Parliament in Winter Session 2004

11
PARLIAMENT IN WINTER SESSION, 2004

SAYS A CHILD . . .
WHO SPEAKS FOR MY RIGHTS?
PARLIAMENT IN WINTER SESSION, 2004-05
Ajay Sinha
Minal Manisha
Madhumita Purkayastha

ISBN No. 81-901638-1-7
© HAQ: Centre for Child Rights
Any information contained in this publication may be reproduced with due acknowledgment.
Permission to translate all or any part of the volume must be obtained from HAQ: Centre for Child Rights.
Supported By : Child Relief and You
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgement i
Abbreviations ii
1. Introduction 1
2. Development 5
2.1 Policy 8
2.2 Child Development Schemes 9
2.3 Youth Development 15
2.4 Government NGO-Partnership 18
3. Health
3.1 Health Status 24
3.2 Health Problems 28
3.2 Health Policies/ Interventions 31
4. Education
4.1 Policy / Status 38
4.2 Special Groups 45
4.3 Programmes/ Schemes 47
4.4 Text Books 49
4.5 Regional Issues 52
4.6 Curriculum / Syllabi 52
5. Protection
5.1 Protection Of Child Rights 63
5.2 Child Labour 64
5.3 Child Abuse 65
5.4 Child Trafficking 70
5.5 Female Foeticide 71
6. Debates And Motions 74
6.1 Health 76
6.2 Education 76
6.3 Protection 77
Annexures
Annexure 1 83
Annexure 2 84
Annexure 3 87
Annexure 4 88

1.1 Question hour in the Parliament, Winter Session 2004 3
1.2 Child-focused Questions in the Parliament, 3
Winter Session 2004
1.3 Child-Friendly Political Parties 3
1.4 Child Friendly Parliamentarians in the Winter Session 2004 4
1.5 Issues Raised by Child Friendly Parliamentarians 5
2.1 Status of ICDS as on 31.8.2004 14
2.2 State-wise Position of Funds Released under ICDS Scheme 14
2.3 Details of Funds Allocated during the Last Three Years 15
and in 2004-05
2.4 Proposals Received from Government of Tamil Nadu for 15
Sports Infrastructure from 2001-02 Till Date (1.12.2004)
2.5 Details of the Number of Students who Received National 18
Cadet Corps (NCC) Training
2.6 Allocation of Funds 18
2.7 State-wise Details of Funds Released from National 19
Creche Fund and the Scheme of Assistance to
Voluntry Organisations for Creches for Working &
Ailing Women, during Last Three Years and till date
2.8 Under Plan and Non-plan Scheme 19
2.9 Details of Grants released during the year 2004-05 till date 20
2.10 Child-focused Questions on Development, 21
Winter Session 2004-05
3.1 Statement showing details of Mapping of High Risk 26
Groups in States (November 2004
3.2 Tetanus Immunisation for Expectant Mothers (II+Booster) 28
3.3 Health Problems 31
3.4 Child Focused Questions on Health, Winter Session 2004-05 34
4.1 State-wise Drop-out Rates in 2002-2003 39
4.2 Allocation of Foodgrains and Off-take Percentage under Mid-Day 43
Meal Scheme during the period 1999-2000 to 2003-04
4.3 Year-wise Financial Allocation for Mid-Day Meal 44
Scheme and its Percentage Utilization
4.4 State-wise Allocation of Food grains for 2004-05 44
4.5 Expenditure/allocation on education by the Central 46
and States/UTs Governments (Plan and Non Plan)
during 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05
LIST OF TABLES AND BOXES
4.6 Annual Plan Outlay for School Education 46
4.7 Statement showing allocation of foodgrains, 48
number of Students being benefited,
Category wise, 2005-05
4.8 Child Focused Questions on Education, 54
5.1 Percentage of Women in the Age-group of 25-49 years 64
who got married at the age of 13 years
5.2 Details of Grants Released to States Under the Scheme of 67
Swadhar during the Last Three Years and Grants Released
during the Current Year till date.
5.3 Details of Grants Released to States Under the 67
Scheme of Short Stay Home During the
Last Three Years and Grants Released during the
Current Year 2004-05 till date
5.4 Detail of Cases of Rape with Minors Girls Reported 68
in Delhi (District/Police Stations-wise) during the
Year 2004 (Up to 15/11/04)
5.5 Child Focused Questions on Protection, 72
6.1 List of Bills, Debates and Special Mentions, 80
BOXES
No. 1 Sonia Gandhi’s keynote address at the IPC, 1
New Delhi, 22-24 January 2003
No. 2 Sonia Gandhi’s keynote address at the IPC, 3
No. 3 Expenditure on Public Health 23
No. 4 Child Mortality in India 30
No. 5 Education for All Development Index 36
No. 6 CAG Report 37
No. 7 Chidren in difficult circumstances includes 62
No. 8 Trends in Child Sex Ratio in Union Territories 71
No. 9 Rules of procedures in the Parliament 74
No. 10. Mid-day Meal Scheme 75
No. 11. The harsh truth behind the glitter and the glamour 75

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We began analysing child rights in parliament in the budget session of 2004. This is the second year that HAQ: Centre for Child Rights is analysing
the parliamentary questions and debates from a child rights perspective. Last year, we undertook both the research and publication through our
own resources. We must acknowledge the help received from Dr. Vinay Bhatnagar, Joint Director, Lok Sabha Secretariat and Mr. Frank Christopher,
Joint Director, Parliamentary Museum and Archives, without whose help we would not have been able to embark on this venture, and indeed
continue it.
We thank Ms Preeti Gill for editing the text and Child Relief and You (CRY) for supporting this publication.
We are also grateful to all those persons who have taken the time and the interest to read the booklets and share their comments with us which
have helped us to make additions and changes. A few parliamentarians have told us that they found the booklets very useful. We await the day
when most of them will do so. That will be the day when our work will find real relevance and meaning.
In the mean time we are take great heart from the fact that Member of Parliament and Former Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Shri Purno Sngama had
agreed to take the initiative to convene a parliamentary forum on child rights.
Enakshi Ganguly Thukral Bharti Ali
i

ii
AIADMK All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
AIMIM All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen
BJD Biju Janta Dal
BJP Bharatiya Janata Party
BSP Bahujan Samaj Party
CPI Communist party fo india
CPI-M Comunist Party of India-Marxist
DMK Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
HRD Human Resource Development
H&FW Health and Family Welfare
HA Home Affairs
I&B Information and Broadcasting
IFDP Indian Federal Democratic Party
IMR Infant Mortality Rate
INC Indian National Congress
IND Independent
JD-S Janata Dal-Secular
JD-U Janta Dal-United
L&E Labour and Employment
ABBREVIATIONS
LJSP Lok Jan Shakti Party
LSSQ Lok Sabha Starred Question
LSUSQ Lok Sabha Unstarred Question
MMR Maternal Mortality Rate
MOSJE Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
NCP Nationalist Congress Party
NPF Nagaland People’s Front
PMK Pattali Makkal Katchi
RJD Rashtriya Janata Dal
RPI-A Republican Party of India (Athawale)
RSP Revolutionary Socialist Party
RSSQ Rajya Sabha Starred Question
RSUSQ Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question
SDF Sikkim Democratic Front
SP Samajwadi Party
SS Shiv Sena
TA Tribal Affairs
TDP Telugu Desam Party
YA&S Youth Affairs and Sports

