The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Assembly has asked the Women and Child Development Department to submit a detailed report on anganwadi centres in the State to ascertain whether funds meant for the development of these centres have been spent properly or not.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and PAC Chairman Bhupinder Singh on Wednesday alleged that the State Government is yet to take any steps to utilise the ` 400 crore sanctioned by the Thirteenth Finance Commission (TFC) for construction of 8,000 new anganwadi centres.
The State has 71,134 anganwadi centres out of which 10,216 are mini-centres. While 19,325 are running in schools, 7,520 are operating from rented houses.
The PAC reviewed the state of the anganwadi centres and sought a report from the department on the number of centres without a tube-well. Singh said allegations abound about sub-standard food being served to children at many centres, while delay in procurement had affected the meal scheme at many others.
Lokpal Probe
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik on Wednesday met Lokpal Justice PK Patra who is inquiring into the violence, including police excesses, during the September 6 Congress rally here.
Sources said the Lokpal has sought information about the incident. Governor M C Bhandare had directed Lokpal to probe the incident basing on a memorandum submitted by the OPCC.