Eleventh Five Year Plan

212 Eleventh Five Year Planto augment their resources. For instance, they couldprovide buildings, toys, additional SNP (like a glassof milk or eggs), impart training, sponsor severelymalnourished children, offer the services of a teacherto strengthen the preschool component, etc. Theycould also help with the management of AWCs.6.127 No amount of restructuring will however beable to bring about a change in the health status ofchildren unless it is supported by parallel measuresoutside the ICDS system. Diarrhoea caused due to unavailabilityof clean drinking water is the leading causeof childhood morbidity and consequently malnutritionand death. Providing clean drinking water atAnganwadis is essential but we must remember thatthe child primarily drinks water at home. Unless cleandrinking water is available all day, diarrhoea diseaseswill continue. Similarly, toilets at ICDS centres areimportant to inculcate the habit among children,but unless the homes have toilets, children willcontinue to defecate in the open and be susceptibleto worms and diseases. Detection of diseases andreferral services at ICDS centre will be effective ifand only if there is a functioning PHC where thechild can get treatment. Thus ICDS will provideresults only in a conducive environment. Currently,there are many schemes to tackle the multifariousproblems which assail our villages, towns and cities.Convergence is the key.RAJIV GANDHI CRÈCHE SCHEME6.128 The scheme in its present form is neitherwidespread nor able to provide meaningful day careservices to children below 6. The Eleventh Plan willtherefore review and restructure the scheme. Somechanges proposed are:• Eligibility criteria will be widened to allow diverseagencies/organizations to participate, for example,SHGs, Mahila Mandals, women’s organizations,labour unions, cooperatives, schools, panchayats,and tribal associations.• Programme standards that are measurable throughinput and process indicators will be laid down.• Results will be monitored through output and outcomeindicators.• Pattern of funding will be revised.• Upgrading infrastructure and materials, regulartraining of crèche workers, lateral linkages with thelocal PHC or sub-PHC in the area and tie up withthe Anganwadi centres for inputs like immunization,polio-drops, and basic health monitoring willbe carried out.PROVIDING CHILD PROTECTION6.129 Provision of Child Protection will be a key interventionin the Eleventh Plan. ‘Child Protection’refers to protection from violence, exploitation, abuse,and neglect. India has recognized the right to protectionfor its children through its constitutional commitmentsand the laws, policies, and programmes ithas put in place over the years. It has also recognizedthat some children are in ‘especially difficult circumstances’,such as child labour, street children andchildren under the juvenile justice system, and hasmade specific programme interventions for them. ThisBox 6.15Child Protection• Initiation of a new Centrally Sponsored Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) with adequate allocation• Review of existing legal provisions and necessary amendments• Strengthening and implementation of law• Intersectoral and inter-ministerial convergence for protection of children (such as integration of protection with Crecheand Day Care Programme)• Review and reorganization of Adoption System in India• Human resource development for strengthening counselling services• Data systems, research, advocacy, and communication• Child impact audit to ensure that government interventions do not decrease protection for children making them morevulnerable to abuse and exploitation• Strengthening the National and State Commissions for the Protection of Child Rights.