Bengal plans to strengthen ICDS programme

The West Bengal government has decided to set up 2,311 more 'Anganwadi' Centres in the state to extend the programme under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
"A decision to this effect has been taken by the state cabinet today. The new Anganwadi Centres will cover 12 districts in the state and incur an additional expense of Rs 26 crore," state's Social Welfare, Women and Child development Minister Sashi Panja said.
The additional expenses would be jointly borne by both the state and the Centre, she said adding that there would be a recruitment of 4622 Anganwadi Workers and 92 supervisors in the state for this extension programme under ICDS project.

"We had made a demand to the Centre for 8,000 more Anganwadi Centres, but received an approval for 2,311 Centres," the minister said.
The 12 districts included - Burdwan, Murshidabad, East Midnapore, North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Bankura, Birbhum, Hooghly, Malda, Nadia, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri, Panja said.
To a question Panja said that the ICDS programme was initiated in 1975 and the erstwhile Left Front government had set up only 19,586 Anganwadi Centres during its 34-year rule.

"But in our 4-year rule, we have set up 19,980 Anganwadi Centres in the state to extend the facilities to a larger section of people aimed at reducing malnutrition among children," the minister said.

To another question, Panja said that the state government had worked out a Rs 3,671 crore plan for the entire ICDS programme during the current year with West Bengal's share of Rs 1525 crore.
However, the Centre has released only Rs 173 crore towards that so far, she rued.