MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD
DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI KRISHNA TIRATH)
(a), (b), (c), (d), (e) & (f): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a), (b), (c), (d)
&(f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 121 BY SHRI
UDAY SINGH REGARDING DISTRIBUTION OF PACKAGED
FOOD
(a) to (f) UNICEF had procured and supplied Ready to Use Therapeutic
Food (RUTF) called `Plumpy Nut` in the States of Madhya Pradesh (Khalwa
Block) and Bihar (Kosi flood affected areas) between September, 2008-May,
2009, without any request or approval of Government of India and in
contravention of Government guidelines. As soon as the procurement and
distribution of RUTF by UNICEF came to the notice of Government,
UNICEF was confronted for an explanation.
Since, their explanation was not found satisfactory and since the
decision for procurement and distribution of supplies was taken by UNICEF
in an unauthorized manner, UNICEF was conveyed that the mandate on
declaration of emergency in any part of the country rests with the
Government of India and not with the UNICEF. It was, therefore, not correct
for UNICEF to have introduced this new component in contravention of
Government of India Policy on its own. Further, as use of RUTF/Sprinklers
are not accepted policy of the Government of India, any legal implications
arising from this procurement shall rest with the UNICEF and not with the
Government of India. Alongwith, UNICEF was directed to take following
actions:
(i) Ship out the supplies out of the country by 15th June, 2009 and
restore the funds of equivalent value of the RUTF supplies to
GOI-UNICEF India Country Programme for Child Development
and Nutrition 2008-12.
(ii) Put all the activities relating to Child Development and Nutrition
(CDN) on hold (unless otherwise specifically requested by the
Ministry) till all the issues relating to supplies procured under the
CDN Work Plan 2008 are clarified and Annual Work Plan for
2009 is approved.
In compliance of these directions, the UNICEF has reported that the
stocks of RUTF have been sent outside the country and an amount of US
$880,000 has been restored to GOI-UNICEF Country Programme for Child
Development and Nutrition. UNICEF has further assured that Annual State
Work Plans are accordance with their Annual Work Plan for the country.
Further, in order that it does not recur, the following decisions of the
Government of India have been conveyed to the UNICEF.
(a). UNICEF should not act on any request received directly by it from
State Governments. Any request for supplies or activities would be referred
to the concerned Ministry of GOI for a decision under intimation to the
nodal Ministry i.e. Ministry of Women and Child Development. States/UT
Government have also been apprised of this decision of the Government of
India.
(b). UNICEF should, in future, respond to request for Vitamin A
solution by State Governments only after specific clearance by Ministry of
Women and Child Development and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
(c). UNICEF should ensure that State/UT specific Annual Work Plans
are in accordance with the UNICEF Annual Work Plan approved by the
Government of India.
(d). Disbursal of medicines and other health and family welfare related
supplies are to be made under the supervision of the State Health and Family
Welfare Authorities with the knowledge/concurrence of Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare, Government of India.
UNICEF has confirmed discontinuation of use of RUTF and also that
there would be no further imports of the RUTF by UNICEF unless and until
there is an official request from the UNION Government. They have also
assured their full compliance in this regard.
