for misappropriation. The whistleblower was harassed by the school staff and requested a transfer. She was transferred to a government primary school at Cholanayakahalli, where she again found the same modus operandi being used to siphon off the foodgrains. She again complained to the Lok Ayukta, who issued notice to the school. Criticism Despite the success of the program, child hunger as a problem persists in India. According to current statistics, 42.5% of the children under 5 are underweight. This is due to simple reasons such as not using iodized salt.[5] India is home to the worlds largest food insecure population, with more than 500 million people who are hungry, India State Hunger Index (ISHI) said, adding that the countrys poor performance is driven by its high levels of child under-nutrition and poor calorie count. Its rates of child malnutrition is higher than most countries in SubSaharan Africa, it noted.[6]A report released as part of the 2009 Global Hunger Index ranks India at 65 out of 84 countries. The 2008 report says that India has more people suffering hunger a figure above 200 million than any other country in the world, it says. The report also says "improving child nutrition is of utmost urgency in most Indian states". : 95 , 1/3 3 : 10 2/3 ( ) 100 ( 1 5 ) 1/3 2/3 , ,

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Organisation to extend midday meal scheme in Uttar Pradesh September 23, 2012 The Akshaya Patra Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, plans to extend its midday meal scheme to four major cities in Uttar Pradesh. The foundation provides hot cooked food to over 1.64 lakh school children here and in Mathura at present in public-private partnership mode. It intends to cover one lakh children each in Lucknow and Kanpur, 50,000 children in Varanasi and Agra each and 25,000 children in Kannauj by next year. Welcoming the proposal, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav who visited the foundations modern kitchen facilities here on Saturday assured its chairperson Madhu Pandit Dasa that the State government would expedite the process so that the new kitchens could be started at the earliest. It would still need at least one year before land is acquired and the kitchen set up. It requires a huge budget, Mr. Dasa toldThe Hindu. Mr. Yadav announced that the State government would seek assistance from all such organisations that work to provide hygienic and nutritious food to children. In addition to announcing various developmental projects for Mathura and Vrindavan, Mr. Yadav said the State would start distribution of free laptops and tablets to Class X and XII students. The laptops would be available in English, Hindi and Urdu languages. The Akshaya Patra Foundation came into existence in 2000 to address two of the most immediate challenges of the country hunger and education. Uttar Pradesh has a high rate of malnutrition and the Chief Minister has already made a commitment to tackle the issue. The foundation supplies midday meals to madrasas also covering about 1 per cent of the 120 million children in primary schools. It started its programme by providing quality midday meals to 1,500 children in five schools in Bangalore. Twelve years down the line, the new kitchens, one in Surat which has already begun and will serve 1,00,000 children, and the other in New Delhi which will reach 75,000 children, will take up the number up considerably. The foundations programme is the largest midday meal programme in the world and it has already provided food to the billionth child in India. Started in 2003, the centralised kitchen here can cook close to 6,000 kg of rice, 4.5-5 tonnes of vegetables and 6,000 litres of sambar in six hours which is then supplied to over 1,200 government primary schools. Bharat Dynamics to support mid-day meal scheme in Medak HYDERABAD, JAN. 9:
Bharat Dynamics Ltd has decided to support the mid-day meal scheme that support about 2,500 children in Medak district of Andhra Pradesh. The public sector defence unit has extended support to Akshaya Patra Foundation, a nongovernmental organisation, which is a nodal group running the school meals programme, as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative. Akshaya Patra provides mid-day meals to more than 450 schools (around 62,000 children) in 11 mandals of Medak district.

BDL has provided Rs 15 lakh to the foundation for the current academic year for kitchen equipments and is supporting mid-day meals in the Government schools of Patancheru Mandal. N.K. Raju, Executive Director (P&A) of BDL handed over a cheque to the foundation. Earlier, the company provided a vehicle for distribution of meals in the schools and funded the costs in around 428 school children in Bhanur and Ghanapur schools in the district, according to a press release. No subsidised LPG cylinders for mid-day meal programme November 23, 2012 The Petroleum Ministry has turned down a request of the HRD Ministry to allow supply of subsidised LPG cylinders for the mid-day meal programme. The request of HRD Ministry has not been agreed to, said Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, he said Petroleum Ministry has advised that the additional burden could be compensated to the HRD Ministry through the budgetary provision for mid-day meal scheme. The cap on LPG cylinder will put an additional burden of Rs 653 crore on the scheme. Worried that the mid-day meal programme could be hit by the cap on subsidised LPG cylinders, the then HRD Minister Kapil Sibal had written to the Petroleum Ministry in October suggesting that it consider providing subsidised LPG cylinders for the current fiscal year. He had also suggested that the decision on whether to make an exception for the scheme could be revisited at the time of finalising the Budget for 2013-14. If the subsidy available for the scheme was withdrawn, the Centre would need to compensate the States for the increased cooking fuel cost. The government would, therefore, have to bear the expenses on fuel cost in the form of subsidy for LPG cylinders or in the form of compensation for the increased cooking cost, Mr. Sibal had said. Recently, HRD Minister M.M. Pallam Raju had said, We are still working for a solution and I am sure that there will be one shortly. We will not compromise on the quality and quantity o f food. Mid-day meals: Centre asks States to adopt A.P. fund model April 29, 2012 With some States defaulting on payment of their share of funds for providing meals to children in government schools, adversely affecting the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, the Centre has now asked all States to consider adopting Andhra Pradesh's model Green Channel Scheme.' The A.P. model makes funds available throughout the year. All States and Union Territories may take the lead from Andhra Pradesh and stream line the release of funds, a communication from the Human Resource Development Ministry says. It also asks them to furnish their expenditure position on time, along with the quarterly report. An analysis of the annual plan proposals received from the States and Union Territories has revealed that only 3 meetings of the State Steering-cum-Monitoring Committee (SSMC), headed by the State Chief Secretary, were held in 2011-12, as against once every quarter as mandated in the guidelines. The SSMC is an apex body at the State level for guiding, monitoring, and implementing the scheme. Manipur has convened three meetings of SSMC; Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Chandigarh, and Daman and Diu two each; Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Lakshadweep one, while the remaining are yet to convene a meeting. The Centre spent approximately Rs. 10,000 crore on the programme in 2011-12, excluding the contribution of the States and subsidy on food grain. The Centre provides 75 per cent funds, while the States contribute the remaining 25 per cent to implement the scheme. This helps prevent classroom hunger and also promotes school participation and retention at the elementary level. It also fosters social and gender equity. The government partly credits this scheme for the drop from 21.59 percentage points to 16.68 percentage points recorded between male and female literacy rates in the 2001 Census and the 2011 Census. While the overall literacy rate has increased by 9.81 per cent, it has improved by 11.84 per cent in the case of females.\ Progress report

