27 complaints of irregularities in ICDS scheme

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has received 27 complaints of irregularities in distribution and management of supplementary nutrition programme under the Integrated Child Development Scheme during the last one year.
The highest number of complaints were reported from Uttar Pradesh --11, Maharashtra reported four, three from Rajasthan, two each from Chhattisgarh and Bihar and one each from Delhi, Assam, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, Minister of Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath said in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
The Ministry had forwarded the complaints to the respective state governments for action and report. Report in one case has since been received.

As the ICDS is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented by the states and UTs, the latter are responsible for the procurement, preparation and distribution of supplementary nutrition, the Minister said.
Any complaint of corruption, irregularity or black marketeering in this regard received by the Centre is referred to the concerned states and UTs for action and report.
As per the feeding norms of Supplementary Nutrition programme, children aged between 6 months to 3 months are to be given take home ration (THR) in the form of micronutrient fortified food or energy dense food and morning snack and hot cooked meal which contains 500 calories and 12-15 gm protein.

Severely under-weight children in the same category are given THR in small frequent meals which contains 800 calories and 20-25 gms of protein.
Pregnant and lactating mothers under the scheme are given THR containing 600 calories and 18-20 gm of protein.