By IANS,
Patna: The Supreme Court-appointed commissioner monitoring implementation of food-related schemes, Harsh Mander Friday asked the Bihar government to plan further expansion of shelters for the homeless in the state.
Mander said the government should set up shelters with all facilities like safe drinking water, toilets, common kitchen at appropriate places. “Separate shelters for women and children are very much needed,” he said.
In discussions with top government officials here, Mander suggested a small workshop on this issue with experts on infrastructure, and said funds from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) should be used for the shelters.
He said mapping of the area where old men and women or the destitute are living should be done as early as possible.
Appreciating the measures taken by the government in implementation of social welfare schemes like integrated child development scheme, mid-day meal scheme, the public distribution system, Mander said there was still a lot to be done to ensure benefits of these schemes reached the whole population.
Regarding the corruption in the Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS), Mander said funds for the scheme were embezzled by officials concerned, which is a matter of grave concern.
An official present during discussions said that actions are being taken against culprits.
A state adviser to Mander raised the issue of corruption in ICDS in the state’s Araria district where a survey and public hearing by the local administration is being conducted.
It is estimated that approximately Rs.24,000 to Rs.48,000 per ICDS centre every year is siphoned off, he said.
The adviser also suggested a joint enquiry of state government officials and representative of the Supreme Court Commissioners should be constituted to find out if there is any social discrimination among children in the mid-day meal programme.
More than half of Bihar’s 10.5 crore population is malnourished, while 70 percent of women and children below the poverty line (BPL) are anaemic.
“About 55 percent of the population is malnourished and 70 percent women and children below the poverty line are anaemic,” said a report by the adviser.
According to state government estimates, Bihar has 1.45 crore BPL families. However, the central government puts the figure at 65 lakh.
The report said that drought and floods have further aggravated the situation, with farmers and landless workers being forced to migrate to the cities to find work.