However, the latest progress report of the Mid-Day Meal scheme shows that at present, 72 per cent of the enrolled children have been covered. While Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Puducherry, Mizoram, Karnataka and Assam have reported more than 90 per cent coverage, in Bihar, Chandigarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi the coverage is less than the national average. In fact, some States have even shown a drop compared to the previous year. An analysis of data has shown that coverage is less than 70 per cent in 61 districts at the upper primary level, and 42 districts at the primary level. Similarly, there is a mismatch between consumption of food grain and utilisation of cooking gas in various States. While utilisation of cooking gas is higher compared to food grain consumption in Gujarat, Puducherry, Goa, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh and Lakshadweep, it is the reverse in Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Kerala, Manipur, Assam and Nagaland. Mid-day meal scheme to cover 16,000 more students in East Delhi July 6, 2012 Report on three voluntary organisations submitted, but none finalised The East Corporation will feed 16,000 more mouths through its school meal programme this academic year and is in the process of finalising voluntary organisations to supply cooked food. All the schools are scheduled to reopen after the summer break from Monday. The mid-day meal will be provided to 1,48,000 children in Shahdara (North) and 95,000 children in Shahdara (South) zones. The scheme would reach out to students studying in Municipal Corporation of Delhi schools and government aided schools. These figures, however, could change due to increase in enrolment rates among children keeping in view the relevant provision of the Right to Education Act, 2009. On Thursday, a detailed report selecting three voluntary organisations was placed before the Standing Committee but the matter was postponed due to want of more information. Four members of the Standing Committee will form a sub-committee that will scrutinise the report, said Standing Committee Chairman Mehak Singh after members raised doubts over the selection criteria. The report will be submitted within a week. The delay in choosing voluntary organisations will see the East Corporation relying on existing suppliers to tide over the interim period. Already, the civic body has tied up supplies for the next two months. We will have to extend the contract for the existing suppliers till the new ones are finalised. There is no other option, said Municipal Councillor S. S. Yad av. Members pointed out that answers to several questions in the Checklist for kitchen visit were not clear and the grades assigned to them required explanation. The checklist was used by the Kitchen Inspection Committee to inspect 17 kitchens in March this year of which 11 kitchens were found fit to supply cooked meals. Initially, 25 voluntary organisations had submitted proposals for supplying the cooked meals. All three kitchens that were recommended for the East Corporation were provided an overall grade of fair and were based in East Delhi. The report recommends that post -trifurcation of the MCD, kitchens which have been selected for providing cooked food should be confined to serve food in the schools of respective zones under the jurisdiction of a particular Corporation and overlapping supplies should not be allowed. Mid-day meal scheme Web site launched NEW DELHI, JAN. 30: The Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Mr Kapil Sibal, on Monday launched a Web site: www.mdm.nic.in to create greater awareness about the mid-day meal scheme and ensure transparency in its implementation, according to an HRD Ministry release. The site provides detailed guidelines about the scheme; the Programme Approval Board approvals for various States/Union Territories as well as the physical and financial progress of the scheme. It also provides details about the key officers responsible for the scheme and their contact details. Amartya Sen lauds mid-day meal schemeSaturday, Aug 02, 2003 NEW DELHI AUG. 1. The Nobel laureate, Amartya Sen, has praised the mid-day meal scheme being implemented in the country's primary schools.

"I think it is a terrific way of enhancing nutrition among children," he said today after the release of a report on "The Future of Mid-Day Meals" prepared by the Centre for Development Economics at the Delhi School of Economics. "Schooling can be a major possibility of nourishment and the food reaches exactly where you want it to reach." If the lack of incentives was a problem in attracting children to school, the mid-day meal could take care of it, Prof. Sen said, suggesting that the cost involved in the process had to be balanced with the benefits it offered. "In a country that has the bulk of the world's under-nourished children, the scheme is worth pursuing," he said. It could also eliminate possible discrimination at home against a girl child. Apart from education and nutrition, the scheme taught children a way of living together without any discrimination of caste which otherwise could be a possibility. "It is a way of achieving the social target of removing casteism and not just a traditional exercise of achieving academic education." Issuing a call to make the issue an emotive one, the Rajya Sabha member, Shabana Azmi, said providing food and quality education should happen simultaneously. Summarising the report, Jean Dreze of the Centre for Development Economics said it was a form of providing food security to children. The survey conducted in Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Rajasthan has shown that the scheme has much to contribute to the children's well-being and future. As things stand, the scheme has many flaws but the way to go is forward and not backward, it says. "With adequate resources and quality safeguards, midday meals can play a major role in boosting school attendance, eliminating classroom hunger and fostering social equity." Stressing the need for qualitative improvements urgently required if midday meals were to achieve their full potential, it suggests a number of priorities for action such as increasing the financial allocation, improvement in the infrastructure, monitoring system and enhancing the nutritional content of the mid-day meals. According to the survey, there had been an increase of 15 per cent in the enrolment of students at the level of Class I with the percentage of girls being higher. There were instances of bad quality of food being served in some schools as were some experiences of a separate infrastructure for Dalit students. Besides, some parents objected to their children being served food cooked by Dalit cooks and a few teachers pointed out that preparing meals affected teaching due to lack of infrastucture. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All Movement) is a programme by the Government of India aimed at the universalization of elementary education "in a time bound manner", as mandated by the 86th amendment to the Constitution of India making free education to children aged 614 (estimated to be 205 million in number in 2001) a fundamental right. The programme was pioneered by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. SSA is being implemented in partnership with State Governments to cover the entire country and address the needs of 192 million children in 1.1 million habitations. The programme is looking to open new schools in those habitations without schooling facilities and to strengthen existing school infrastructure through provision of additional class rooms, toilets, drinking water, maintenance grant and school improvement grants. Existing schools with inadequate teacher strength are provided with additional teachers, and the capacity of existing teachers is being strengthened by extensive training, grants for developing teaching-learning materials and strengthening of the academic support structure at a cluster, block and district level. SSA seeks to provide quality elementary education including life skills. SSA has a special focus on female education and children with special needs. SSA also seeks to provide computer education to bridge the digital divide. Its goals of 2011 were to do the following:

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. 5 2010 . , , , . . , . . 500,000 2006-07 . . 2005-06 7156 2006-07 1,50,000 10,004 . , . , 2010 . 8 .