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1
INTRODUCTION
The Parliament is the highest legislative body that frames policies and
laws, which have ramifications on the life and livelihood of all persons
in the country. Children constitute more than forty per cent of our
population, but as they cannot vote they lack a political voice in a
parliamentary democracy. Indeed, as adults, we often forget that they
are citizens with equal rights. Needless to say, they have no participation
in formulating, discussing or making policies because they are neither
a part of the bureaucracy nor of the legislature.
Through our booklet entitled “Says a Child…Who Speaks for My
Rights?” we have been examining the interest that parliamentarians
have taken in child-related issues through questions they have raised
in the question hour, discussions and deliberations during the zero
hour, as well as in the discussions during the
debate proceedings regarding various Bills and
Motions. Ensuring executive accountability has to
be a continuous process. In India executive
accountability is enforced through several
parliamentary devices. Among these, the
Question Hour affords members an opportunity
to raise pressing issues and thereby make the
executive accountable to Parliament. Questions in
Parliament are meant to seek information as well
as fix accountability. What are the issues being
discussed? Which are the parties raising the
questions? Will these questions impact policies
and programmes? Is there a consistent lobby for
child rights? How are the issues identified? On
what sources of information do parliamentarians
base their questions? How pertinent are the
questions? It is not enough to raise a question–
what is asked and how it is worded is equally
important.
For convenience of analysis, we have classified the questions in a
systematic manner into four sectors:
Development
Health
Education and
Protection.
Each sector has been further divided into sub-sectors based on the
relevant concerns and issues within it. For the purpose of our analysis
we have included the issue of declining sex ratio in the protection
chapter as we feel that sex selective abortion is an issue of survival and
protection of the girl child. The questions have been selected from the
Box No. 1: Sonia Gandhi’s keynote address at the IPC, New Delhi, 22-24 January 2003
In any parliamentary democracy, ‘Question Hour’ is a period when Members get the opportunity to
question the Executive. I am quite aware that there is a cynical view that ‘Question Hour’ provides
excellent training for civil servants to say a lot without conveying much, to say the truth while
being bland with facts. Our experience sometimes does bear this out but that does not mean that
we abandon ‘Question Hour’. In fact, I myself feel that an hour is insufficient and there is clearly a
need for increasing its span.
Then there is ‘Zero Hour’, that is uniquely an Indian parliamentary practice, that perhaps comes
naturally to us since it is India that invented and gave the world Zero itself! This ‘Zero Hour’ gives
Members a chance to raise local and national issues that they consider important with the permission
of the Presiding Officer. It is also true that very often lungpower is in full display between 12 noon
and 1 p.m. and that too in a variety of languages. I might tell you that in our Parliament there are
18 official languages and Members can choose to speak in anyone of them, of course, with prior
permission from the Chair. But again my view is that both ‘Question Hour’ and ‘Zero Hour’, if given
proper structure and if managed well, have great potential to keep the Executive on its toes.
Source : Smt. Sonia Gandhi in her keynote address ‘Parliamentary practices and procedures: need
for reforms to secure greater executive accountability’ at the International Parliamentary Confer-
ence (IPC), New Delhi, 22-24 January 2003

2
printed booklets available in Parliament, and the answers have been
downloaded from the internet as well as bought from the Parliament.
Although all questions have been examined and listed in tables at the
end of each chapter, it is not possible to include the full texts of all the
questions and answers. Under each sub-sector some illustrative questions
with answers have been presented. These provide important information
and data on government commitments and priorities, and the
implementation and impact of programmes.
In consonance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child that
India has ratified, and as defined in the Juvenile Justice (Care and
Protection) Act, 2000, we have taken into consideration all questions
pertaining to children in the age group 0-18 years.
Parliament of India in the Winter Session, 2004
The total number of questions raised in the Winter Session of the
Parliament was 6929 (4225 in the Lok Sabha and 2704 in the Rajya
Sabha). Of these only 213 (3 per cent) were child related (101 in the
Lok Sabha and 112 in the Rajya Sabha). It is really unfortunate that
child focussed questions usually form only three per cent (as was the
trend observed in the previous sessions also) of the total questions
raised in the Parliament. Does this point towards the apathetic
approach of parliamentarians towards issues concerning children? Can
we say – as children do not vote, their rights do not concern
parliamentarians?
Of all the issues concerning children, education draws the maximum
attention from parliamentarians. Yet, the fact is that 3.5 crore children
(6-14 years) in the country are out of school. While the 93rd
Constitutional Amendment guarantees eight years of schooling to all
the children in the age of 6-14 years, it leaves out from its purview the
children in the age of 0-6 years. It is unfortunate that the amendment
excludes the children in the age of 0-6 years as the foundation for
learning, physical, social, and emotional growth as well as behavioural
traits are formed during these years. A total of 137 questions were
raised on education in the Winter Session, 2004. But how many of
these were actually able to fix the accountability of the executive against
the rights of India’s children and commitments made to the people of
India? It has been a tradition in the functioning of the parliamentary
system of democracy in India that the ministers, as spokespersons of
the Executive on the floor of the house, more often than not, try to
circumvent the issues raised and emerge successful. This was rightly
pointed out by Ms. Sonia Gandhi, the then leader of opposition, in her
keynote address at the International Parliamentary Conference held in
New Delhi during 22-24 January 2003 (See Box 1).
Child health has been the issue of least concern for our parliamentarians.
Problems of protein energy malnutrition, nutritional deficiencies, and
diarrhoeal diseases continue to remain major causes of infant mortality,
child mortality and child morbidity in the country. India accounts for
20 per cent of the world’s child population, but it has 40 per cent
malnourished children as well. It is unfortunate that while on the one
hand the country claims to have achieved food sufficiency yet on the
other hand, more than half of the country’s population is
undernourished.
Declining sex ratio has been a cause for concern. However, in the Winter
Session, 2004 only three questions were raised on declining sex ratio.
Unfortunately neither the central nor the state government has
effectively addressed the root cause of the problem. The overall sex
ratio at the beginning of the twentieth century was 972 and showed
continuous decline until 1941. In 1951 there was a marginal increase
of one point, but thereafter between 1961-71 there was a steep decline
of 11 points. For the last two decades (1981-2001), it is fluctuating
around 930.
An issue that caught our attention, was the concern voiced by a
parliamentarian about the dying status of the circus industry. The
honourable parliamentarian while expressing his concern for the revival
of the circus industry, stated that child labour laws and the provisions
of the Indian Wildlife Act in India have turned out to be too stringent
for the circus industry. It is really surprising that such a statement has
been given by a parliamentarian. Is he not aware of the fact that the
children employed in the circus industry are not only physically abused
but are also made to work in hazardous and unhealthy conditions, and
that this tantamount to hazardous child labour?
Bills, Debates and Motions
In the Winter Session, there were in all 21 debates/discussions in both

33
the houses of the Parliament taken together. Of these only 2 (9.5 per
cent) are from Lok Sabha while 19 (90.4 per cent) are from the Rajya
Sabha. It is disheartening to see the disinterest shown by
parliamentarians towards child issues in the Lok Sabha, as only two
child related issues were discussed in the house.
Concern was expressed by parliamentarians on the status of the mid–
day meal scheme, female foeticide and infanticide and other child related
issues. Though pertinent issues were raised by some of the
parliamentarians in the house the issues did not get adequate attention
from the government. The ongoing debates and controversies in the
country do find a reflection in the issues discussed, but they fail to
make impact on the policies, as the issues are neither raised forcefully
nor taken to their logical conclusion in a sustained manner.
An analysis of the question category–wise (Table 1.2) helps us to know
House Category Sectors Total
of Questions
Questions Develop- Health Educa- Protec- (Category-
ment tion tion wise)
Lok Starred 0 6 4 1 11
Sabha
Unstarred 12 13 55 10 90
Rajya Starred 1 1 7 4 13
Sabha
Unstarred 8 5 11 15 99
Total 21 25 137 30 213
Questions (9.8%) (11.7%) (64.3%) (14.8%) (100%)
(Sector-
wise)
Table 1.2: Child focused Questions in the Parliament
Winter Session 2004
Table 1.1: Question Hour in the Parliament, Winter Session 2004
Total no. of Total Total Child Per cent of
Workdays Questions Focused Child Focused
Asked Questions Questions
Lok Sabha 17 4225 101 2.39%
Rajya Sabha 17 2704 112 4.1%
Total 6929 213 3.07%
Box No. 2: Sonia Gandhi’s keynote address at the IPC,
“To enforce greater accountability on the Executive, Members of
Parliament have to be fully informed. Research and documentation
facilities available to them must be up-to-date. New information and
communication technologies make this possible and their widespread
use is a pre-requisite for transparency and for making the Executive even
more alert. “
Table 1.3: Child Friendly Political Parties
Sl. No Political party No. of questions asked
1 Indian National Congress 71
2 Bhartiya Janata Party 66
3 Shiv Sena 16
4 Samajwadi Party 15
5 Telugu Desam Party 13
6 Communist Party of India-Marxist 9
7 AIADMK 9
8 Bahujan Samaj Party 9
9 National Congress Party 8
10 Communist Party of India 7

