CAG report on Gujarat's ICDS scheme flags low weight of infants, low anganwadi numbers

Gandhinagar: A report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on performance audit of the implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme in Gujarat flagged low weight of infants, asserting the figure of 11.63 per cent in 2022-23 was way above the target of 2 per cent per annum as per National Nutrition Mission guidelines.

The performance audit also found a shortage of 16,045 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in the state, with 1,299 AWCs (2.45 per cent) having no toilets and 1,032 AWCs (1.95 per cent) lacking water facilities.

The report, which was tabled in the assembly on Friday, also highlighted under-registration of pregnant women (PW) and inadequate antenatal and postnatal services.

The performance audit of 'Implementation of Integrated Child Development Services Scheme; was conducted through a test-check of the records of Women and Child Development Department, Health and Family Welfare Department, the Commissionerate of Women and Child Development Department as well as field-level implementing units like offices of the District Programme Officers, Child Development Project Officers and Anganwadi Centres, covering the period from 2015-23.

In Gujarat, the ICDS scheme is being implemented by the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department through a network of 53,029 AWCs, which serve an estimated population of 5.53 crore people as of March 2023, the report said.

"The percentage of low-birth-weight infants decreased from 12.33 per cent (2017-18) to 11.63 per cent in 2022-23. However, the department is yet to achieve the target of reducing the proportion of low birth-weight newborns by 2 per cent per annum as per the National Nutrition Mission (NNM) guidelines of 2017," the report said.

The audit identified a shortage of 16,045 AWCs in the state, it said.

"The average number of enrolled children (zero to six years of age) from 2015-16 to 2022-23 was 40.34 lakh against 77.77 lakh children as per Census 2011. The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme fell short in providing preschool education (PSE) to 18.79 per cent of children aged from three to six years enrolled in AWCs during the period from 2015 to 2023," the report stated.

The report said pregnant women registered with the state health department was much higher than under the ICDS scheme.

"During the period 2015-23, a total of 108.31 lakh P&LMs (pregnant and lactating mothers) were registered with the state health department for availing various health services. Out of these 108.31 lakh beneficiaries, 61.66 lakh beneficiaries were also registered under the ICDS scheme for Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) at the AWC level," it said.

The audit also assessed the adequacy of AWCs buildings and essential infrastructure within the department, the report said, adding that of the total 53,029 AWCs in the state, 3,381 were operating from temporary structures and 30 were located in open spaces.

"Additionally, 8,452 AWCs had dilapidated buildings, indicating that the WCD Department is yet to ensure safe and secure pukka AWC buildings for service delivery under the scheme. None of the AWCs, including those built between 2015 and 2023, met the specified requirement of a covered area of 600 square feet per 30 children, leading to overcrowding," the report pointed out.

"In the state 1,299 AWCs (2.45 per cent) had no toilets, and 1,032 AWCs (1.95 per cent) lacked drinking water facilities. Additionally, in 2019-20, the WCD Department released grants of Rs 200.13 lakh to 11 districts for construction of ramps with railings for easy accessibility for children with disabilities at 807 AWCs, of which only 220 AWCs (27.26 per cent) had constructed ramp facilities (as of September 2024," the report said.

During visits to 99 selected AWCs, it was observed that cooking and serving utensils, storage facilities for Take-Home Ration (THR) packets, growth measurement devices and medicine kits were lacking, it added.

"Inadequate storage facilities in several AWCs resulted in contamination of Take-Home Ration packets by rodents in 11 AWCs. Inefficient pest control measures compounded this issue," the report said.

The audit report also found that grants were unused for anganwadi centres.

"In seven of eight selected districts and 12 out of 22 selected blocks, a substantial amount of Rs 242.39 crore remained unspent as of March 2023. These funds were held in the Personal Ledger Accounts of District Development Officers and Taluka Development Officers," the report said while recommending that the state government develop a strategic plan for anganwadi centre networks.

The state government must conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current AWC network, and develop a strategic plan that outlines clear targets for establishing new AWCs and upgrading existing ones, along with timelines and resource allocation, the report suggested.