Irani's ministry, NITI to develop system for scheme rollouts by states, UTs

Women and Child Development Ministry and NITI Aayog will prepare a framework for a national plan for states by early next year for better implementation of all central and states policies and programmes, Union minister Smriti Irani said on Thursday.

Irani was speaking at the two-day national conference organised by the WCD Ministry in New Delhi.

Discussions were held on various issues like non-utilization of funds, child care institutions (CCI), implementation of central schemes like mid-day meal, aganwadi, POSHAN, lack of gender specific data, feedback regarding implementation of central schemes for women and children and various constraints faced by WCD departments in states and UTs.

The Women and Child Development Ministry and NITI Aayog will prepare a framework for a national plan for states and union territories by early next year for better implementation of all the central and states policies and programmes, Irani said in a statement.

State secretaries and officials also raised issues concerning their states and districts which require urgent attention of the WCD Ministry.

During a presentation by the health and nutrition advisor in NITI Aayog regarding strategy of New India at 75-Status of Women and Children, it was decided that the issues being faced by women and children cannot be contained only within the Ministry of WCD but other ministries like food and public distribution, health, urban development, law and justice and home may also be actively involved.

The WCD minister urged state governments to ensure and involve officers from all departments for better implementation of legislation and central and state schemes related to women and children.

She said that this national conference is a fine example of cooperative federalism where the Centre and the states have come together to share and adopt best practices or suggestions for the larger welfare of women and children.