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Bulk of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan funds spent on whitewashing March 23, 2012 Of the total budget, teachers accounted for the largest share at 44%, while the children received just 10%

As many as 68 per cent of the elementary schools in India spent a bulk of the funds received under the much talked about Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) on whitewashing the buildings and another 69 per cent used some of the money to fund school events. Of the total budget, teachers accounted for the largest share at 44 per cent while the children received only 10 per cent. On an average, about 90 per cent schools that received the money reported spending a bulk of their money on essential supplies, including whitewashing. The latest PAISA 2011 report on tracking public expenditure on schools, brought out by Accountability Initiative, suggests India's SSA budget (Centre and State share) has more than doubled between 200910 and 2011-12, up from Rs.26,169 crore to Rs.55,746 crore, as has the per child allocation, from Rs.2,004 in 2009-2011 to Rs.4,269 in 2011-12. Releasing the report, Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai said it was time to review the SSA. However, allocations to teachers (salaries, training and teaching inputs under the Teacher Learning Equipment) accounted for the largest share of the SSA budget. In 2011-12, teachers accounted for 44 per cent of the budget, school infrastructure accounted for the second largest share with an allocation of 36 per cent, while children (entitlement and special programmes) accounted for 10 per cent. There are variations in allocations across States. In 2011-12, Bihar allocated 32 per cent of its SSA budget to teachers, 51 per cent to school infrastructure, while Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan allocated 72 per cent and 74 per cent, respectively to teachers. There are variations in outlays for States with allocations in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal doubling, while those for Haryana and Jharkhand rising minimally at 39 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. The report Do Schools Get Their Money? is based on the PAISA survey conducted through the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) that covered more than 14,000 schools across rural India in 2009, 2010 and 2011. As per the report, grant receipts to schools under the SSA improved from 77 per cent in 2008-08 to 84 per cent in 2009-2010, but declined marginally at 82 per cent in 2010-2011. There are some differences across grant type. In 2010-2011, 84 per cent schools reported receiving maintenance grant, 87 per cent received Teacher Learning Material grant and 77 per cent, the development grant. While schools get money, data suggests they don't always report receiving the entire entitlement. It is important to note that on close examination of the data there were cases where respondents had not indicated the types of grants and instead reported receipt of one consolidated figure, indicating the lack of awareness among the headmasters, the primary respondents of the survey. Overall, the quantum of grants received in schools has improved. In 2008-09, 55 per cent schools reported receiving all three grants. This improved to 70 per cent in 2010-11. Here also, there were variations. Grant receipts in Rajasthan improved from 38 per cent schools that reported receiving all three grants in 2008-09 to 54 per cent. Himachal Pradesh also saw a significant improvement from 71 per cent schools receiving all three grants in 2008-09 to 90 per cent in 2010-11. However, the report points out that increased outlays in elementary education have not led to improved outcomes. To examine this in greater details, PAISA 2011 undertook a preliminary analysis of the links between per child expenditure under specific categories (teachers, school, children, quality) and learning outcomes. To do this, PAISA analysed per child expenditure data for 2009-10 and ASER learning level data for 2010. This analysis pointed to a positive correlation between per child expenditure on quality and learning levels. This correlation merits further analysis, especially because expenditure on quality is relatively low and is usually incurred towards the end of the financial year. Interestingly, PAISA did not find any correlation between the expenditure on teachers and children's learning levels, the report said.

On progress on Right to Education (RTE) front, the report says there has not been much progress in compliance with various RTE-related norms. This is despite a 137 per cent increase in SSA infrastructure budget between 2009-10 and 2011-12. The proportion of schools with shortfall in the number teachers, classrooms, drinking water facilities, kitchen/shed, playground, complete boundary wall, a separate room for the headmaster has remained more or less unchanged between 2010 and 2011. However, there has been progress in provision of separate toilet for girls, and library books.

68% elementary schools spent bulk of funds on whitewashing; 69% to fund school events Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai released report saying it is time to review SSA RTE Act compliance survey begins September 27, 2012 4,770 volunteers to conduct study Shiksha Ka Haq Abhiyan, an awareness programme-cum-survey conducted by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to assess the compliance of schools with the Right To Education (RTE) Act will begin in State schools on Thursday. Minister for Education P.K. Abdu Rabb launched the project at the State level at Government Upper Primary School, Ambalathara, on Wednesday. The year-long Shiksha Ka Haq Abhiyan was launched in November 2011. The survey that follows the campaign will assess if the schools are compliant with the provisions of the Union governments Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. As many as 4,770 volunteers trained by State SSA authorities will conduct the survey to check if the schools are adhering to the rules of the RTE Act. The survey, which will cover all government and government-aided schools, is expected to be completed in 15 working days. A team of three volunteers, comprising a cluster coordinator and two volunteers from the Teachers Training Course (TTC), will visit the schools to assess the situation, hold discussions with the staff members and the school authorities, create awareness, and prepare a list of facilities that the schools need as per the RTE Act. The survey will also review the current teacher-development programme, revised curriculum, and other facilities in schools. SSA District Project Officer M. Rajesh said the assessment would help analyse the conditions of the schools and suggest necessary changes and proposals to the respective school management committees. Each school will have a definite school development plan, and the school committees will have to ensure that the plan is well executed so that the school become RTE-complaint before March 31, 2013, Mr. Rajesh said. QUESTIONNAIRES

The survey will be carried out with the help of questionnaires prepared by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. A book titled Padikkuka Parirakshikkuka th at was earlier distributed acts as a guideline for parents and teachers on the RTE Act. A newspaper bulletin Vazhikatti on the RTE Act was also distributed as part of the awareness programme.