4
Table 1.4: Child Friendly Parliamentarians Winter Session, 2004
S No Member of Parliament No. of questions asked Pol.Party
1 Janardhana Poojary 5 INC
2 R Sambasiva Rao 5 INC
3 Kiran Maheshwari 4 BJP
4 Maya Singh 4 BJP
5 P K Maheshwari 4 INC
6 Ramadhar Kashyap 4 INC
which issues interest our parliamentarians. Similarly, listing MPs on the
basis of the questions raised by them (Table 1.4) reveals which MPs
take an interest in issues relating to child rights. This knowledge can
help us identify MPs who can be approached while advocating for child
rights.
We would also like to bring to the notice of the National Informatics
Centre that the WebSite of the Parliament did not contain a number
of questions that were raised during the Winter Session of the
Parliament.

55
Table No.1.5: Issues raised by Child-friendly Parliamentarian
Sl. No. MP Pol. Party Ref. No. Date Ministry Subject Sector
1 Janardhana Poojary INC RSUSQ 1057 13 Dec Tribal Affairs Financial assistance to ST students Education
2 Janardhana Poojary INC RSUSQ 1121 13 Dec HRD Review of education policy Education
3 Janardhana Poojary INC RSSQ 70 6 Dec HRD Allocation for school education Education
4 Janardhana Poojary INC RSUSQ 1830 20 Dec HRD Awards of stipends/scholarships/fellowships Education
5 Janardhana Poojary INC RSUSQ 371 6 Dec HRD Guidelines for nursery school Education
1 R Sambasiva Rao INC LSUSQ 3637 22 Dec H&FW Expenditure on health & education Education
2 R Sambasiva Rao INC LSUSQ 2899 17 Dec Finance Education Cess Education
3 R Sambasiva Rao INC LSUSQ 2126 14 Dec HRD Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Education
4 R Sambasiva Rao INC LSUSQ 3328 21 Dec HRD Closure of KVs Education
5 R Sambaisva Rao INC LSUSQ 3352 21 Dec HRD Drop out rate of girls students Education
1 Kiran Maheshwari BJP LSUSQ 2466 15 Dec H&FW Toxins affected children Health
2 Kiran Maheshwari BJP LSUSQ 2203 14 Dec H&FW Inclusion of HIV/AIDS subject in school curriculum Health
3 Kiran Maheshwari BJP LSUSQ 2213 14 Dec HRD Universalisation of Secondary education Education
4 Kiran Maheshwari BJP LSUSQ 2117 14 Dec HRD Mid day meal scheme Education
1 Maya Singh BJP RSUSQ 1056 13 Dec HRD Distortion in the text of national anthem Education
2 Maya Singh BJP RSUSQ 1808 20 Dec HRD Scholarship to girls Education
3 Maya Singh BJP RSUSQ 368 6 Dec HRD Mid day meal scheme Education
4 Maya Singh BJP RSUSQ 1818 20 Dec HRD World Bank assistance for ICDS Development
1 P K Maheshwari INC RSSQ 176 13 Dec HRD India’s rank in the world education sector Education
2 P K Maheshwari INC RSUSQ 1060 13 Dec HRD Funds for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in M.P. Education
3 P K Maheshwari INC RSUSQ 1042 13 Dec HRD AIDS awareness in school curriculum Education
4 P K Maheshwari INC RSUSQ 1063 13 Dec HRD Setting up of private education boards Education

6
1 Ramadhar Kashyap INC RSUSQ 380 6 Dec HRD Primary education programme Education
2 Ramadhar Kashyap INC RSUSQ 381 6 Dec HRD Review of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Education
3 Ramadhar Kashyap INC RSUSQ 354 6 Dec HRD Vocational education in Chhattisgarh Education
4 Ramadhar Kashyap INC RSUSQ 1126 13 Dec Tribal Affairs Hostels for tribals in Chhattisgarh Education
Sl. No. MP Pol. Party Ref. No. Date Ministry Subject Sector
Note: LSSQ : Lok Sabha Starred Question; LSUSQ : Lok Sabha Unstarred Question
RSSQ : Rajya Sabha Starred Question RSUSQ : Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question
Line in bold : Full text of Q/A given in chapters
Source: Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha, List of Questions for (a) Oral answers (b) Written answers
www.parliamentofindia.nic.in

77
2
DEVELOPMENT
India’s commitment to child development dates back to the Indian
Constitution that recognised every child’s right to development in
Article 39(f) and Article 45. However, it was the late, but well
focused, emerging child rights movement in the country that finally
brought a clearly stated and specific commitment to child develop-
ment in 2001, when elementary education became a fundamental
right and ECCE (Early Childhood Care & Education) was inserted
under Directive Principles of State Policy in Article 45. Moreover for
the first time, in all these years of planned development, the Tenth
Plan articulates development of children, not just as valuable
investment but also as the right of every child. “Development of
children will be viewed not only as the most desirable societal
investment for the country’s future, but also as the right of every
child to achieve his/her full development potential.”
Poor sanitation, disease, infection, inadequate access to primary
health care, inappropriate child rearing practices and malnourishment
are some of the factors which have a negative impact on the growth
and development of the child. The first few years of life form the
base for later development .The young child, therefore, needs to be
provided with an environment that will lead to optimal development.
The nutrition and care components of child development have been
integrated into ICDS. Supplementary nutrition, immunisation, health
check–up, referral and education services provided to the most
vulnerable groups of children and women, i.e. children in the age
group of 0-6 years and expectant/nursing mothers from below
poverty line families have also been integrated into ICDS. But, despite
this, child malnutrition levels continue to remain unacceptably high.
The ICDS scheme has been able to cover 3.41 crore children in the
age group of 0-6 years as on March 31,2004, which is a mere 22
per cent of the population of the children in this age group. Of the
3.41 crore children receiving supplementary nutrition, 53 per cent
are undernourished.
In the Winter Session of Parliament twenty-one questions were raised
on the issue of child development, which is 9.8 percent of the total
child related questions raised. Among these were questions
pertaining to development of sports, schemes for children, activities
undertaken by NYKs (Nehru Yuvak Kendra’s) etc. Four questions were
raised on the ICDS scheme. In response to a question on whether
the government is facing slow progress in the implementation of
ICDS scheme, the HRD minister replied, “some of the states are not
providing supplementary nutrition as per the norms.” The HRD
minister acknowledged that sanctioned Anganwadi Centres have
been slow to begin operations.
A new subject that drew the attention of parliamentarians was the
compliance with the amendments introduced in the IMS (Infant Milk
Substitutes) Act, 2003. The concerned ministry (HRD) has provided
details of the cases of violation of the Act.
The attention drawn by the Parliament to this Act is particularly
interesting at this juncture because the Government of India is
coming up with a new Food Safety and Standards Bill, 2005 which
aims at bringing about a “single statute relating to food and to lay
down science based standards for articles of food and regulate their
manufacture, import, export, storage, distribution and sale” (The
Food Safety and Standards Bill, 2005) and plans to repeal (cancel)
the existing IMS Act. The IMS Act was adopted in order to regulate
production, supply and distribution of infant milk substitutes in order
“It is possible to have a brain and not have a mind. A brain is inherited; a
mind is developed.”
Reuven Feuerstein, 1980

