COVER HINDI - Ministry of Women and Child Development

Development; Child Welfare and Protection; Prevention
of Trafficking, Girl Child & Gender Budgeting; and Plan,
Research, Monitoring & Statistics. Besides Joint Secretary
and Financial Adviser of the Ministry looks after the
financial matter of the Ministry.
1.7 The Ministry has 4 autonomous organizations viz.
National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child
Development (NIPCCD), Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK),
Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) and Central
Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) working under its
aegis. NIPCCD, RMK and CARA are societies registered
under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. CSWB is a
charitable company registered under section 25 of the
Indian Companies Act, 1956. These organizations are fully
funded by the Govt. of India and they assist the Department
in its functions including implementation of some
programmes/schemes. The National Commission for
Women was constituted as a national apex statutory body
in 1992 for protecting and safeguarding the rights of
women. The organization chart of the Ministry is at
Annexure II.
Thrust Areas, Policies, Plans of action,
Legislations, and Programmes/ Schemes
for advancement of women and children
Improving Nutritional Status of Women and Children
– ICDS, KSY and NPAG
1.8 Although there has been a significant improvement
in the nutritional levels of women and children during the
last three decades, the present levels of malnutrition are
still unacceptably high. In order to achieve sustainable
improvement in the nutritional status of women and
children, it is necessary to recognize and address the silent
emergency of malnutrition within the context of overall
development policy. Women, especially in the reproductive
age group, are particularly vulnerable to the risk of
maternal mortality and hence the Ministry has focused on
inputs such as supplementary nutrition for pregnant women
and lactating mothers, pre and post natal health care check
up and health and nutrition education, through the ongoing
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
programme. Under this programme, supplementary
nutrition is given to children (0-6 years), pregnant and
lactating mothers and facilitate, immunization, health
checkup, referral (through health set up) services, pre
school non formal education (3-6 years children), nutrition
and health education through the Anganwadis.
1.9 The Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY) and Nutrition
Programme for Adolescent Girls (NPAG) are schemes
which target undernourished adolescent girls and are
implemented through the infrastructure of ICDS.
1.10 The National Institute of Public Cooperation and
Child Development (NIPCCD) and other training centres
in various parts of the country train the ICDS project
officials on a continuing basis to enable them deliver the
services in a very efficient manner. NIPCCD also conducts
other training awareness programs and details are available
in the chapter 8 of this report.
1.11 The National Nutrition Policy adopted in 1993
identified a series of actions in different sectors. In
pursuance of that, the food and Nutrition Board of Ministry
of Women and Child Development has been undertaking
a number of initiatives in the area of addressing infant
and young child nutrition, nutrition monitoring etc.
Ensuring Survival and Welfare of Girl
Child, Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill
1.12 The rising incidence of female foeticide and
infanticide, which has led to decline in the sex ratio from
976 in 1961 to 927 in the year 2001 (for 0-6 years) is a
reflection of society’s perception of the values and respect
accorded to a girl child. The problem of child marriage
needs to be tackled in order to reduce maternal mortality
and infant mortality.
1.13 Nation wide awareness and sensitization campaigns have
been organized to educate the masses that the girl child is an
asset and not a burden. A number of awareness programmes
and sensitization programmes have been organized by the
Ministry during 2006-07 to sensitize and generate awareness
among different sections of societies and stakeholders about
ill effects of female foeticide and infanticide. The Ministry is
closely working with M/o Health & Family Welfare in
implementing and monitoring “Preconception and Prenatal
Diagnostic techniques Act, 1994”.
4 Annual Report 2006-07