CAG report criticises poor implementation of ICDS scheme in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Controller of Auditor General (CAG) of India report tabled in Odisha assembly on Saturday criticised the poor implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme in the state.

The broad objective of the scheme is to bridge the nutritional gap in children up to 6 years of age through supplementary nutritional programme and other health services to pregnant women. But the percentage of utilisation of funds in the scheme varied between 63 and 77 against the budgetary provisions during 2011 to 2016. During this period, Rs 1,239.23 crore had been utilised due to improper estimates of beneficiaries, non-filling up of posts and non-utilisation of unspent balances of the previous years lying with the field functionaries, the report stated.

In seven out of eight districts, Rs 1.277 crore has been found unutilised by the district social welfare officers as of March 2016, which was not monitored by the women and child development department, it said.

Besides, the report highlighted shortage of 660 fire stations in the state against the requirement of 840.

However, the state’s GSDP increased by 15.6 per cent, from Rs 3,09,807 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 3,32,329 crore in 2015-16, the report added.