Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, April 22: After being pulled up by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) over poor implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, the state government has decided to withhold salaries of tainted field officials.
The women and child development (W&CD) department has ordered the ICDS supervisors to make regular field visits to Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and submit reports every month.
The government has directed that all ICDS supervisors to visit at least 15 AWCs and mini-AWCs in a month.
“At least two AWCs must be inspected on village health and nutrition day while one centre must be visited on Immunisation Day. Child development project officers (CDPOs) shall not distribute salary of supervisors if they fail to make mandatory 15 visits in a month without valid reason. Withheld salary shall be released, if the officials make up the gap the following month,” W&CD secretary Saswat Mishra wrote to all district social welfare officers (DAWOs) and CDPOs Wednesday.
Mishra further directed the supervisors to visit at least two beneficiaries during each visit including red zone child, wherever available.
“Most of the supervisors do not undertake required number of visits to AWCs. Even when they visit the AWCs, the outcome of their visit remains quite poor. For effective supervision of ICDS activities, we need to ensure that the ICDS supervisors do their duty sincerely and diligently,” Mishra said.
He asked the district officials to randomly select one or more AWCs, recently visited by the supervisors, and then proceed to the selected AWCs.
“In case the report submitted by the supervisor does not rectify AWC functioning (including cross-checking of beneficiary status of at least one beneficiary mentioned in form B), action can be initiated against the supervisor for dereliction of duty,” Mishra said in his directive.
The new system will come into force with effect from May 1.
