Mrs Geeta Bhukal plea to centre to enhance one time grant for AWCs

by Haryananewswire (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, SEPT 13

The Haryana Education Minister Mrs. Geeta Bhukkal has urged the Central Government to enhance the one time grant being given to set up Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and revise the rate to rent to hire buildings for AWC. She also stressed the need to  bring in strict regulation or legislation to control easy purchase of acid so as to check increasing number of acid attacks on women.
  Mrs. Bhukkal was speaking at a two-day Conference of State Ministers in-charge of Women and Child Development which began in New Delhi today. She said that this conference would provide forum at the National level for focusing attention on the important issues pertaining to women, children and adolescent girls.

          She suggested that the rent of hiring of building for Anganwadi
Centre was fixed by Central Government at a rate of Rs. 200 for
rural area and Rs. 750 for urban areas which was very less and keeping
in view the rising rates of rent, the rate needs to be revised. She urged the Central Government to enhance the one time grant being given to set up AWCs from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 15,000 per AWC and repeat the grant after every five years.

        Mrs. Bhukkal also urged the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development to restore the release of funds for the construction of buildings of Anganwadi Centre (AWC) on 75:25 sharing basis. She said that the Central Government was providing funds for the construction of buildings of AWC  from the year 2003-04 but since, 2005 it has stopped release of fundsfor the same. From the year 2005-06, the State Government wasimplementing this scheme out of its own resources and through NABARD loan. Funds to the tune of Rs. 140 crore including Rs.16 crore of NABARD loan have been released for the construction of buildings for 3335 AWCs. Due to limited resources of the State Government it was not possible to provide all 25,699 AWCs their own constructed buildings. The scheme of construction of buildings of Anganwadi Centres was started during the year 2002-03 with an objective to provide clean and peaceful
environment to children and women beneficiaries of Integrated Child
Development Services (ICDS) and other related schemes at village level
and to create assets for them. AWC is not merely an AWC but a focal
point for village women where they can feel themselves free and can
discuss freely.

Also, the present norms for the PSE kit
per AWC should also be increased from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 5,000.  Mrs.
Bhukkal said that posts of  Assistants and Statistical Assistants 
might be allowed in all projects as Central Government has started
several new schemes and present staff is overburdened with the work.
As per recent instructions of Central Government only one post either
of Assistant or Statistical Assistant has been allowed.
Lauding the efforts made by the State Government under the leadership
of Chief Minister Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Mrs. Bhukkal said that
the State has brought the schemes of Women and Child Development
Department on the centre stage of development. The State Government
has stressed for the empowerment and socio-economic development of
the women in the State. The Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) scheme was being implemented in 148
ICDS projects including 21 urban projects with the network of 25699
Anganwadi Centers.  She said that Rs.15.98  crore have been released
to six districts for the construction of 188 Anganwadi buildings under
NABARD assisted Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) during
the year 2012-13. Apart from this, the State Government has spent
Rs.12256.75 lakh to construct 2890 Anganwadi Buildings from March,
2005 to June, 2012.

Mrs. Bhukkal said that the State Government was implementing
Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) since April, 2010 under
which various schemes for children in need of care and protection and
for juvenile in conflict with law were being covered. The Programme
was being implemented through Haryana State Child Protection Society
and State Project Unit.At the district level the District Child
Protection Society (DCPS) and District Child Protection Committee had
been constituted under the Chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner.
Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committees have also been
constituted under JJ Act. About 95 Shelter or Children Homes are being
run by various private organizations and individuals in Haryana State.
The Minister said that for ensuring protection and care of children in
Child Care Institutions, the State government has taken various steps
like security mechanisms for protection of children in Child Care
Institutions, Welfare and Development of Children, Sensitization and
Capacity Building Programme for Stakeholders and Registration of Child
Care Institutions. The State is dedicated to provide such children a
congenial and secure environment for their growth and progress.The
State Government has zero tolerance to incidents of exploitation of
children and strict legal action would be taken against the persons
alleged to be involved in perpetration, facilitation of crime against
women and children.Mrs. Bhukkal said that the State Government has implemented various other schemes for ensuring the socio-economic development of women and also to uplift the status of girl child in the family and the society. For the empowerment and welfare of women and children in the State, the State Government has also instituted various awards like State Level Awards for Women, Sex Ratio Awards, Awards to Rural Adolescent Girls, Best Mother Award and Nutrition Award for Improvement in Nutritional Status. Apart from this, education loan to girls or women
at five per cent interest subsidy per annum was being provided to
encourage girls to pursue their higher education at graduate, post
-graduate, doctoral or Post-doctoral level in the country and abroad.