Submit status report on ICDS implementation: Gauhati HC to Assam govt

Guwahati: The Gauhati high court on Thursday directed the state govt to submit a detailed status report on the implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in the state.

The bench of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury also directed the govt to apprise it whether there is any region in the state where there are no Anganwadi centres, as per the population norms, and whether the nutrients and food items are being supplied to the Anganwadi centres to be disbursed to the needy.

The court was hearing a petition filed by a final year law student, Barasha Thakuria, seeking judicial intervention to address the “systemic failure of the agencies in implementing the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme as also the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA).”

The petitioner stated that no implementation or, at best, faulty implementation of the ICDS scheme directly was leading to malnutrition and health risks in a large measure among marginalized women and children, who required immediate help.

The petitioner prayed the court for a direction to the authorities for immediate implementation of the ICDS scheme, setting up of Anganwadi centres, as per population norms, and making provisions for free meals and nutritional support to the vulnerable groups.

“Under such circumstances, we direct the state of Assam, through the Women and Child Development department, as also the Panchayat and Rural Development department, to apprise this Court as to the current or present status of the implementation of the ICDS scheme, meaning thereby that this Court should be informed whether there has been a rational rolling out of the scheme under the Act, referred to above, for the benefit of the vulnerable groups,” the order stated.