The Delhi women and child development (WCD) minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Thursday found “irregularities” in the distribution of ‘take-home ration’, during a surprise inspection of households covered by the government’s integrated child development scheme (ICDS).
The minister has ordered an audit of all anganwadi centres, which are responsible for the distribution of ration to children and pregnant and lactating women. According to the scheme, each child beneficiary is entitled to 1,300gm of dalia, 260gm of black gram (raw), 130gm of jaggery and 130gm of roasted black gram. Each pregnant woman gets 1,690gm of dalia, 260gm of black gram (raw), 130gm of jaggery and 130gm of roasted black gram.
Thursday’s inspection found that several beneficiaries were not getting the ration in the prescribed quantities.
“Irregularities were found in the quantity of ration distributed to beneficiaries. We are carrying out a door-to-door inspection of each beneficiary. I have ordered an audit of all anganwadi centres and payments to the agencies concerned will be stopped until the report comes. Strictest possible action will be taken against those found guilty,” Gautum said.
He along with officials from the WCD department had on Thursday inspected areas such as Tarzan Camp, Narela, Rohini sector-24, JJ Colony Bawana and Sanjay Basti in Timarpur assembly constituency.
The purpose of the inspection was to check the implementation of the ICDS scheme. There were several complaints from beneficiaries about irregularities in the quantity of ration received, said a statement issued by the minister’s office on Thursday evening.
While the take-home ration was being distributed in proper quantities in most places, in Narela, it was found that only 15% of the entitled ration was being distributed. Besides similar complaints were received from Seemapuri assembly constituency, it said.