8
2.1 POLICY
(a) National Charter on Children Rights
[Ref. No: LSUSQ 2250, 14 December 2004]
Shri Mohan Rawale (SS) asked:
(a) whether the government propose to implement National Charter
on Children Rights in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof,
(c) whether any draft charter has been prepared and circulated to
the various Ministries in this regard;
(d) if so, the details thereof, and
(e) if not, the time by which it is likely to be implemented?
to promote and protect breastfeeding for infants up to the age of
two years.
It is a matter of particular concern that this action is being
contemplated despite the fact that the IMS Act does not contradict
the provisions of the new Bill. Indeed, it focuses on curbing the
unethical marketing of breast milk substitutes, and also ensures that
the nutritional needs of the child are not overlooked in favour of
commercial interests.
Concerned by this proposed action of the Government, Breastfeeding
Promotion Network of India (BPNI), Jan Swasthaya Abhiyaan,
Voluntary Health Association of India and India Alliance for Child
Rights have come together to call for protection of the IMS Act,
1992. They have jointly formulated a people’s petition, ‘Save babies
by saving the IMS Act’. Various Medical professionals, health activists,
NGOs, social and legal activists have extended their support to this
joint initiative.
We hope that the Members of Parliament will raise this concern in
Parliament.

99
Smt Kanti Singh, Minister of State in the Minstry of Human Resource
Development answered:
(a), (b), (c), (d) & (e) The Government has adopted a National Charter
for Children, 2003 which has been notified on 9.12.2004. It has
been prepared in consultation with concerned Ministries and
Departments, state governments and UT Administrations,
Institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations and experts. The
document emphasizes commitment of the Government to children’s
survival, health and nutrition, standard of living, play and leisure,
early childhood care, education, protection of the girl child,
empowering adolescents, equality, life and liberty, name and
nationality, freedom of expression, freedom of association and
peaceful assembly, the right to a family and the right to be
protected from economic exploitation and all forms of abuse. The
document also provides for protection of children in difficult
circumstances children with disabilities, children from marginalized
and disadvantaged communities, and child victims. It also provides
for responsibilities of both parents in rearing their children and
also provides for ensuring child friendly procedures for the special
care and protection of children in conflict with law.
The document is available on the website of the Department of
Women and Child Development at www.nic.in*
2.2 CHILD DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES
(a) SCHEMES FOR CHILDREN
[LSUSQ 2260, 14 December 2004]
Smt Karuna Shukla asked:
(a) whether the amendments introduced in IMS, Act, 2003 regarding
Production, Supply and Marketing of substitutes of infant milk,
feeding bottles and infant food are being complied with strictly;
(b) if not, the reasons therefore;
(c) the details of incidents of violation of this Act noticed so far; and
(d) the corrective measures and the penal action taken in this regard?
Smt Kanti Singh Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource
Development, answered:
(a),(b),(c) & (d) Between January to August 2004 twenty incidents of
violation of Infant Milk Substitute (IMS) Act, 1992 have been
noticed by the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India, an
organization authorized in this behalf, which are at preliminary
stages of investigation. Details of these cases are given in the
statement enclosed,
(b) Status of the ICDS
[Ref. NO: RSUSQ 166 13 December 2004]
Shri. S.P.M. Syed Khan asked:
(a) whether Government are achieving slow progress in the
implementation of the Integrated child Development scheme for
providing nutritional food to poor children and establishing of
Anganwadi centers; and
(b) if so, the status of implementation of the Scheme?
Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri Arjun Singh
answered:
(a) & (b) The Integrated Child Development services (ICDS) Scheme is
a Centrally-sponsored Scheme implemented through the State
Governments with 100% financial assistance from the Central
Government for inputs other than supplementary nutrition
which the state governments have to provide out of their own
resources.
The operationalisation of sanctioned anganwadi centres was slow
until recently. However, as a result of concerted efforts of the
Government, the pace of operationalisation of Anganwadi Centres
has increased form 5.46 lakh at the end of 9th
plan to 6.74 lakh
as on 31.08.2004.
Some of the State are not providing supplementary nutrition as
per norms of the scheme. The matter is being pursued with them
to ensure compliance of the norms.
* Or is it www.wcd.nic.in???

10
Details of the Action Taken regarding Violations of the Infant Milk substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods
(regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 1992, as amended in 2003 (IMS Act)
by
The Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India
January 2004 to September 2004
(1st
, 2nd
and 3rd
Quarter)
JANUARY 2004
1. Bombay Dyeing had published an
advertisement in their magazine for
women “Gladrags” presenting
Gladrags Mrs India in which a
feeding bottle had been shown in
the, Oct-Nov issue 2003
(Annex-1)
2. Dr. J P Dadhich from Delhi received
invitation card from Nestle to
attend a symposium. The invitation
of the same event was advertise in
DMA Bulletin
(Annex-2)
FEBRUARY 2004
3 Dr. Ajay Gaur from Gwalior reported
complaint, regarding educational
material and poster distributed by
Reptakos, Brett and Company, a
company manufacturing infant milk
substitutes and infant foods.
(Annex-3)
APRIL 2004
4. The Magazine “Femina Book of
Good Parenting” had a picture of
an infant feeding a bottle on the
cover page as well as inside pages
(Annex-4)
An in-house analysis was done in the light of IMS
Act,1992. A consultation with experts was also sought.
After analysis it was concluded that this advertisement
violates Section 3 of IMS Act. A Letter was written to
editor of the magazine “Gladrags” Mr. Rituraj Sharma
and to advertising Council of India.
All the evidences were gathered and analysed in light
of the Amended IMS Act. Opinion was also sough
from experts on the issue.
The originals of the materials distributed by the
company were traced. The materials were analysed in
the lights of the IMS Act 1992, as amended in 2003.
after analysis it was concluded that these materials
are violating the IMS Act in letter and spirit and it
was forwarded to the legal experts for his comments.
During an ongoing activity of BPNI to monitor
violations in newspaper and magazines, it as found
that the magazine “Femina Book of Good Parenting”
bared a picture of a infant feeding on a bottle. The
photograph was examined and it was concluded that
this photograph violated the spirit of the IMS Act. A
letter was written to editor of editor of Femina, Sathya
Saran, and to Advertising Council of India.
Legal opinion sought
Advertising Council of India, responded
by a letter stating that the
advertisement was in the breach of the
law, but as the advertisement was
onetime and the advertiser had not
advertised again, the file was closed.
After legal and in-house analysis it was
concluded that this is violation of
Section 9(2) Of the IMS Act.
After legal and in-house analysis it was
concluded that this is violation of
section 7 (1) a to b of the IMS Act
and Rule 9 of the IMS Rules
Received a letter from Femina, stating
that they will carry errata in their July
edition.
Sl.No Details Action taken Legal Analysis Comments

