Skip to main content

Samerth study points towards poor state of Integrated Child Development Scheme in Gujarat's minority area

Counterview Desk
A study by Samerth, a non-government organisation working among the backward sections of Muslim population in Ahmedabad, has found that there is not just a tremendous shortage of anganvadis among the minority pockets, especially in the Juhapura area, but also whatever anganvadis operate they are extremely poorly equipped to take care of small children. Part of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) launched by the Government of India, the areas where the study was carried out had a very high percentage of children, forming about 39.5 per cent of the population.
Even then, the study said, little was being done in the direction of child care. None of the anganvadis maintain the norm of 25 children in students in the age group three to six, with the result that for a population of 2,440 children there should be 100 anganbadis. “At present there are 36 operating”, it says, adding, “Thus, there is a requirement of 64 new anganvadis in the area of study. Close to 1,000 children are completely out of the ICDS programme and this is an alarming number. This also implies that for 60,000-odd population we need 100 anganvadis and therefore for every set of a 600 people population we require one anganvadi."
The survey suggests that eight per cent of the anganvadis do not open regularly, while the average number of children in the anganvadis comes to 40 on an average. On an average 60 per cent of registered children attend regularly, and only 10 per cent of anganbavis have an attendance above 90 per cent. Then, while only 18 per cent provide the healthy meal, 71 per cent falter both with regard to quality and quantity. Also, 18 per cent of the anganvadis do not provide food to pregnant women and lactating mothers, and 37 per cent do not provide healthy meals to adolescent girls.
The study further found that there were no anganvadi which provided toys to children to play with, eight per cent of them do not have the provision of clean drinking water, a whopping 21 per cent do not have the provision of a toilet, 20 per cent have no kitchen equipment, while another 26 per cent access the facility at a private house to cook food.
Samerth carried out the study in order to take a view of the area for getting an idea of the quantity and quality of services available in the areas. The families surveyed were mainly “socially and economically backward communities with professions such as vegetable -- fruit cart, rickshaw driver, painter, snack cart, masonry work, paddle rickshaw puller, garage, car driver, tailor, factory worker, truck driver, household worker, bus conductor, butcher shop, welding work, plumber, job in a supermarket etc”, it said. Also, majority of the population was Muslim and many of them were ravaged by the riots of 2002.
The study observed, “In terms of infrastructure the area has no government water supply or roads. All provisions have been privately constructed. Shady land deals are the norm here and land prices are very high as the mafias make the most of the illiterate and unaware populace. In terms of anganvadis the area does not have adequate number of them, and same is the case in government schools as well. The existing schools have poor facilities when it comes to furniture and teaching aids. Some even have much fewer classrooms than needed.”
The study added, “Anganvadi workers and school teachers were found to be untrained and the communities had little information about the right to education (RTE) Act, one reason why they could not assert the formulation their demands for new anganvadi centres from the government. A lot of peace initiatives needed to be taken as religious fundamentalism has strong roots in the work area. At the same time awareness about female education needs to be continuously spread as the larger proportion of illiterates and dropouts are girls.”

Comments

Anonymous said…
This if not fare! The government should ensure that the development programmes should reach to all the sections of our society including the marginalized.

TRENDING

'Very low rung in quality ladder': Critique of ICMR study on 'sudden deaths' post-2021

By Bhaskaran Raman*  Since about mid-2021, a new phenomenon of extreme concern has been observed throughout the world, including India : unexplained sudden deaths of seemingly healthy and active people, especially youngsters. In the recently concluded Navratri garba celebrations, an unprecedented number of young persons succumbed to heart attack deaths. After a long delay, ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has finally has published a case-control study on sudden deaths among Indians of age 18-45.

SC 'appears to foster' culture of secrecy, does not seek electoral bond details from SBI

By Rosamma Thomas*  In its order of November 2, 2023 on the case of Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India contesting constitutional validity of electoral bonds, the Supreme Court directed all political parties to give particulars of the bonds received by them in sealed covers to the Election Commission of India. SC sought that information be updated until September 2023. 

How national chauvinism 'overtook' sport despite cricketing glory of World Cup 2023

By Harsh Thakor*  The recently-concluded cricket World Cup was a testimony or manifestation of the thrills, intensity, twists and turns in sport and evolution of the game of cricket. It carried on the trend of the World Cups of yesteryears. Possibly, this was the best ever Indian team in a World Cup, and arguably amongst the best ever to contest a World Cup.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Only 12% of schools RTE compliant: Whither 6% budgetary allocation for education?

By Ambarish Rai* Despite Indian state’s commitment of 6% GDP on education, the Finance Minister completely ignored right to education for children and strengthening implementation of RTE Act which makes education a fundamental right in her budget speech . The Right to Education (RTE) Forum, which is a collective of different stakeholders in education, condemns this neglect of a legal entitlement, which is unconstitutional and demand for overall increase in the budget to ensure improvement in learning outcomes and overall enhancement of quality education.

Savarkar in Ahmedabad 'declared' two-nation theory in 1937, Jinnah followed 3 years later

By Our Representative One of the top freedom fighters whom BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi revere the most, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was also a great supporter of the two nation theory for India, one for Hindus another for Muslims, claims a new expose on the man who is also known to be the original proponent of the concept of Hindutva.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

'Ambiguous policy': India late in advocating EVs as energy storage in national grid

By Shankar Sharma*  This is regarding the points raised by the Chief Electricity Authority’s (CEA's) advocacy for usage of electrical vehicles (EVs) as energy storage technology, and few associated issues . An objective reading of what he states should reiterate the enormously growing importance of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in our need to transition to a net-zero carbon scenario for the country.

Is India emulating west, 'using' anti-terror plank to justify state-supported violence?

Fahad Ahmad, Baljit Nagra*  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused India of being involved in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh leader, on Canadian soil. Narendra Modi’s right-wing Hindu nationalist Indian government is defiant and denies involvement. Indian officials have instead admonished Canada for being a “ safe haven ” for Sikh “terrorism,” a pejorative for Sikh self-determination .