Seeks suggestions, views from stakeholders
SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 03: The
Social Welfare Department has decided to adopt alternate Best Practices/Models
for procurement of nutrition items under Integrated Child Development Scheme
(ICDS) to ensure that the supplies to Anganwadi centres are made in a
time-bound manner and quality of procured items is guaranteed.
“Keeping in view the prevailing mechanism of procurement of nutrition
items under ICDS and prevalent bottle-necks due to nexus of various actors,
litigations and with an aim to ensure quality of nutrition items
procured, Social Welfare Department intends to adopt some other Best
Practices/Models by dispensing with existing model so that the supplies at
Anganwadi levels in a time bound manner are ensured and quality of procurement
items guaranteed,” said a notification issued by the Director Finance, Social
Welfare Department.
It said the
change-over is in tune with the Supreme Court directions calling for
universalization of procurement in a time bound manner through de-centralized
procedure by eliminating involvement of contractors and encouraging engagement
of local Self-Help Groups and MahilaMandals in supply and distribution process.
It said, however, before switchover to any new model, the stakeholders
are requested to furnish their comments/views, in writing to Director Finance,
Social Welfare Department, Civil Secretariat, Srinagar at email at: socialwelfare.admn@gmail.com within 15
days enabling the department to work out modalities/broad contours of any of
the models for future procurement. “Once the views of Stakeholders are
received and crystalized, broad contours of the new model shall be formulated
and notified,” it said.
The proposed alternative procurement models are available on official
website of the Social Welfare Department at wwvv.jksocialwelfare.nic.in.
Giving a brief overview of the proposed models, the notification said
that Model-I also called Odisha Model involves local procurement by
Anganwadi Workers, except rice and wheat, to reduce the chances of pilferage
during transportation. The system has been designed in a manner that allows
greater involvement of community in actual implementation.
If adopted, under
this Model items like, Rice, Sugar and possibly Pulses
(Channa&Moongi) can be procured through Department of Food Supplies
and Consumer Affairs and the remaining items are proposed to be purchased
locally by constituting a small committee at Anganwadi Level. The proposed
committee may comprise of Anganwadi Worker, a teacher from the nearest
Government School and a representative of Panchayat Raj/institution to be
nominated by Panchayat Raj Institute concerned. The committee shall purchase
the items locally after ascertaining the genuineness of the rates and quality
of the items to be procured.
As per the
Model-II, the procurement can be de-centralized to District Level Committees
with the only change that the committees headed by the Deputy Commissioner or
District Programme Officer of the concerned district. The Deputy Commissioners
are always busy in varied Administrative issues so they do not have enough time
to participate in this procurement process and District Programme Officer is
always a senior officer of the rank of Additional Deputy Commissioner as such
he may be the Chairman of the Committee in absence of Deputy Commissioner. The
other members of the Committee may be Chief Accounts Officer of the concerned
District Fund Office, General Manager, DIC concerned, District Social Welfare
Officer and Assistant Director, Food and Supplies. CDPO headquarter and Chief
Medical Officer. The committee shall be asked to complete the procurement
process as per the guidelines/timelines fixed by Government from time to time. The
committee shall ensure quality of the nutrition items after applying proper
checks and balances required for the purpose.
Under Model-III
government may tie up with leading NGOs to provide cooked and hygienic meals in
consonance with the requirement of the beneficiaries. This method of providing
nutrition can be applied on pilot basis in any two plain districts of the state
like Jammu and Samba in the first instance.
There could be some other models which will be considered by the
Department to bring transparency and accountability in the system.