An orientation workshop for the Panchayat Raj institution and Urban Local Body members was organized here today to acquaint them about the decentralised policy for procurement of supplementary nutrition for Anganwadi Centres under the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) Scheme.District Development Commissioner, Rajinder Singh Tara, chaired the event.The workshop was organised by Department of social welfare to train and sensitize the Sarpanches, Municipal members, Supervisors and Anganwari workers about their role in the new procurement policy.The policy aims at to bring transparency and accountability in the procurement of supplementary nutrition for ICDS centres.The workshop was also attended by ACD, Kishore Singh Katoch; DSWO, Tariq Qazi; Chairman Municipal Council Kishtwar, Riyaz Ahmed Zargar; CDPOs, Sarpanches, Supervisors and other concerned officers and officials.In his address, the DDC directed the Local Procurement Committees to ensure procurement of nutrition items strictly as per recipe and menu formulated by the Recipe Committee for all Anganwadi Centres.He further directed them to procure all items preferably from Co-operative Stores, fixed Price Shops or Registered Local Shopkeepers on the rates not exceeding those notified by FCS&CA department.
It is pertinent to mention here that the new procurement policy has been framed to facilitate delegation of powers to the Panchayati Raj Institutions and urban local bodies. The revised policy provides for procurement of the supplementary nutrition at Panchayat halqa level and Municipal Ward level. The DDC further asked the CDPOs to ensure that report regarding monthly physical verification of the available stock is received from the Supervisors, so that corrective action, if any required, shall be taken on time.He further impressed upon the officers and officials of the social welfare department to work in tandem with the PRIs so as to bring transparency and overall improvement in providing nutritional facilities to children at the Anganwadi Centres.Earlier, Sarpanches sought proper functioning of Anaganwari Centres, adequate accommodation for Anganwadi Centres, opening of new Anganwadi Centres and filling of vacant posts of Anganwadi workers and helpers.The DDC assured that their genuine demands and suggestions would be considered for improving functioning of Anganwadi Centres.
