Anganwadi employees put foot down over low funds of SOPAN 

By Express News Service

JEYPORE:  The much-hyped SOPAN (Strategy for Odisha’s Pathway to Accelerated Nutrition) programme of the State authorities appears to have gotten caught in Koraput district as Anganwadi employees refuse to implement it citing low funds provision for meals dietary supplements. 

Official sources stated, the district social welfare division has already positioned funds for the SOPAN scheme to all 2,364 centres beneath 15 ICDS initiatives however not a single middle began the scheme, scheduled to start out from first week of this month. 

In 2021, it was determined to implement SOPAN to enhance vitamin standing of adolescent women (14-19 yrs), pregnant and nursing girls and kids by way of anganwadi centres, throughout 125 ICDS blocks in 22 districts the place well being indicators of the focused class are low. 

As per the plan, Rs 9 was allotted per beneficiary for provision of nutritious meals in anganwadi centres. Cooked meals have been to be given to pregnant and nursing girls on six days per week, whereas adolescents could be supplied boiled egg and lemon juice weekly thrice. Of the Rs 9, helpers and employees are entitled to take Rs 1 as wage, the remaining being for the well being dietary supplements. 

However, anganwadi employees are unwilling to go forward with the implementation as it’s tough for them to handle meals throughout the Rs 8 funds.  “The government should know that cost of one egg is Rs 6, rice at Rs 40 per kg, a lemon up to Rs 7 and other cooking material up to Rs 5 per beneficiary in market. All this comes around to Rs 22 per beneficiary. How do we manage with a paltry budget of Rs 8,??” they ask. 

President of Koraput district anganwadi women employees’ union, Sanjukta Sahu stated,”We can not run the SOPAN scheme  in our anganwadi facilities with such low budgetary provision. All employees have determined to go forward with the plan solely after a correct funds is made for the meals dietary supplements and applicable wage construction laid for the employees and helpers.”

Meanwhile, the district Collector has reportedly been knowledgeable in regards to the non-implementation of the scheme resulting from budgetary hassles. District social welfare officer BL Patra admitted that anganwadi employees have raised objections to the funds for SOPAN, so the delay in implementation.