Ensure milk, eggs are supplied in prescribed quantity in anganwadis, says SHRC

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the director of Women and Child Development (WCD) department to implement the guidelines issued for effective implementation of Poshaka Balyam in anganwadis.

Commission chairman Alexander Thomas’ order came following a complaint that milk and eggs were not distributed in appropriate quantities in anganwadis under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Thiruvananthapuram Urban III project office. Anganwadi workers and assistants in the Thiruvananthapuram Urban administration had filed the complaint.

Poshaka Balyam is an ongoing scheme of the State government to provide milk and eggs to anganwadi-going children twice a week.

The commission had requested a report from the WCD director on the matter. The director informed the commission that according to the circular published on May 20, 2022, the child should be given 125 ml of milk. However, in the Anganwadi where the complaint arose, milk was not being distributed in the stipulated quantity. In some Angwadis, even if there were more than four children, they were given only 500 ml of milk. According to the WCD director’s report, Anganwadis have been instructed to strictly comply with the circular.