1111
5. Complaint was received from Dr. A
Muthuswami from Chidambaram
regarding distribution of pamphlets
and persuasion of doctors by
representatives of Nestle India Ltd.
(Annex-5)
MAY 2004
6 It was noticed that on the channel
DD News on 6th
May at 6.10 PM in
the programme”Health” popular
version “Haal Chaal Theek Thak
Hai”, there were comments on “use
of cup and spoon while feeding a
small baby”
JUNE 2004
7. Advertisement of Mortein Rat Kill
aired on Zee TV in between the
programme Sa Re Ga Ma depicted
an infant feeding on a baby soother
8. Complaint was received from Dr.
Rajinder Gulati, Ludhiana for
distribution of Immunisation record
cards and other printed materials by
Nestle India Ltd. (Annex-7)
9 Complaint in respect to letters
dated April 2004 sent to doctors by
Reptakos, Brett and Company.
(Annex-8)
JULY 2004
10 The company “Hello Baby” who are
manufacturers of infant products
including feeding bottles and
related products, published a
booklet ‘Growth Record Book”
containing messages on various
issues to infants
After receiving complaint in written from our member,
the evidences were analysed in respect to IMS Act. It
was concluded that this action is a violation of the
IMS Act and the evidences were forwarded to our legal
expert for analysis.
Letter was written to Director, Doordarshan, Akashwani
Bhawan for stop showing such programmes that
promote artificial feeding in the country and also take
action to reverse damage done by that programme
Letter was written to Manager of Kitchen Appliances
India Limited for stop showing such images that
promote artificial feeding in the country. This was also
brought in notice of Advertising Council of India.
The evidences were gathered and analysed in the light
of the IMS Act. After detailed analysis it was concluded
that this is a violation of the IMS Act. The evidences
with our opinion was forwarded for legal analysis
The evidences were gathered and analysed in the lights
of the IMS A ct. after detailed analysis it was
concluded that this is a violation of the IMS Act. The
evidences with our opinion was forwarded for legal
analysis.
An in-house analysis was done in the lights of IMS
Act, 1992 as amended in 2003. A consultation with
experts was also sought. The said booklet was then
send for legal opinion.
After legal and in-house
analysis it was concluded that
this booklet by passed the
provisions of the IMS Act.
After legal analysis it was concluded
that this is violation of Section 3 (c)
and 8 (1) of the IMS Act.
No response
No response
that this is violaton of Section 3 (c)
and 8(1) of the IMS Act.
that this is violation of Section 3 (c)
and 8 (1) of the IMS Act.
No action was taken

12
11 Container of “Farex” an infant milk
substitute and infant food
manufactured by Heinz bearing
packing date of September 2003
12 Carton of “Amul Spray” an infant
food manufactured by Mehsana
Distt. Co-operative Milk Producers
Union Ltd.” Bearing packing date of
September 2003
13 Container of “Lactogen 1” an infant
milk substitute manufactured by
Nestle bearing packing date of
March 2004
14 Container of “Lactogen 3” an infant
milk substitute manufactured by
Nestle bearing packing date of
February 2004
15 Carton of “Cerelac” an infant food
manufactured by Nestle bearing
packing date of February 2004
16 Carton of “Nestum” an infant food
manufactured by Nestle bearing
packing date of February 2004
BPNI did a market survey to analyse labels of infant
milk substitute and infant foods available in the
market. A carton of Farex was bought bearing the
manufacturing date of September 2003. the container
was analysed with respect to the provisions of IMS
Act and legal opinion was sought.
market. A container of “Amul Spray” was bought
bearing the manufacturing date of September 2003.
the container was analysed with respect to the
provisions of IMS Act and legal opinion was sought.
market. A carton of lactogen was bought bearing the
manufacturing date of March 2004. the container was
analysed with respect to the provisions of IMS Act
and legal opinion was sought
market. A carton of lactogen 3 was bought bearing
the manufacturing date of September 2003. the
container was analysed with respect to the provisions
of IMS Act and legal opinion was sought
market. A carton of “Cerelac” was bought bearing the
manufacturing date of January 2004. the container
Act and legal opinion was sought
market. A carton of “Nestum” was bought bearing
the manufacturing date of January 2004. the container
Act and legal opinion was sought
Legal opinion was sought.
the container violates the
provisions of Section 6 and
Rule 7 of the IMS Act.
analyses it was concluded
that the container violated
the provisions of Section 6
and Rule 7 of the IMS Act.
provisions of Rule 7 of the
IMS Act.
IMS Act.
IMS Act.
IMS Act

1313
17 Advertisement of “Nipcare” an
ointment to prevent and treat dry,
sore and cracked nipples published
in India Pediatrics Volume 41,
Number 7, July 2004.
AUGUST 2004
18 Symposium on “Approach to a child
with chronic cough and infections
and introduction to integrated
management of Neonatal and
Childhood Illness” organised by
Nestle for medical professionals on
7th
August 2004 at Ram Manohar
Lohia Hospita (R.M.L. Hospital) New
Delhi
19 Article on infant feeding published
in Punjab Kesri, Delhi on 7th
August
2004 and Rashtriya Sahara on 12th
August 2004
20 Health and Nutrition Programme
organised by Nestle in play school
of Delhi
After in house analysis and discussions it was
concluded that the said advertisement violates IMS Act.
In house Analysis and comments
BPNI came across an invitation card send to medical
professional to attend the said symposium as well as
a invitation letter issued by Department of Pediatrics
and Neonatology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital,
New Delhi, for faculty members, residents and post
graduates to attend the symposium. An in-house
analysis was done and it was concluded that act is a
clear violation of Section 9 of IMS Act.
BPNI noticed two said articles on infant feeding. After
analysing the contents of the articles in respect to the
provisions of the IMS Act, it was found that the articles
miss on certain particulars as prescribed in the Section
7 and Rule 9 of the Act.
BPNI noticed banners in Mayur Vihar, New Delhi put
up by Nestle for organising programme in a pre school
on 7th
August.
Legal opinion sought and
letters were written secretary,
Commissioner, Assistant
Commissioner of Department
of Family Welfare, bringing
this to their notice
the articles violates the
provisions of Section 7 and
Rule 9 of the IMS Act.
Legal Opinion was sought
Letter was written to Editore of Indian
Pediatrics to stop publishing
advertisements, which undermines
women confidence in breastfeeding as
well as violated IMS Act. No Response
till yet.
A letter was issued by Dr. D.K. Dewan,
state MCH Officer, Directorate of Family
Welfare to The medical Superintendent
of R.M.L. Hospital, stating that by
organising a symposium under the
aegis of “Nestle Nutrition” the
Department have violated the
provisions of the IMS Act and in future
such activities does not happen.
Opinion awaited
(c) Status of ICDS
[Ref. No: RSUSQ 1817, 20 December 2004]
Shri Uday Pratap Singh (SP) asked:
(a) the details of the Integrated Child Development Schemes being
implemented by the Central government state-wise;
(b) whether government have sought report regarding the Integrated
Child development scheme being implemented in the states;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the details of the amount spent on these schemes during the year
2003-04 and 2004-05?
Smt Kanti Singh, Minister of State in the Ministry of human Resource
development answered:
(a), (b) &(c) The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme
is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented through state
governments/UT administrations. The implementation of the scheme
is monitored through monthly progress reports received from the
states/ UTs. State-wise details of sanctioned and operational
projects/anganwadi centres, as on 31.8.2004, are given in Table
2.1
(d) State-wise details of funds released by the Central government for
implementation of the ICDS scheme, during 2003-04 and 2004-05
(upto 9.12.2004) are given in Table 2.2

