More than 600 Anganwadi Centres found
shut, 1400 officials absent
RAJOURI, MAY 17: District
Administration, Rajouri carried out a surprise check of Anganwadi Centres
across the district except the areas affected by cross-LoC firing in Nowshera
division.
The inspection was carried out by SDMs Tehsildars, Naib
Tehsildars and Patwari. Inspection started at 10.30 am however the officials
were stationed at respective areas without prior information about inspection.
More than 600 Anganwadi centres (AWCs) in district were
found closed while thousands of children enrolled in these centres were absent.
Around 1400 officials engaged in ICDS project were absent from duty. The
day-long exercise further revealed that many AWCs were closed since last one
year and ration had not be supplied to many centres.
In Koteranka out of 214 AWCs only 84 were found open while
130 were closed. In the AWCs found open only 82 officials were present while
132 were absent. Likewise only 99 children were present in these centres
against 135 absent. Tehsildar Koteranka Mohammad Rafiq inspected 18 AWCs all of
which were found closed. SDM Koteranka Gopal Sharma inspected 3 anganwadi
centres out of which 2 were reported to be closed since last 1 year and no
nutrition provided to children enrolled.
Tehsildar Manjakote reported that out of 152 AWCs only 39
were found functioning however only 31 officials were present against staff of
more than 80. Out of 501 children enrolled in these centres 357 were reported
to be absent. In Tehsil Siot all 25 AWCs were found open however 2 officials
were absent. In Darhal Tehsil 73 AWCs were found functioning.
In Tryath tehsil 04 AWCs were reported to be functioning
against a total number of 54 centres. Tehsildar Kalakote reported that 60 out
of 64 AWWCs were found functioning while 18 officials were reported to be
absent. SDM Kalakote inspected 3 AWCs where out of 64 children only 12 were
found present while 4 officials were absent. In Sunderbani 6 officials were
found absent while one centre was reported to be closed. In Tehsil Beripattan 1
centre was closed while 3 officials were absent.
In Tehsil Rajouri including city area most of the Anganwadi
centres were closed. Presence of children in open centres was less than 25% of
overall enrolment. In 7 wards 26 out of 42 AWCs were found closed.
Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary who
planned this district wide surprise inspections has asked the SDMs and CDPOs to
come up with details of absentees and irregularities in functioning of AWCs for
initiating action. He said the district administration will take steps for
linking of AWCs with primary schools to ensure presence of ICDS officials and
avoiding suspected double enrolment of children in AWCs and schools. It will
also help in strengthening the pre-school education system in district. Many
officials are being placed under suspension and proceeded against
departmentally for these grave irregularities.