Present Act has its history in the drafting of the Indian constitution at the time of Independence[5] but are more specifically to the Constitutional Amendment that included the Article 21A in the Indian constitution making Education a fundamental Right. This amendment, however, specified the need for a legislation to describe the mode of implementation of the same which necessitated the drafting of a separate Education Bill. The bill was approved by the cabinet on 2 July 2009.[8] Rajya Sabha passed the bill on 20 July 2009[9] and the Lok Sabha on 4 August 2009.[10] It received Presidential assent and was notified as law on 26 August 2009[11] as The Children's Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act.[12] The law came into effect in the whole of India except the state of Jammu and Kashmir from 1 April 2010, the first time in the history of India a law was brought into force by a speech by the Prime Minister. In his speech, Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India stated that, "We are committed to ensuring that all children, irrespective of gender and social category, have access to education. An education that enables them to acquire the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes necessary to become responsible and active citizens of India." The 86th Constitutional amendment making education a fundamental right was passed by Parliament in 2002. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, a law to enable the implementation of the fundamental right, was passed by Parliament last year. Both the Constitutional amendment and the new law came into force from 1st April 2010. The 86th Amendment of the Constitution in December 2002 and its enactment since 1st April 2010 has makes free and compulsory education for all children in the 6 14 age groups a justifiable fundamental right. 1. Insertion of new article 21A- After article 21 of the Constitution, the following article shall be inserted, namely:Right to education."21A. The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteenyears in such manner as the State may, by law, determine." 2. Substitution of new article for article 45- For article 45 of the Constitution, the following article shall be substituted, namely:- . Provision for early childhood care and education to children below the age of six years. "45. The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years." 3. Amendment of article 51A- In article 51A of the Constitution, after clause (J), the following clause shall be added, namely:"(k) who is a parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or, as the case may be, ward between the age of six and fourteen years." Education is a fundamental right now April 1, 2010 On Thursday April 1 India will join a group of few countries in the world, with a historic law making education a fundamental right of every child coming into force. Making elementary education an entitlement for children in the 6-14 age group, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 will directly benefit close to one crore children who do not go to school at present.

In an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday will address the nation, announcing the operationalisation of the Act. Tomorrow [Thursday] is a historic day as the Right to Education Act comes into effect. For the first time, education will become a constitutional right. It is a tryst with destiny in the area of education, Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters. He said it was the responsibility of all stakeholders to enforce it. But to think that we have passed a law and all children will get educated is not right. What we have done is preparing a framework to get quality education. It is for the entire community to contribute and participate in this national endeavour, he said. Nearly 92 lakh children, who had either dropped out of schools or never been to any educational institution, will get elementary education as it will be binding on the part of the local and State governments to ensure that all children in the 6-14 age group get schooling. As per the Act, private educational institutions should reserve 25 per cent seats for children from the weaker sections of society. The Centre and the States have agreed to share the financial burden in the ratio of 55:45, while the Finance Commission has given Rs. 25,000 crore to the States for implementing the Act. The Centre has approved an outlay of Rs.15,000 crore for 2010-2011. The school management committee or the local authority will identify the drop-outs or out-of-school children aged above six and admit them in classes appropriate to their age after giving special training. As per the Act, the schools need to have minimum facilities such as adequate teachers, playground and infrastructure. (1) This Act may be called the Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2002. (2) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan will conform to RTE Act

Special Correspondent NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Thursday approved revision of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan norms to bring the programme in conformity with the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act. The SSA, a flagship programme of the government to universalise elementary education, will be the main vehicle for implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The revised norms include research evaluation and monitoring and opening of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas. NRHM to be National Health Mission soon March 13, 2012 To ensure universal access to free generic essential medicines in public health institutions in timebound manner The government proposes to convert the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) into a National Health Mission to provide health care to the urban poor also, in the course of the 12th Plan. Universal access to free generic essential medicines in public health institutions in a phased and timebound manner will be ensured. Announcing major initiatives to provide universal healthcare, President Pratibha Patil on Monday said the government would endeavour to increase both Plan and Non-Plan public expenditure in the Centre and the States taken together to 2.5 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) by the end of the 12th Plan. People need to be healthy if they have to learn, earn and lead a productive and fulfill ing life. Our National Rural Health Mission has started making a difference as reflected in the health indicators,'' Ms. Patil said in her speech to the joint session of the first day of the Budget session of Parliament, as she recounted the achievements of this ambitious programme. The Infant Mortality Rate declined from 58 per thousand live births in 2005 to 47 in 2010 and Maternal Mortality Ratio from 254 per one lakh deliveries in 2004-2006 to 212 in 2007-2009. The Janani Suraksha Yojana registered impressive gains with 1.13 crore women benefiting during 2010-11. Polio has been almost eradicated from the country. The World Health Organisation has decided to take India off the list of countries with active endemic wild poliovirus transmission. Pointing out that in spite of increased investment in the health sector over the last 7 years, public expenditure on healthcare continues to be low, the President said the government would strengthen district hospitals to provide advanced level secondary care under the National Programme for

Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases & Stroke and The National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly. HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME The immensely popular Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, under which health insurance cover is already being provided to around 2.64 crore families, will be expanded. It is expected that by the end of the 12th Plan around 7 crore families will be provided health insurance cover, she announced. Building on the platform provided by the Right to Education, integration of skill training with education at all levels is being emphasised. A National Vocational Education Qualification Framework is being developed to set common principles and guidelines for a nationally recognised qualification system, Ms. Patil said. SKILL TRAINING The government aims to provide skills training to 85 lakh people during 2012-13 and 800 lakh people during the 12th Plan. It will set up 1,500 new Industrial Training Institutes and 5,000 Skill Development Centres under Public Private Partnership at an estimated cost of Rs.13,000 crore. The Higher Education and Research Bill has been introduced in Parliament. A National Commission for Higher Education & Research is being constituted to set a roadmap for the future. The government also intends to launch a National Mission for Teachers aimed at improving teacher education and faculty development. To provide all students access to higher education irrespective of their paying capacity, the government intends to set up a Higher Education Credit Guarantee Authority for providing limited credit guarantees through risk-pooling for educational loans, she added. Unified National Health Mission for all, says PM Thu Aug 16 2012 The tussle between the Planning Commission and the Health Ministry on a countrywide health mission instead of two separate initiatives in urban and rural areas was decisively settled when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in his Independence Day speech announced formation of a National Health Mission. The Health Ministry had been opposing the unification on the ground that urban and rural health needs are different. "After the success of the National Rural Health Mission, we now want to expand the scope of health services in our towns also. The National Rural Health Mission will be converted into a National Health Mission which would cover all villages and towns in the country. We are also formulating a scheme for distribution of free medicines through government hospitals and health centres," Singh said. The scheme to distribute free medicines in government health set-ups is believed to be very close to Singh's heart and the PMO has been one of the driving forces to ensure that it is included in the 12th Five Year Plan. The ministry is already in the process of setting up a Central Procurement Agency for the purpose. On the issue of a unified health mission, the ministry made its objections clear to the Planning Commission that wanted a unified mission for the entire country. "Urban and rural areas have a different set of health issues and needs. It is not going to serve anybody's purpose to adopt a 'one size fits all' approach to something as nuanced as this and that is what the Commission seems to be bent upon. We are in favour of a National Urban Health Mission as was being planned all this while, and we have said that to the Commission in our response on the draft health chapter," said a senior official in the Health Ministry. The Commission in its draft health chapter for the 12th Plan concedes that health needs of urban and rural India are different but advocates different strategies rather than different missions for the two, factoring in things like better communication and transport facilities and easier access to secondary and tertiary healthcare centres in both public and private sector in the plan for the urban areas. It also wants states to have greater say in the structure of the mission for better customisation as per individual health needs. The draft health chapter proposes that each district should develop a multiyear health action plan for prevention, service delivery and systems management which would then become the basis for resource allocation and thrown open to social audits. "There is greater scope for contracting arrangements with the private sector in urban areas, to strengthen the existing public facilities. Area specific NHM plans shall address the challenges unique to their areas. For example in urban areas there is overcrowding and poor environmental sanitation, pollution, risk of road traffic

injuries, higher rates of crime and risky personal behaviour," reads the section on universalisation of the proposed National Health Mission.

ADIP Scheme Schemes & Facilities provided by Central & State Government: National Institute for Hearing Handicapped Disability Act ADIP Scheme NHFDC State Government Schemes Government Schemes Central

Scheme of Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids/Appliances (ADIP Scheme) Introduction It has been the constant endeavour of the Government to provide the disabled persons with aids/appliances at minimum costs. The requirement for providing of aids/appliances, which are essential for the social, economic and vocational rehabilitation of the disabled persons, has come into sharp focus, particularly after the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, which came into force in 1996. Various surveys conducted from time to time have made it clear that India has a very large number of disabled persons. Many of them come from low-income groups. Disability restricts their opportunities for leading functionally productive lives. From the application of modern technology, there have emerged a number of aids, which can reduce the effects of disabilities and enhance the economic potential of the disabled. To illustrate a wheel chair, an artificial limb, crutch, a brace, a splint can greatly improve the mobility of physically disabled individual. Similarly, with the help of a powerful hearing aid, persons with some residual hearing can be helped to carry on many activities of daily living. Low vision aids can help the persons with substantially reduced vision to read, print and undertake other activities resulting in their rehabilitation. However, large number of disabled persons are deprived of the benefits of these appliances because of their inability to find funds to purchase them. In the light of the Government's growing stress on helping disabled persons and in bringing the aids and appliances within their reach, it has been decided to continue the ADIP Scheme and modify it in such a way that it becomes more user-friendly and the needy are not deprived of aids/appliances, which are essential for their social, economic and vocational rehabilitation. If they can, thereby, become earning members they would be much closer to achieve economic self-dependence and also be able to live and pursue their activities with dignity. The Scheme and its Objectives The Scheme aims at helping the disabled persons by bringing suitable, durable, scientificallymanufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances within their reach. The estimates, according to Sample Survey conducted by NSSO in 1991, indicate that there are about 16.15 million persons with various types of disabilities in the country. Their disabilities restrict the opportunity for their economic and social growth. In addition, about 3% of the children below 14 years of age suffer from delayed development. Many of them are mentally retarded and cerebral palsied and require some aids/appliances to attain the capacity for self-care and independent living. The main objectives of the Scheme is to assist the needy disabled persons in procuring durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, modern, standard aids and appliances that can

promote their physical, social and psychological rehabilitation, by reducing the effects of disabilities and enhance their economic potential. The aids and appliances supplied under the Scheme shall conform to BIS specifications to the extent possible. Definitions Definitions of various types of disabilities as given in the Ministry of Welfare's (Now Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment) O.M.No.4-2/83 HW.III dated 6th August, 1986 as amended from time to time will be applicable. Scope The Scheme will be implemented through the implementing Agencies as listed in the following Para. The Agencies will be provided with financial assistance for purchase, fabrication and distribution of such standard aids and appliances that are in conformity with the objectives of the Scheme. The implementing Agencies will take care of/make suitable arrangements for fitting and post-fitting care of the aids and appliances distributed under ADIP Scheme. The scope of the Scheme has been further enlarged to include use of mass media, exhibitions, workshops etc., for exchange of information and promoting awareness and distribution and use of aids/appliances. The Scheme shall also include under its ambit, medical/surgical correction & intervention, which is essential prior to fitment of aids and appliances. The cost could range from Rs. 500/- for hearing & speech impaired to Rs.1000/- for visually disabled and Rs.3,000/- for orthopaedically disabled. Eligibility of Implementing Agency Under The Scheme The following agencies would be eligible to implement the Scheme on behalf of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, subject to fulfillment of laid down terms and conditions: i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. Societies, registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and their branches, if any, separately. Registered charitable trusts. District Rural Development Agencies, India Red Cross Societies and other Autonomous Bodies headed by District Collector/Chief Executive Officer/District Development Officer of Zilla Parishad. National/Apex Institutes including ALIMCO functioning under administrative control of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment/Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. State Handicapped Development Corporation. Local Bodies Zilla Parishad, Municipalities, District Autonomous Development Councils and Panchayats. Nehru Yuvak Kendras.

