The Gauhati High Court on Thursday directed the Assam government to submit a detailed status report on the implementation of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme in the state. The bench of Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury also asked the government to inform the court whether any region in the state lacks Anganwadi centres as per population norms, and whether nutrients and food items are being supplied to these centres for distribution to the needy.
Petition Filed by Law Student
The court was hearing a petition filed by Barasha Thakuria, a final-year law student, seeking judicial intervention to address what she described as a “systemic failure of the agencies in implementing the ICDS scheme as also the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA).” The petitioner argued that no implementation or faulty implementation of the ICDS scheme directly leads to malnutrition and health risks among marginalized women and children, who require immediate assistance.
Prayer for Immediate Action
The petitioner sought a direction to the authorities for immediate implementation of the ICDS scheme, establishment of Anganwadi centres according to population norms, and provision of free meals and nutritional support to vulnerable groups. In response, the court ordered: “Under such circumstances, we direct the state of Assam, through the Women and Child Development department, as also the Panchayat and Rural Development department, to apprise this Court as to the current or present status of the implementation of the ICDS scheme, meaning thereby that this Court should be informed whether there has been a rational rolling out of the scheme under the Act, referred to above, for the benefit of the vulnerable groups.”
Background of ICDS
The Integrated Child Development Services is a government programme aimed at providing food, preschool education, and primary healthcare to children under 6 years of age and their mothers. Proper implementation is crucial to combat malnutrition and ensure the well-being of vulnerable populations.
