NEW DELHI: The cabinet committee on economic affairs (
CCEA
) chaired by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved an increase in cost norms for supplementary nutrition provided at
anganwadi centres to children, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers under the Integrated Child Development Scheme.
The CCEA has approved an increase in the per day cost per beneficiary from Rs 6 to Rs 8 for children between six months to three years and from Rs 7 to Rs 9.5 for pregnant women and lactating mothers. For severely malnourished children, the cost has been revised from Rs 9 to Rs 12.5.
Meanwhile, the ministry of women and child development is also studying the feasibility of shifting to direct benefit transfers for supplementary nutrition for children under three in place of feeding them at anganwadis as the current practice is.
Asked if there was such a plan, WCD secretary
Rakesh Srivastava at a press briefing after the Cabinet meet said, “The matter is under consideration of the ministry but no decision has been taken yet. A decision will be taken soon.”
Under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), children between six months to three years are supposed to get a nutritious morning snack as well as a hot-cooked meal at an
anganwadi centre, while pregnant women, lactating mothers and severely malnourished children are entitled to take home rations.
As per the Cabinet decision on Wednesday there is also a revision in cost norms for nutrition provided to adolescent girls between the age of 11-14 years from Rs 5 to Rs 9.5 under the Sabla scheme. The scheme targets adolescent girls and provides them nutrition as well as education in life skills.
“The rates were fixed in 2012 but since then the consumer price index has increased. The revision in costs will make it easier for us to provide food as the prices of raw materials have increased,” the WCD secretary said. The revision of rates will lead to an additional expenditure of Rs 12,000 crore over the next three years. The Cabinet also approved an annual cost indexation for increase in rates in the future.
There are 13.55 lakh centres across the country and 983.42 lakh beneficiaries.