AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government's allocation of funds for procuring uniforms for children and women workers at Anganwadi centres remains unspent. Official government records paint a concerning picture. Over a three-year period, despite allocating a substantial sum of Rs 11,707.72 lakh rupees, not a single uniform was purchased for these children. Similarly, the government had earmarked Rs 2,710.00 lakh over the same three years for providing sarees to Anganwadi workers, but these funds remained unutilised.
In response to a question posed by Congress MLA Chirag Patel from Khambhat in the Gujarat Assembly on September 14, 2023, the Women and Child Welfare Department of the Government of Gujarat revealed that from 2020-21 to 2022-23, significant sums were allocated for children’s uniforms, with 3788.12 lakhs, 3959.80 lakhs, and 3959.80 lakhs respectively. Not a single rupee was spent from the allocated amount.
Chandrika Solanki, the president of the Gujarat Anganwadi Association and a member of the Aam Aadmi Party, criticised the government for its indifference to the plight of underprivileged children.She expressed concern that even if these children attended school in tattered clothing, the government appeared unmoved. Solanki argued that the government’s excuses for not utilising these grants were unjustified, given the persistent issues of malnutrition and deteriorating schools in Gujarat.
The government explained in the Legislative Assembly that the delay in uniform procurement in 2020-21 was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to purchase uniforms began in 2022-23 but could not be completed by March 31, 2023, resulting in unspent funds. However, Chandrika Solanki contended that these reasons were mere pretexts and accused the government of exploiting the grant for the benefit of its party supporters through a corrupt tendering process.
The lack of expenditure extended beyond children’s uniforms to funds allocated for purchasing sarees for
Anganwadi women over the past three years. In response to a question by Congress MLA Arvind Ladani, the government revealed that substantial amounts were earmarked in each of the three years but remained untouched— Rs 834.06 lakh in 2020-21, Rs 834.06 lakh in 2021-22, and Rs 1042.58 lakh in 2022-23.The government set aside a generous grant of 2,710.7 lakh rupees for sari purchases spanning three years, yet not a single rupee was utilised.