The Norms for Supplementary Nutrition were earlier revised by the Government of India in 2008-09. As per the revised norms, Rs.4/- per beneficiary, per day, is prescribed for children of 6-72 months, Rs.6/- per beneficiary, per day, for severely malnourished children (6-72 months) and Rs.5/- per beneficiary, per day, for pregnant and nursing mothers.
During the Conference of the State Ministers in-charge of women and child development, held on 28 January 2011 at New Delhi, several States/UTs expressed the need for enhanced rate and for indexation of the cost of supplementary food norms with the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
The Government proposes to strengthen and restructure the ICDS. This will, inter-alia, include indexation of cost with CPI, special focus on pregnant and lactating mothers and children under 3 years for care during pregnancy and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Practices, strong institutional convergence with National Rural Health Mission and Total Sanitation Campaign, particularly, at the district and village levels and development of models for providing flexibility at local levels for community participation.
The honorariam of Anganwadi Workers had been enhanced by Rs.500/- per month on the last honorarium drawn by them and that of Anganwadi Helpers and Workers of Mini-Anganwadi Centres by Rs.250/- per month w.e.f. 1.4.2008. Further enhancement has been announced by the Finance Minister in the Budget Speech of 2011-12 increasing the honoraria of Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers from Rs.1500/- per month to Rs.3000/- per month and Rs.750/- per month to Rs.1500/- per month respectively. This will become effective from April 2011.
This information was given by Smt. Krishna Tirath, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Women and Child Development in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.