14
Table 2.1: Status of ICDS as on 31.8.2004
Sl State/UT No of ICDS Projects No of Anganwadis
No Sanctioned Operational Sanctioned Operational
1 Andhra Pradesh 363 351 54312 53635
2 Arunachal Pradesh 58 57 2359 2329
3 Assam 196 195 25416 25302
4 Bihar 394 185 60813 24965
5 Chhattisgarh 152 152 20289 20288
6 Goa 11 11 1012 1012
7 Gujarat 227 227 37961 36778
8 Haryana 116 116 13546 13546
9 Himachal Pradesh 72 72 7354 7354
10 Jammu & Kashmir 121 120 11821 10227
11 Jharkhand 204 152 23078 15624
12 Karnataka 185 185 40301 40301
13 Kerala 163 163 25393 24453
14 Madhya Pradesh 336 336 49787 49163
15 Maharashtra 370 368 62716 58994
16 Manipur 34 34 4501 4499
17 Meghalaya 32 32 2218 2218
18 Mizoram 21 21 1361 1341
19 Nagaland 54 54 2700 2700
20 Orissa 326 326 34201 34201
21 Punjab 142 142 14730 14730
22 Rajasthan 257 257 35821 35710
23 Sikkim 5 5 500 500
24 Tamil Nadu 434 434 42377 42279
25 Tripura 40 39 3786 3759
26 Uttar Pradesh 836 742 106059 82791
27 Uttaranchal 99 99 6658 6202
28 West Bengal 358 354 57540 53889
29 A & N Island 5 5 527 429
30 Chandigarh 3 3 300 300
31 Delhi 29 28 3902 3842
32 Dadra & N Haveli 1 1 138 138
33 Daman & DIu 2 2 87 87
34 Lakshadweep 1 1 74 74
35 Pondicherry 5 5 677 677
All India 5652 5274 754315 674337
Table 2.2: State-wise Position of Funds Released under ICDS Scheme
(Rs Lakhs)
Sl State/UT Funds under ICDS (General), Worl Bank & Udisha
No 2003-04 2004-05
(upto 9.12.2004)
1 Andhra Pradesh 11135.88 7277.34
2 Arunachal Pradesh 1552.73 1050.65
3 Assam 4489.45 4355.16
4 Bihar 535459 10511.47
5 Goa 42070 29452
6 Gujarat 9894.54 9405.58
7 Haryana 4446.88 4425.10
8 Himachal Pradesh 1603.66 2657.26
9 Jammu & Kashmir 2415.88 1965.07
10 Karnataka 11341.87 10654.35
11 Kerala 9585.50 5714.10
12 Madhya Pradesh 16002.77 9573.86
13 Maharashtra 1959887 9398.19
14 Manipur 1453.55 1246.90
15 Meghalaya 881.52 1369.16
16 Mizoram 852.63 673.54
17 Nagaland 1509.28 1087.50
18 Orissa 11523.81 10666.93
19 Punjab 4943.21 3904.27
20 Rajasthan 11727.65 11853.17
21 Sikkim 173.69 289.14
22 Tamil Nadu 10855.27 14397.55
23 Tripura 1822.82 1109.46
24 Uttar Pradesh 19095.23 19499.37
25 West Bengal 15873.69 8631.59
26 Chattisgarh 6581.19 4327.21
27 Jharkhand 1862.83 4319.66
28 Uttarancahl 3081.25 2398.77
UNION TERRITORIES
29 Delhi 1172.42 815.74
30 Pondicherry 205.54 175.78
31 Andaman & Nicobar 193.18 157.52
32 Chandigarh 142.54 121.49
33 Dadra & Nagar Haveli 48.50 45.13
34 Daman & DIu 41.41 38.98
35 Lakshadweep 39.64 25.15
Total 191924.17 164436.66

1515
2.3 YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
(a) Activities Undertaken By NYKS in Tamil Nadu
[Ref. No: LSUSQ 708, 6 Dec. 2004]
Shri K C Palanisamy (DMK) asked:
(a) the activities undertaken by Nehru Yuvak Kendras (NYKs) in Tamil
Nadu;
(b) the funds allocated to NYKs in the state during the last three
years and the current year;
(c) whether the state government has requested for more assistance
for the welfare of sports in the state; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
Shri Sunil Dutt, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports answered:
(a) The details of activities undertaken by Nehru Yuva Kendras (NYKs)
in Tamil Nadu have been indicated in the enclosed Annexure-I.
(b) The details of funds allocated during the last three years and the
current year 2004-05 (as on 1.12.04) are as under for regular
programmes in Table no. 2.3
Table 2.3: Details of Funds Allocated during the
Last Three Years and in 2004-05
Year Allocation
2001-02 1,37,050/-
2002-03 1,44,860/-
2003-04 1,64,860/-
2004-05 1,44,840/-
(c) & (d): Yes, Sir. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has received
proposals from the state government of Tamil Nadu seeking
financial assistance under the Scheme of “Grants for Creation of
Sports Infrastructure” and the Scheme of “Grants for Installation
of Synthetic Surfaces”. The details of such proposals received during
the last 3 years (2001-02 to 2002-04) and the current year till
date (1.12.2004) have been indicated in the enclosed Table No.2.4
Table No. 2.4: Proposals Received from Government of Tamil Nadu
for Sports Infrastructure from 2001-02 Till Date (1.12.2004)
(Rs lakhs)
Sl. Project Amount Amount Remarks
No. approved released
Schemes Grants for Sports Infrastructure
1 Indoor Stadium at Coimbatore 90.00 90.00 Project Completed
2 District Level Sports complex at 25.73 —— Progress report to
Sivaganga be furnished by the
state Government
3 Basketball court at Govt. Hr. Sec 0.843 0.843 Project completed
School, Bhavanisagar District- Erode
4 District level sports complex at 27.90 21.00 Utilisation/comple-
Ariyalur, District- Perambadur tion certificated to
be furnished by
state Government
5 District level sports complex at 68.00 — Progress report to
Thiruvarur be furnished by the
state government
6 Indoor stadium at Nehru Park, 60.00 60.00 Project completed
Chennai
7 Indoor Stadium at Thindal, — — Rejected on
District - Erode 25.2.2003
8 Outdoor stadium at Myladuthurai, 18.00 — Progress report to
District Nagapattinam be furnished by the
state Government
9 District level sports complex at 28.00 — Progress report to
Thiruvannamalai be furnished by the
state Government
10 Swimming Pool at Chennai by 25.00 — Progress report to
Dolphin Club be furnished by the
state Government
11 Indoor Stadium at G.V. Residency — — Deficiencies
Sowrpalayam, Coimbatore intimated on
5.1.2004

16
12 Indoor Stadium at Kodaikanal by — — Deficiencies
St. Peters Matriculation Hr. Sec. intimated on
School, Kodai Kanal 19.8.2004
13 Swimming Pool at Tuticorin 25.00 — Progress report to
be furnished by the
state government
14 Swimming Pool at Ettimadai village, 90.00 — Progress report to
Coimbatore be submitted by
the state
government
15 Outdoor Stadium at Perambadur Taluk, — — To be placed before
Distt. Perambadur the next GIA
C o m m i t t e e ’ s
meeting
16 Outdoor Stadium at Uthangarai, — — To be placed before
Distt. Krishnagiri the next GIA
meeting
17 Outdoor Stadium at Sivalarkulam, — — To be placed before
Alangulam Taluk, Distt. Tirunelveli the next GIA
meeting
18 Outdoor Stadium at Parawakudi, — — To be placed before
Distt. Ramanathapuram the next GIA
meeting
19 Outdoor Stadium at Ramnad Distt. — — To be placed before
the next GIA
meeting
20 Outdoor Stadium at Korilpatti Taluk — — D e f i c i e n c i e s
conveyed on
21 Distt. Sports complex at Distt. Theni — — D e f i c i e n c i e s
conveyed on
10.11.2004
22 Distt. Sports complex at Karur — — Deficiencies being
conveyed
23 Outdoor stadium at Denakanikottai — — Deficiencies being
conveyed
24 Distt. Sports complex at Thiruvallur — — Under Examination
25 Skating Rink at Indoor Stadium, — — No Fresh cases of
SDAT, Chennai these district of
Tamilnadu will be
considered till the
pending projects
cases are settled.
State Government
was informed on
9.11.2004
26 Outdoor stadium at Thrangampudi, — — —
Distt Nagapattnam
27 Outdoor stadium at ShivaKashi Taluk, — — —
Virudhnagar
Scheme of “Grants for Installation of Synthetic Surfaces”
1 Relaying of Synthetic Hockey surface 100.00 — Progress report to
at Chennai be furnished by the
state government
2 Member Secretary Sports Development — — Deficiencies
Authority of Tamilnadu, Chennai conveyed on
4.11.2004
3 Member Secretary Sports Development — — Under examination
Authority of Tamilnadu, Chennai
The details of various programmes/activities organized in the state
of Tamil Nadu.
(I) Regular Programmes
1. Youth Club Development Programmes (YCDP)
2. Vocational Training Programmes
3. Awareness Campaigns
4. Work Camps
5. Sports Promotion Programmes
6. Workshops and Seminars

