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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved extension of the World Bank assisted Integrated Child Development Services Project III / Women & Child Development Project including ICDS Training Programme Project UDISHA by 18 months i.e. from October 1, 2004 to March 31, 2006. Approval for the period from July 1, 2005 to March 31, 2006 would be subject to compliance of conditions stipulated by the World Bank.
The Project will improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age group of 0-6 years; lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of the child; reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school drop-out; achieve effective coordination of policy and implementation amongst the various departments to promote child development; enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutrition and health education; and corresponding reduction in budget for ICDS.
CCEA has authorized the Department of Women & Child Development to strengthen the Central Project Management Unit (CPMU) by appointing five consultants one each in the areas of procurement, finance, IEC/Community mobilization and two for Monitoring. This is aimed at speedy technical advice to the Project States in the areas of procurement, finance and disbursement; strengthening of monitoring mechanism by frequent field visits and progress review meetings; and improved functioning of the CPMU at the central level.
CCEA has also authorized the States/NIPCCD/Project Director to carry out head-wise readjustment of financial limits within the approved overall expenditure for a training programme under UDISHA. This is to ensure speedy liquidation of the training backlogs of ICDS functionaries.
CCEA has also decided to authorize the Department to utilise the savings, if any, in the IDA assistance, by providing for training programmes, civil works, goods & equipment like Adult/Baby-Weighing Scales, Out-door Indoor Play Materials and Computers at the block level, IFA/De-worming Tablets to Adolescent Girls/Pregnant Women, etc., depending upon the requirements of the Project States. This would ensure full utilization of IDA Credit negotiated earlier.
It has also been decided to enhance the Project outlay by Rs.12.67 crore from Rs.1829.61 crore to Rs.1842.28 crore, and thereby Government of India share from Rs.670.00 crore to Rs.682.67 crore.
RK/HS/LV
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