Leh 10 : The Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brigadier (Dr) BD Mishra (Retd) and Commissioner/Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Smt Padma Angmo, IIS, virtually attended the review meeting on centrally sponsored schemes and ongoing initiatives with concerned Ministers, Governors/Lieutenant Governors of States/UTs by the Ministry for Women and Child Development (WCD) chaired by Hon’ble Minister, WCD, Smt Annpurna Devi.
At the outset, the Hon’ble Minister, WCD, Smt Annpurna Devi thanked the Government of India for increasing the budget allocation for the Ministry of Women and Child Development to Rs 26, 092 crores for the fiscal year 2024-25. She highlighted the successful operation of the central government schemes such as Mission Shakti, Mission Poshan 2.0 and Mission Vatsalya. She stated that the objective of the review meeting is to learn and promote best practices of the states/UTs in the field of welfare and protection of children and women.
Smt Annpurni Devi asked the concerned Ministers/officials of the states/UTs to focus on the Single Nodal Account (SNA) to ensure the proper release and utilisation of funds for the said centrally sponsored schemes. She highlighted the need to raise awareness about the centrally sponsored schemes in all sections of society for the success of the said schemes. She also assured all possible assistance from the Government of India for the success of the schemes.
The HLG apprised the Hon’ble Minister, WCD, of the construction of passive solar, winter-friendly and children with disability-accessible Model Anganwadi Centre, construction of 32 Anganwadi Centres, initiatives taken to fight malnutrition to make Ladakh a zero Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) UT, the distribution of 990 induction stoves to Anganwadi Centres, benefit availed by 2158 pregnant women under Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, operationalisation of four creche-cum-Anganwadi Centres out of six approved for Ladakh, the launch of women helpline and child helpline in Ladakh in 2023, the ongoing construction of Shakti Sadan at Leh and Kargil, operationalisation of One Stop Centres in both districts of Ladakh, holding of workshops on Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act and the constitution of committees in all departments at district level to look into complains of sexual harassment at work place, operation of observation homes under Mission Vatsalya and ongoing construction of winter-friendly 50-bedded observation-cum-special home, coverage of 297 orphans and destitute children in Ladakh under sponsorship schemes of Mission Vatsalya and making government child care institutions accessible for children with disabilities, etc. He also requested the Ministry to approve 50 Saksham Anganwadi Centres for UT Ladakh as proposed by the UT Administration of Ladakh.
The HLG flagged challenges faced by UT Administration such as the construction of Anganwadi Centres or Child Care Institutions through the state budget as construction based on Government of India norms is a challenge due to high construction cost in Ladakh; the need to increase the Rs 100 amount provided per child per day for children in Child Care Institutions as the amount is insufficient to meet their nutritional requirements; the need to take salary component of all functionaries as separate component and states/UTs may be asked to give utilisation certificate separately to expedite the release of the salaries and to meet the Ministry’s requirement of utilisation certificate.