Grant-in-aid under the Scheme will not be given for commercial supply of aids/appliances. The NGOs should preferably possess professional/technical expertise in the form of professionally qualified staff (from recognised courses) for the identification, prescription of the required artificial aids/appliances, fitment and post-fitment care of the beneficiaries as well as the aid/appliance. The NGO should also preferable possess infrastructure in the form of machinery/equipment for the fabrication, fitment and maintenance of artificial aids/appliances to be given to a disabled person under ADIP scheme. Implementing Organisations should network and establish linkages with medical college /district hospitals/rural hospitals/PHCs/fitment centres of ALIMCO/DRCs/any other professionally competent agency to acquire/avail the requisite infrastructure for fitment and maintenance of aids/appliances distributed under ADIP Scheme available with these bodies. The Implementing Agencies shall also avail of the professional/technical expertise of above-mentioned agencies for fitment and post fitment care of the beneficiaries as well as aids/appliances. National Institutes,

fitment centres of ALIMCO and DRCs functioning under the administrative control of Ministry of Social justice and Empowerment shall also assist DRDAs and other autonomous organisations to develop requisite manpower and infrastructure over a period of time to provide satisfactory service to the beneficiaries under the Scheme. Such organisations while applying for the grant under the Scheme shall produce sufficient proof of linkages with the professional agencies preferably in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding

Integrated Rural Development Program

The Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP) is a rural development program of the Government of India launched in Financial Year 1978 and extended throughout India by 1980. It is a self-employment program intended to raise the income-generation capacity of target groups among the poor. The target group consists largely of small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers and rural artisans living below the poverty line. RDP is a major self-employment programme for Poverty Alleviation. The objective of IRDP is to provide suitable income generating assests through a mix of subsidy and credit to Below poverty Line families with a view to bring them above the Poverty Line. A family with an annual income of Rs. 20,000/- and below per annum is considered to be below the poverty line based on the 1998 below Poverty Line Census. The list of individual and family activities which are eligible for assistance with the unit cost of each is placed in Annexure. The aim is to raise recipients above the poverty line by providing substantial opportunities for selfemployment. During the 7th five year plan, the total expenditure under the program was Rs 33.2 million, and Rs 53.7 million of term credit was mobilized. Some 13 million new families participated, bringing total coverage under the program to more than 18 million families. These development programs have played an important role in increased agricultural production by educating farmers and providing them with financial and other inputs to increase yields... The objective of IRDP is to enable identified rural poor families to cross the poverty line by providing productive assets and inputs to the target groups. The assets which could be in primary, secondary or tertiary sector are provided through financial assistance in the form of subsidy by the government and term credit advanced by financial institutions. The program is implemented in all the blocks in the country as a centrally sponsored scheme funded on 50:50 basis by the Centre and State. The Scheme is merged with another Scheme named Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) since 01.04.1999.

Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana

Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) is an initiative launched by the Government of India to provide sustainable income to poor people living in rural areas of the country. The scheme was launched on April 1, 1999. The SGSY aims at providing self-employment to villagers through the establishment of Self-help groups. Activity clusters are established based on the aptitude and skill of the people which are nurtured to their maximum potential. Funds are provided by NGOs, banks and financial institutions. Since its inception, over 2.25 million Self-help groups have been established with an investment of Rs. 14,403 crores, profiting over 6.697 million people. The Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) was launched as an integrated programme for self-employment of the rural poor with effect from April 1, 1999. Working of the scheme The SGSY was somewhat intended to provide self-employment to millions of villagers. Poor families living below the poverty line were organised into Self-help groups (SHG)s established with a mixture [1] of government subsidy and credit from investment banks. The main aim of these SHGs was to bring these poor families above the poverty line and concentrate on income generation through combined

effort. The scheme recommended the establishment of activity clusters or clusters of villagers grouped together based on their skills and abilities. Each of these activity clusters worked on a specific activity chosen based on the aptitude and skill of the people, availability of resources and market potentiality. The SHGs are aided, supported and trained by NGOs, CBOs, individuals, banks and self-help promoting institutions. Government-run District Level Development Agencies (DRDA) and the respective State governments also provided training and financial aid. The programme focusses on establishing microenterprises in rural areas. The SHGs created may have a varying number of members based on the terrain and physical abilities of the members. It goes through three stages of creation: Group formation Capital formation through the revolving fund and skill development and Taking up of economic activity for skill generation.

[1][2][3]

The SHGs are usually created by selecting individuals from the Below poverty-line (BPL) list provided by the Gram sabha. The SHGs are divided into various blocks and each of these blocks concentrated on 4-5 key activities. The SGSY is mainly run through government-run DRDAs with support from local private institutions, banks and Panchayati raj institutions. The Government also assists villagers in marketing their products by organizing melas or fairs, exhibitions, etc. Funding Government subsidy allocated for SGSY per individual is 30% of the total capital investment if the total investment is less than Rs. 7,500 and 50% of the investment for SC/STs if the investment is less than Rs.10,000. For self-help groups, the government offers a subsidy of 50% if the total investment is less than Rs. 1.25 lakhs. There are no monetary ceilings on subsidy in the case of irrigation projects. The SGSY concentrates on the marginalized sections of society. Accordingly, SC/STs comprise 50 percent, women 40% and the physically challenged make up 3% of the total beneficiaries from the scheme. Government funding for the scheme is divided between the Center and State on a 75-25 basis. Staffing In the case of minor irrigation projects, each SHG might comprise 10-20 members. In case of hilly terrain, deserts and other sparsely populated areas or if the SHGs include disabled people, this number may be reduced to five. Swarnajayanti Grameen Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY), one of the flagship programs of the RD Ministry with the focus on self-employment by reaching out to Self Help Groups, launched in the year 1999 is being restructured as the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), to be implemented in a mission mode across the country. The restructuring comes in the backdrop of the fact that out of the estimated 7 crorerural BPL households, 4.5 Crore households still need to be organized into SHGs. The mission aims to reach out to all the rural poor families (BPL families) and link them to sustainable livelihoods opportunities. It will nurture them till they come out of poverty and enjoy a decent quality of life. JUNE 3 2011: The Union Government has launched a new-look National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), refurbishing the earlier Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojna (SGSY) to bring down high poverty levels in rural areas.