1717
7 Cultural Programmes
8. Celebration of National/International Days/Weeks
9. Adventure Promotion Programmes
(II) Schemes of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
National Service Volunteers Scheme (NSVS)
Financial assistance to Rural Youth and Sports Clubs and
Evaluation
(III) Special Programmes/ Activities:
Village Talk AIDS
Voluntary Blood Donors Forum
Disaster Management Programme
Environment Awareness Programme
Self Help Groups
Red Ribbon Clubs for Voluntary Blood Donation
Circulatory library
Eye Camps
Blood Donation Camps
Pulse Polio Campaign
Mother and Child Care Awareness
AIDS Awareness
Self Employment Awareness
Campaign for small savings
Anti Drugs and Alcohol Campaign
Anti Craft Exhibition by SHGs promoted by the NYKS
Campaign for Waste Land Development, Rain water harvesting
and Water shed Management
Malaria Prevention Rallies
Raising nursery and herbal gardens
Employment Assurance Scheme (SEWAK)
Food Processing Training
Tarun Triveni – Plantation of Trees with emotional attachment
(b) Objectives of NCC and TA
[Ref. No. RSUSQ 2057, 22 Dec 2004]
Shri S.S. Ahluwalia (SS) asked:
(a) whether National Cadet Corps (NCC) and Territorial Army (TA) were
raised as auxiliary manpower among students and youth trained
to face emergency situations;
(b) the details of the objectives that led to raising of NCC and TA;
(c) the year-wise details of number of students received NCC training
and people joined TA along with funds allocated to the respective
wings;
(d) whether keeping in view the growing threats from weapons of
mass destruction to the civilian society, in particular, any special
training is being imparted to NCC cadets and TA members for
disaster management in such eventuality; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Minister of Defence answered:
(a) to (e): The National Cadet Corps strives to provide opportunities for all-
round development of youth to inculcate in them commitment,
dedication, self- discipline and moral values, so that they become
good leaders and useful citizens. The objectives of NCC are as under:
(i) To create a human resource of organised, trained and
motivated youth, to provide leadership in all walks of life and
always be available for the service of the nation.
(ii) To develop characters, comradeship, discipline, leadership,
secular outlook, spirit of adventure and the ideals of selfless
service amongst the youth.
(iii) To provide a suitable environment to motivate the youth to
take up a career in the Armed Forces.
2. The Territorial Army aims to raise a part-time citizens Army of
gainfully employed Indian nationals to assist the regular Army in
case of emergency. They are provided two months military training
in a year.

18
3. Their role is primarily to relieve the Regular Army from static duties
and assist the civil administration in dealing with natural calamities
and maintenance of essential services in emergent situations.
4. The year-wise details for the last three years of students who
received NCC training and those people who joined T.A. as well as
funds allocated are annexed hereto.1
5. No special training is being imparted to NCC cadets or Territorial
Army members for disaster management in the event of use of
weapons of mass destruction however, they assist the civil
administration in dealing with natural calamities like disaster relief,
floods, cyclones etc and maintenance of essential services.
1 The annexure containing year-wise details for the last three years of people who
joined T.A. as well as funds allocated is not given here as it does not relate to the
age-group 0-18 years
Table 2.5: Details of the Number of Students who Received
National Cadet Corps (NCC) Training
Year No. of Students received NCC trainings
2002 1113778
2003 1105978
2004 1192259
2.4 GOVERNMENT NGO-PARTNERSHIP
(a) Assistance for Setting up of Creches and Nursery
Schools
[Ref. No: LSUSQ-2192,14.12.2004]
Shri Suresh Kalmadi (INC) and Shri G M Siddeswara (BJP) asked:
(a) the assistance provided by the Government both financial and
organizational to set up Nursery Schools and creches for children
of working women during each of the last three years and
onwards, state-wise;
(b) whether the Government is planning to set up Nursery Schools or
Creches in every Primary School in Rural India
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) the total amount earmarked for the purpose; and
(e) the time by which these are likely to be set up, state-wise?
Smt Kanti Singh, Minister of state in the Ministry of Human Resource
Development, answered:
(a) Under the schemes of Assistance to Voluntary Organisations for
Creches for Working & Ailing Women and National Creche Fund
Scheme financial assistance of Rs.4000 is provided towards
organizational cost and an assistance of Rs.1540/-per month per
crèche is provided for meeting recurring expenditure. Detail of grant
released during last three years and onwards is given in the Table
No. 2.5 and 2.6.
(b) No, Sir.
(c),(d)&(e) Does not arise
Table 2.6: Allocation of Funds
(Rs. Crores)
Year Amount
2002-03 265.02
2003-04 288.20
2004-05 305.05

1919
Table 2.7: State-wise Details of Funds Released from National Creche
Fund and the Scheme of Assistance to Voluntry Organisations for
Creches for Working & Ailing Women, during Last Three Years and
till date
(Rs in lakhs)
Sl.No. Name of State/UT 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05
1. Andhra Pradesh 71.52 83.91 88.19 119.22
2. Arunachal Pradesh - - - -
3. Assam 0.74 42.90 20.97 3418
4. Bihar 4.69 11.24 -
5. Delhi - - 24.02
6. Goa - - -
7. Gujarat 6.18 2.80 3.69 1.91
8. Haryana 7.46 35.97 5.72 20.24
9. Himachal Pradesh 0.77 - -
10. Jammu & Kashmir - - -
11. Jharkhand 1.51 - -
12. Karnataka 5.81 11.30 2.77 6.46
13. Kerala - - -
14. Madhya Pradesh 12.69 9.86 1.84 0.55
15. Maharashtra 14.15 21.17 13.08 11.83
16. Manipur 1.01 - 6.80
17. Meghalaya 0.49 - -
18. Mizoram - - -
19. Nagaland - - -
20. Orissa 14.84 5.82 1.84
21. Punjab 4.16 - -
22. Rajasthan 2.20 0.74 -
23. Sikkim - - -
24. Tamil Nadu 13.24 22.81 17.72 5.91
25. Tripura - - -
26. Uttar Pradesh 16.99 21.22 9.98 3.69
27. Uttaranchal 3.97 33.72 9.24 14.78
28. West Bengal 3.14 103.68 47.12 14.78
29. A&N. Islands - - -
30. Chandigarh - - -
31. D&N.Haveli - - -
32. Daman & Diu - - -
33. Lakshadweep - - -
34. Pondicherry - - -
Total 185. 56 407.14 252.98 236.32
Table 2.8: Under Plan and Non-plan Scheme
(Rs. In crore)
Sl No. Name of implementing 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05
Agencies
1. CSWB 16.85 17.99 15.37 8.99
2. ICCW 2.55 2.67 1.66 0.82
3. BAJSS 2.03 2.03 2.20 1.03
Total 21.43 22.69 19.23 10.84
(b) Assistance To Voluntary Organisations/Agencies
[Ref. No: RSUSQ-1047, 13 Dec 2004]
Shri T.T.V. Dhinakaran (AIADMK) asked:
(a) the criteria fixed for providing assistance to voluntary organizations
and agencies engaged in welfare of women and children/
dissemination and spread of women education;
(b) whether it is a fact that only three NGOs from Tamil Nadu have
been given a meager assistance during the last three years;
(c) the amount released by Government to each of these organizations
during the last three years and till date; state-wise; and
(d) the details of the agencies which are monitoring and auditing such
organizations?
Smt Kanti Singh, Minster of State in the Ministry of Human Resource
Development answered:
(a) The basic criteria used for selection of NGOs and other agencies
for operating the programmes of Department of Women and Child
Development include the following:
(ii) Registered under one of the relevant statutory acts
(iii) In existence for a period of at least three years after
registration;
(iv) Have audited statements of Accounts for last three years;

