CAG pulls up WCD ministry for diversion of ICDS fu

New Delhi: State governments have irregularly diverted funds aggregating to Rs 57.82 crore from the central government`s flagship Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) to activities not permitted under the programme, a CAG audit has found.

In its report on the ICDS for 2012-13, tabled in the Parliament today, the CAG criticised the ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) for "inadequacy" in monitoring systems under the scheme to combat child malnutrition. The report said that in Haryana, Rs 38.6 crore received for supplementary nutrition was diverted during 2006-11 to Ladli scheme, payment of honorarium to anganwadi workers and for purchase of furniture for new anganwadi centres. It said that in Uttar Pradesh during 2008-09, Rs 1 crore received for Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities was diverted to a state-sponsored scheme - `Mahamaya Garib Balika Ashirwad Yojana` for publicity and printing of pamphlets and application forms. The audit also pointed out another instance where Rs 6.08 crore received for IEC activities were diverted for purchase of computers. There was similar diversion of funds by Odisha, Karnataka and Rajasthan, the report said and recommended that funds should be utilised as per guidelines and that there should be no diversion of funds meant for a particular scheme. Pointing out more irregularities, the CAG audit said in five sample states, Rs 70.11 crore of the scheme funds were retained in civil deposits, personal ledger accounts, bank accounts and treasury accounts. This not only resulted in blocking of funds but also affected implementation of the scheme, it said. The audit report pulled up the WCD ministry saying registers for grants-in-aid for the period 2006-11 for releasing funds were not properly maintained. PTI