Decentralization and transparency focus of Asom's social welfare d

Guwahati, Oct 31 (UNI) Decentralization and transparency are the latest buzzwords for Asom's Social Welfare Minister Ajanta Neog after she had been at the receiving end for alleged non-performance of her Ministry.

Talking to reporters here today, Ms Neog said the department was setting up monitoring committees at various levels to ensure decentralization and transparency in working of the department.

'' Social Welfare department is for the grassroots level people and it cannot succeed unless the people are involved, '' she said, adding she was working on reframing of the department at various levels and results were starting to appear.

She informed that local managing committees were being constituted at all the 32,000 Angadwadi centers in the state. They had been assigned the task of compiling and revising list of beneficiaries under the department immediately along with other regular functions.

These managing committees would be monitored at the district level by a committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, and at the block level by another committee, of which the local MLA will also be a member.

The Minister herself would be part of the state-level monitoring and Vigilance Committee.

Ms Neog said the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) would be the focus of the department. The scheme was operational in 219 blocks of the Social Welfare department, covering about 2 lakh children.

She said, '' Under the ICDS, Rs 48 crore in 50:50 funding pattern between the Centre and the state has already been sanctioned for the current fiscal. We will be approaching the Centre for more funds with new proposals soon. '' MORE UNI SG SJC rn1854