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Centre likely to increase grant for anganwadi meals

Following these demands, the Ministry has now sent a proposal to the Cabinet for a possible hike in the subsidiary grant for meals served in anganwadi centres. The proposal, sent in June 2017, is likely to have bagged a nod.

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The Centre is likely to increase the grant for anganwadi meals after demands from several state departments were received by the Ministry of Women and Child Development over the last few months.

Following these demands, the Ministry has now sent a proposal to the Cabinet for a possible hike in the subsidiary grant for meals served in anganwadi centres. The proposal, sent in June 2017, is likely to have bagged a nod.

Currently, the Centre spends Rs 6 on every meal on schoolchildren that come under the integrated child development services (ICDS) scheme. Further, it spends Rs 7 per meal on women covered by the scheme, and Rs 9 on malnourished children. The government is looking at a hike of a at least of Rs 2 in each category.

The matter was brought to fore again at the meetings of the Empowered Programme Committee (EPC) in May and June 2017. Demand for a hike was also put forward by National Conference of Secretaries held in May.

The Centre has also granted the construction of over 1 lakh anganwadi centres in 2017.

In a communication that the WCD ministry sent to the principal secretaries of all states and union territories on July 17, the Centre asked the states to carry out physical verification of these beneficiaries. "All the states/UTs the number must immediately undertake a head count of the beneficiaries so that the number of ghost beneficiaries is eliminated," read the statement. "States are also advised to tap the funds for providing toilet and drinking water facilities in AWCs under CSR activities, Swachchh Bharat Kosh and Panchayati Raj institutions."

Interestingly, the letter also warned that the Centre will carry out surprise checks on anganwadis. "The ministry will be undertaking surprise checks at the anganwadi level in states/UTs throughout the year and any short-coming found in the system of feeding the beneficiaries shall lead to curtailment to state grants (sic)," it read.

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