A performance audit for the year 2012-13 of the Central government-sponsored Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS, estb.1975) in Gujarat tabled in the legislative assembly on October 3, has embarrassed the three-term chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party’s officially anointed 2014 prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. In his audit report, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) observes that one of three children below age five in the state is underw-eight and suffering severe malnutrition.
The objective of ICDS introduced by the Centre in 1975, is to address the problem of widespread malnutrition among children aged three-six; adoles-cent girls (11-18 years), and expectant and lactating mothers. Wholly funded by the Centre for over three decades, 10 percent of the cost was passed onto the states in 2008-09. Under the scheme, supplementary nutrition, immunisation, health check-ups and health education besides informal education is given to beneficiaries in 1.04 million anganwadi centres established countrywide.
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The report is a major embarrassment for Modi, who has emerged as the front-runner in the race for the PMO (prime minister’s office) next year. Particularly since the Gujarat model of industry-led development is a major plank of his — and the BJP’s — election campaign which is gathering momentum. Two months ago, a Committee for Evolving a Composite Development Index chaired by former IMF economist Dr. Raghuram Rajan, prior to his being appointed chairman of the Reserve Bank of India in September, had classified Gujarat as a “less developed” state on the basis of its weak socio-economic indicators.
According to the CAG report, the total number of eligible citizens deprived of ICDS benefits in Gujarat (pop. 60 million) aggregates 10.87 million, and the shortfall in providing subsidiary nutrition to children under five was 96 (out of 300) days. “Against the requirement of 75,480 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), 52,137 were sanctioned and 50,225 were in operation in the state, thereby a population of 1.87 crore (10.87 million) was deprived of the benefits of ICDS,” notes the CAG report, which also highlighted the lack of basic amenities (building, safe drinking water and toilets) in 9-40 percent of AWCs in eight audited districts.
“There cannot be more damning evidence of Modi’s misrule than this authen-tication by a constitutional watchdog agency. Modi’s so-called development model is a mirage created through massi-ve advertising at state exp-ense,” crows Shankersinh Vaghela, leader of the opposition in the state’s legislative assembly.
However, the state’s finance minister Nitin Patel disputes Vaghela’s interpretation of the CAG report “which highlights some errors in implement-ation”. According to Patel, there’s been a sharp fall in child malnutrition from 63.4 percent in 2007 to 25.9 percent in 2013. “Gujarat with 27 percent of under-nourished children compares favourably with the nation’s average of 36 percent and 32.69 percent in neighbouring Rajasthan,” says Patel.
Although modi has emerged a clear favourite of India Inc in the post May 2014 prime ministerial stakes, there’s no doubt that on socio-economic development indicators, Modi’s long tenure (2001-2013) hasn’t made much impact. After over a decade in power, 42.7 percent of homes in Gujarat lack sanitation and 17,281 AWCs lack proper drinking water facilities while 18,321 aren’t equipped with toilets for children. “During field visits of AWCs of selected projects, it was observed that though there were a few exceptions of well maintained AWCs, most of them were functioning in congested space, kutcha buildings and cattle sheds,” says the CAG report.
Curiously even though the Modi-led state government seems unable to mobilise the resources required to upgrade Gujarat’s 50,225 AWCs, he clearly anticipates no problem in funding construction of the proposed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Statue of Unity, which on completion will be the world’s tallest (182 metres) statue sited on a rocky island facing the Sardar Sarovar dam. Price tag: Rs.2,063 crore.
R.K. Misra (Gandhinagar)