Sonia launches Rural Livelihood Mission

BANSWARA (RAJASTHAN), JUNE 3 2011: The United Progressive Alliance Chairperson, Ms Sonia Gandhi, on Friday unveiled the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) to reach out to below poverty line (BPL) families through self-help groups. She said the network of such groups comprising women will be strengthened.

Terming the NRLM as an ambitious programme of the UPA government, she said its effective implementation all over the country was important and women self-help groups could be strengthened through the programme. Unveiling the scheme in this predominantly tribal district, she said, The country is rapidly progressing with a strong network of Panchayati Raj institutions due to strong efforts of Rajiv Gandhi. These institutions have almost 10 lakh elected women representatives and the number of SHGs is also increasing, with around 50 lakh self-help groups making efforts to improve the condition of women in various states. She said these groups were boosting the confidence of women in rural areas and successfully running group activities such as monitoring of primary health centres, social audit of various government-run schemes and programmes, distribution of old age pension, procurement of wheat and rice. To make them more effective, a new economic institution is going to be formed by t he government and for that, the Finance Ministry has already fixed Rs 500 crore, she told a large gathering of tribals, mostly women, who braved the blistering heat to attend the function. This tribal region of southern Rajasthan also took a leap forward with Ms Gandhi laying the foundation of Dungarpur-Banswara-Ratlam rail line near Dungarpur Railway Station. The line will connect the tribal region of Banswara district with a rail line. The Rs 2,100 crore project is scheduled to be completed within seven years.

National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM)

NRLM recognizes that the poor people have the potential to come out of poverty with proper handholding, training and capacity building and credit linkage. The handholding support to the SHGs will be in the form of external and internal. External support structure will consist of dedicated professional institutions at the State level, district level and sub district level whereas internal support structure will evolve in the form of SHG federations at the village level, and block level and later on at district level. NRLM also recognizes that poor people have multiple livelihoods wage employment and self employment. It will stabilize and enhance incomes from both the livelihoods. It will also promote diversification of livelihoods. NRLM will have special focus on the poorest households, who are currently dependant on MGNREGA. These families will be supported to broaden their livelihoods through assets and skill acquisition. This will enhance the quality of their livelihoods significantly. NRLM is based on large scale successes in states such as Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh where social mobilization and building strong institutions of the poor have led to significant reduction in poverty and empowerment of the poor. The role of Banks will be of prime importance under NRLM as a source of credit for the poor at reasonable rates. NRLM will focus on getting banks to lend to the poor by making them bankable clients through smart use of subsidy. NRLM will focus on women as we believe that the best way of reaching out to the whole family is through the woman. There will be a special focus on vulnerable sections: scheduled tribes, scheduled castes, minorities, women headed families, etc. The second focus of NRLM would be rural youth of the country who are unemployed. They will be supported through placement linked skill development projects through which their skills will be upgraded through short term training courses in sectors which have high demand for services. A unique feature of NRLM is that it would be led by the poor themselves. It would utilize the services of Community Resource Persons (CRPs) who are women who have themselves come out of poverty through being a part of the Self Help Group. They will spread the concept of NRLM from one village to another and from one district to another making NRLM a peoples movement. Since the level of development of each State is different so also the availability of local resources and the level of skills of the people, therefore, the State will have the flexibility to develop their own action plans based on their local requirements and availability of resources. It will be a demand driven approach. The main features of NRLM are as follows: Universal social mobilization through formation of SHGs under NRLM. To bring each and every BPL household under the SHG network. To ensure that all the poor in the country are made a part of the social mobilization process in order to empower them, socially and economically. During the

remaining period of the 11th Plan it is proposed to form about 10 lakh new SHGs. All existing SHGs will be strengthened. To take the social mobilization process to the next stage of maturity SHG federations will be set up at the levels of villages, cluster of villages, blocks & districts. The Federations will nurture the SHGs; enable them to become good quality institutions, help SHG members in articulating their demands, enable collective action for getting their entitlements with various Government departments, developing backward and forward marketing linkages, maintenance of accounts, conducting audits and documentation. The goal of universal financial inclusion will be furthered by enabling SHGs to be linked to banks and to access credit from them. Capacity Building and Training Under NRLM it is proposed that upto Rs. 7500 per beneficiary would be provided for capacity building & training in place of the present provision of Rs. 5000 per beneficiary. It is proposed to provide basic orientation training to all the swarozgaris. Skill training will be provided to the swarozgaris who are entering micro enterprise level. In order to ensure institutional arrangement for skill development for self employment and wage employment, dedicated training institute for rural BPL youth i.e Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) are being set up with the aim of having at least one such institution in each district of the country. These RSETIs will be set up with the partnership of banks. The Ministry will provide one time grant for construction of RSETIs @ Rs 1.0 crore per RSETI and the land for it would be provided by the State Governments. Recurring expenditure for running the RSETIs would be provided by the concerned banks. Provision of enhanced Revolving Fund & Capital Subsidy- Revolving Fund- To meet the requirement both in terms of consumption and taking up the income generating activities, it is proposed to raise the amount of revolving fund to Rs 15000 per SHG. Capital Subsidy- It is proposed to provide subsidy of Rs 15,000 to individual Swarozgaries of general category and Rs 20,000 to SC/ST and people with disabilities. For SHGs, subsidy will be Rs. 20,000 per capita subject to a maximum of Rs 2.50 lakh, whichever is less. The capital subsidy will be provided to the SHGs either through their federations or directly. NRLM will attempt to make a smart use of subsidy so that it helps in building a credit track for the SHG members so that they are seen as credit worthy clients by banks for extending loans to them for their various needs. Introduction of Interest Subsidy- Under NRLM, interest subsidy will be provided to SHGs for prompt repayment of loans to banks. The difference between 7% and Prime Lending Rates (PLR), will be provided to the poor households for every loan accessed from the banks, up to a limit of Rs 1 lakh per household. This is with a view to enhance viability and competitiveness of SHGs and encourage the repayment of loan by them. At present the DRDAs/blocks have skeleton staff and are over burdened with a multiplicity of programmes. Under NRLM it is proposed to provide professional support at all levels National level, State level, district level to Sub district level in different specializations. This will facilitate in handholding of SHGs and taking them through the natural evolution process, whereby they are first geared to meet their consumption needs and then take up micro-enterprises for livelihoods promotion activities through a mix of their own savings, borrowing from the group and from the banks. Involvement of States for State specific Action Plans: It is proposed to provide flexibility to the States for formulating their own poverty alleviation plans on the basis of available resources and skills. Special Projects- For skill upgradation and placement, at present there is a provision of 15% of the SGSY allocation for special projects. It is now proposed to make these special projects as a subset of NRLM and earmarking 20% of allocation for special projects. Out of this 15% will be for placement linked skill development projects and 5% for innovative projects. Half of the 15% for placement linked skill development projects will be transferred to the states for projects within the states and the remaining will be retained at the center for inter-state projects. Improved evaluation and monitoring Presently evaluation of SGSY is done by commissioning studies through NIRD and other reputed organizations and the programme is monitored through online Monthly Progress Report, regular meetings of the Performance Review Committee, visit by Area Officers and the mechanism of DLMs (District Level Monitors), NLMs (National Level Monitors) etc. In addition to these, NRLM will put in place a (i) a comprehensive MIS encompassing database of SHG profiles, federations, training institutions and activities, placements of trained beneficiaries, marketing of products etc., (ii), concurrent and mid-term evaluations, (iii) social accountability practices like social audits etc. to facilitate monitoring & bring in transparency in program implementation. A mission approach will enable time bound achievement of the goals of N.R.L.M. NRLM will have partnerships with: a) Civil Society Organizations

