Strongly protests the order of Bihar government to proceed with DBT
Calls upon the anganwadi workers to boycott the opening/linking of bank accounts of beneficiaries
All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH) demands the immediate withdrawal of order No ICDS/40025/06-2018/2190 dated 23 May 2018 of Directorate of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Social Welfare Department, Bihar government to open child account (zero balance) in Axis Bank within a week for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of supplementary nutrition.
Clearly this is as part of the Government of India's move to introduce DBT in supplementary nutrition in ICDS. This is against the food security act and the direction of the Supreme Court.
This will sabotage the integrated approach for child development and efforts to counter the alarming levels of malnutrition in our country. This will affect more than 8 crore children under six and nearly 2 crore pregnant women and lactating mothers. It is shocking that the government of India is not ready to withdraw this move in spite of the expert opinions against it, the opposition from all quarters and the clear evidence of failure of DBT in various schemes.
In Bihar where the malnutrition is rampant and the ICDS is suffering from severe resource crunch due to the budget cuts of the government's it will lead to the dismantling of ICDS.
AIFAWH calls upon all anganwadi workers of the country to stop the linking/opening of bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
We call upon all organisations of beneficiaries, organisations who work for food security and child rights and all concerned individuals to oppose the move of DBT in ICDS and such schemes.
AIFAWH calls upon its state units to immediately to take up the issue and organise local mobilisations and burning of effigy of the government of India and state governments which are going ahead with DBT on 1-7 June 2018.
AIFAWH demand day on 10 July 2018 will see the biggest ever mobilisation of anganwadi workers and helpers to save ICDS.
A R Sindhu
General Secretary
AIFAWH
