Question : Integrated Child Development Scheme

whether the Government has taken note that many children from marginalised and poor households have dropped out of schools due to financial losses and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the initiatives/steps taken or being taken by her Ministry to address this issue;
(c) whether the budget for various schemes specially under Integrated Child Development Scheme has been cut down this year after clubbing it under one umbrella scheme and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps taken by the Government to ensure the reduced budget has no adverse effect on the vulnerable sections of the society?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) & (b) : In order to prevent drop outs, lower enrolments and loss of learning, the Ministry of Education has issued guidelines for identification, smooth admission process and continued education of marginalised children on 13th July, 2020, inter-alia, requesting the States to identify and enrol all such children without any procedural formalities and maintain a database of children so admitted.
Further, to ensure that children have access to education with quality and equity and to minimize the impact of the pandemic on school education in the country, Ministry of Education has shared guidelines dated 7th January, 2021 with all States to identify out of school children in the age group of 6-18 years, conducting enrolment drives and awareness generation, student support while schools are closed, continued education for children with Special Needs (CWSN), student support on school reopening and Teacher capacity building.

(c) & (d) – For the year 2020-21, the Budget allocation for the Schemes comprising Anganwadi Services, POSHAN Abhiyan and Scheme for Adolescent Girls was Rs.24,482 crore. In 2021-22, after rationalization, these three schemes have been clubbed and named as ‘Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0’ having budgetary provision of Rs. 20,105.00 crore. A robust ICT enabled platform named Poshan Tracker has been designed to capture real time data on implementation and monitoring of Anganwadi Services across the country. This would help in close monitoring of the activities of the Anganwadi Centre, Anganwadi Workers and other beneficiaries. Additional funds, if required, would be sought at R.E stage from Ministry of Finance.

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