b) Industries c) Educational Institutions d) Other resource organizations. Future Plan: The NRLM will be implemented in a phased manner. It is proposed to cover all the blocks of the Country within a period of seven to eight years. The States are expected to fulfill the following norms, at the earliest, before transiting from SGSY to NRLM: i. State level agencies and the district/sub-district level units are set up ii. Professional staff has been trained and placed iii. State level poverty reduction strategy has been formulated iv. Formation of State level Core team with a nodal officer Ministry of Rural Development has already finalised the Framework for Implementation for NRLM and circulated to all States.

National Rural Mission to link one woman from every poor family to SHGs
April 7, 2012 Need for regulatory space for MFIs so they function without affecting SHGs The National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) would connect at least one woman from every poor household across the country with self-help groups (SHGs) in five years, Union Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh said on Friday. The objective of the programme is to ensure that in a five-year period one woman from every poor household becomes a member of SHG. Today we have three crore women who are members of SHGs, and we have to raise it to seven crore in five years, Mr. Ramesh said. By the end of five years, one woman from every poor household will be SHG member. The programme is for rural Below Poverty Line (BPL) households, but I am in the process to remove this restriction between the BPL and poor, the Minister said while delivering valedictory address on Micro-Finance and Livelihoods here. Emphasising upon a flexible structure of guidelines in government programmes, Mr. Ramesh said operation guidelines for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme are being revised. Flexibility is required to take into account the special requirements of the States. Very soon, we will be revising the operational guidelines for MGNREGS, he said. The Minister also underlined the need to create a regulatory space for micro-finance institutions (MFIs) so that they can function efficiently without adversely impacting the functions of SHGs. Calling for leveraging the advantages of both MFIs and SHGs, he said they should be encouraged to produce social capital goods. Micro-finance cannot provide a definite answer to the challenges of poverty alleviation, but it can lead to financial inclusion by providing credit to the customer as per his own needs, he said. Referring to the SHG scenario in Rajasthan, he said there is still an enormous scope for growth in this sector as the major share of bank credits for SHGs is claimed by southern States. Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala account for 75% to 80% of the money provided by banks for supporting SHGs. Strong SHG network is a phenomena seen in south India and it is a challenge for us to make it pan-India feature, he said. The valedictory session of the two-day colloquium on Micro-finance and Livelihoods on the theme of Enabling Poor, Impacting Lives was also addressed by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) chairman Prakash Bakshi, who called for a change in the role of SHGs with the changing external environment.

Later in the day, Mr. Ramesh held a meeting with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. He told Mr. Gehlot that Rs.8,000 will now be given instead of Rs.3,200 to poor families in Rajasthan for constructing toilets under a sanitation programme. Both leaders also discussed issues related with rural development and panchayati raj at the meeting in which senior State officials were also present. PTI Economists see a new role for micro-finance Special Correspondent adds: Micro-finance practitioners and financial experts participating in the colloquium threw new light on micro-credit, SHGs and marketing of products and services as crucial factors for chartering the course from micro-finance to livelihood promotion for lakhs of poor households across the country. Experts made important suggestions for expanding the SHG movement from savings and credit operations to creation of sustainable livelihood opportunities through some ground-breaking initiatives. The two-day colloquium was organised jointly by Jaipur-based Centre for Micro Finance (CMF) in collaboration with Rajasthan Gramin Ajeevika Vikas Parishad. Eminent economist and Rajasthan State Planning Board Deputy Chairman V. S. Vyas, who inaugurated the event, said the nationalisation of banks in 1969 had prompted them to address the needs of the rural poor and created an atmosphere leading to inclusive banking. Describing credit as a potent instrument for development and poverty alleviation, he emphasised the need to graduate from micro-finance to livelihoods.c Sir Ratan Tata Trust secretary F.J. Gandavia said the Mumbai-based Sir Ratan Tata Trust was supporting the livelihood promotion activities for the past 10 years and suggested that clusters and federations of SHGs be formed in the rural areas to get better results of their activities. Centre for Microfinance chairman Anil K. Khandelwal said the potential of the SHG sector was very high and it could revolutionise the entire concept of poverty alleviation at the grassroots. He said the quality of SHGs should be improved and attention shifted from merely increasing their number.