SRINAGAR, JANUARY 14:  State Mission Director ICDS, Talat Pervaiz, today convened a meeting to review the functioning and implementation of various projects and schemes of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) mission.

          Deputy Director ICDS (K), District Programme Officers, Child Development Project Officers and District Social Welfare officers of Kashmir Division attended the meeting.

          The meeting discussed issues like community mobilization, roll out of ICPS, rationalization of accommodation, status of procurement of nutrition provided to the ICDS centres, identification of locations for opening of new Anganwari centres, Convergence and up-gradation of existing Anganwari centres and Digitization process in detail.  

          The Mission Director stressed the need for decentralization of the ICDS programme with greater engagement and involvement of village community members. He said that the Government has decided to establish Social Welfare Councils at District, Block and Village levels to monitor the functioning of the centers and give monthly feedback. 

          He asked the ICDS officers to ensure effective convergence of the schemes presently run by the ICDS, so that benefits of various schemes are provided to the identified beneficiaries.

          During the meeting emphasis was laid on capacity building and training of the field level functionaries associated with the ICDS Scheme especially the Anganwari Workers (AWWs).