20
(v) Financial sound;
(vi) Recommendation of state governments/state Level Empowered
Committees Constituted for the purpose;
(vii) Experience in relevant field.
(b) No, Sir.
(c) Details of the agencies to whom funds were released state-wise
and scheme-wise for the last three years are available in the
respective Annual Reports of the Department. Information on
release of grants state-wise for the current year(till date) is in Table
No. 2.7.
(B) A system exists to review the performance of various organizations
through periodical reports. Review meetings and field visits by the
concerned Programme Officers.
Table 2.9: Details of Grants released during the year 2004-05 till date
(Rs Lakhs)
Sl. Name of the states Name of the scheme
No. Swadhar Working Swaw- Step@ Short National
women lamban Stay Creche
Hostel Homes Fund
1. Andhra Pradesh 5.10 2.13 72.12 119.22
2. Arunachal Pradesh - 6.47 -
3. Assam 4.19 - 20.68 34.18
4. Bihar 47.84 -
5. Chhattisgarh 1.14 - -
6. Gujarat 1.36 13.77 1.91
7. Haryana 41.38 7.76 20.24
8. Himachal Pradesh 2.75 - -
9. Jammu & Kashmir 14.00 - -
10. Jharkahand - 9.05 -
11. Karnataka 50.34* 5.85 21.07 55.28 6.46
12. Kerala 2.00 40.00 16.63 -
13. Madhya Pradesh 6.03 50.02 0.55
14. Maharashtra 70.71 48.24 81.07 11.83
15. Manipur 36.50 21.65 -
16. Meghalaya 1.14 - -
17. Mizoram - 2.59 -
18. Nagaland 2.34 13.74 2.59 -
19. Orissa 19.35 68.60 73.66 -
20. Punjab - 6.80 -
21. Rajashtan 2.63 22.59 -
22. Sikkim - - -
23. Tamil Nadu 4.60 18.00 1.61 131.75 5.99
24. Tripura - 7.76 -
25. Uttar Pradesh 10.68 1.07 114.65 5.29 92.10 3.69
26. Uttaranchal - 1.78 14.22 14.78
27. West Bengal 0.56 13.86 39.14 72.35 14.78
28. Chandigarh - 4.08 -
29. NCT of Delhi 16.79 - 12.85 -
30. D & Haveli - 3.88 -
31. Daman Diu,Goa - - -
32. Lakshdweep -
33. Pondicherry 7.76
@Support For Training And Employment Programme
*Includes Rs.0.61 lakh released under the Grants-in_Aid for financial assistance in the
field of Women and Child Development (social Defence)

2121
Table 2.10: Child-focused Questions on Development, Winter Session 2004-05
Sl. No. MP Pol. party M/F Ref no. Date Ministry Subject
POLICY
1 Mohan Rawale SS M LSUSQ 2250 14 Dec HRD National charter on children rights
2 R Sambasiva Rao INC M LSUSQ 3637 22 Dec H&FW Expenditure on health & education
3 Kum Kum Rai RJD F RSUSQ 1814 20 Dec HRD Women and child development programme
CHILD DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES
4 Karuna Shukla BJP F LSUSQ 2260 14 Dec HRD Schemes for children
5 Badiga Ramakrishna INC M LSUSQ 2649 16 Dec I&B Children in film complex
6 S P M Syed Khan AIADMK M RSSQ 166 13 Dec HRD Status of the ICDS
7 Harish Rawat INC M RSUSQ 1069 13 Dec HRD Day-care centres in Uttaranchal
8 Dr T Subbarami Reddy INC M RSUSQ 1075 13 Dec HRD Expansion of Integrated Child Development Scheme
Prof Alka Balram Kshatriya INC F
9 Uday Pratap Singh SP M RSUSQ 1817 20 Dec HRD Status of ICDS
10 Maya Singh BJP F RSUSQ 1818 20 Dec HRD World Bank assistance for ICDS
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
11 Rajnarayan Budholiya M LSUSQ 704 6 Dec YA&S Development of sports
12 K C Palanisamy DMK M LSUSQ 708 6 Dec YA&S Activities undertaken by NYKs in Tamil Nadu
13 Manoranjan Bhakta INC M LSUSQ 2201 14 Dec HRD Construction of auditorium
14 Prabodh Panda CPI M LSUSQ 793 6 Dec YA&S Improvement of sports facilities in WB
15 P C Thomas IFDP M LSUSQ 755 6 Dec YA&S Funds to Kerala for development of sports
16 Shivraj Singh Chouhan BJP M LSUSQ 760 6 Dec YA&S Funds for development of sports ground in rural
areas
17 S S Ahluwalia BJP M RSUSQ 2057 22 Dec Defence Objectives of NCC and TA
18 Vanga Geetha TDP F RSUSQ 2203 22 Dec YA&S Youth and sports development schemes
GOVERNMENT-NGO PARTNERSHIP
19 Suresh Kalmadi INC M LSUSQ 2192 14 Dec HRD Assistance for setting up of crèches and nursery
G M Siddeswara BJP M schools

22
20 G Karunakaran Reddy BJP M LSUSQ 3347 21 Dec HRD Proposals received from NGOs for women/child
Krishna Murari Moghe BJP M welfare schemes
Abdul Rashid Shaheen J&KNC M
21 T T V Dhinakaran AIADMK M RSUSQ 1047 13 Dec HRD Assistance to voluntary organisations/agencies
Note: LSSQ : Lok Sabha Starred Question; LSUSQ : Lok Sabha Unstarred Question
RSSQ : Rajya Sabha Starred Question RSUSQ : Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question
Line in bold : Full text of Q/A given in chapters
Source: Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha, List of Questions for (a) Oral answers (b) Written answers
www.parliamentofindia.nic.in

2323
3
HEALTH
Child health has been the issue of least concern for our Parliamentarians
(the least number of questions have been raised on this issue in the
last year), and this despite the fact that right health care is a basic
human right. In the Budget Session (July-August 2004) health constituted
15 per cent of the questions asked. Although, in this Winter Session of
Parliament only 11.7 per cent questions are on health, it does not fall
in the bottom of the pile, as the questions related to development in
this session were even fewer.
The problem of protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency
disorders is quite ubiquitous in the country. Diarrhoeal diseases are
still a major cause of morbidity and mortality in infants and children.
Acute respiratory infections are a leading cause of death due to
pneumonia in children under five years.
The 25 questions that were raised on child health, included those on
child mortality rate, infant mortality rate, HIV/AIDS, nutritional
deficiencies among children, and deaths of children due to malnutrition.
A question (RSUSQ 1677, 17 December) was asked whether 53 per
cent children in the country are victims of insufficient nutrition. In her
reply the Minister said, “the proportion of children under 3 years of
age who are underweight has decreased from 52 per cent (NFHS 1) to
47 per cent (NFHS 2).” It continues to be a matter of serious concern
that 47 per cent of children under 3 years of age are underweight due
to unavailability of sufficient nutrition even while the country has rotting
food grains in its godowns. Malnutrition is estimated to be a major
contributory factor in over 50 per cent of child mortality. (India Health
Report: 2003). One cannot but wonder why the honourable minister
restricted herself to information only upto the age of 3 years.
Achievement of food adequacy at the national level is a necessary,
though not sufficient, precondition to ensure the achievement of
household nutrition security. Inequitable physical distribution of available
food among different segments of the population, and even within the
family, is one of the major
factors responsible for
hunger and malnutrition in
India. Owing to the
geography of the country,
there are certain backward
and deficit regions that are
not capable of producing
sufficient food for
consumption (like Orissa,
Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
and Bihar) and on the
other hand, there are
states (like Punjab and
Haryana) that have high
yields of food grain.
Agricultural policies do not
focus on increasing the food production in these neglected regions,
which would also ensure sustainable increase in consumption and
demand of food. Instead, food grains are distributed through the PDS.
However, the PDS suffers from many problems, like low off-take by the
state governments of the allocated stocks from the FCI on the pretext of
shortage of funds, further low off-take from the ration or fair price shops
due to low demand caused by the lack of economic means to purchase
food, bogus ration cards, poor quality grains, short weighing of food and
the rates commonly being equivalent to market rates, food hoarding and
black marketing by the fair price shop owners. A review of the Below
Poverty Line (BPL) data too is overdue (Pooja Ahluwalia: 20041
).
Box No 3: Expenditure on Public Health
At the heart of the problem remains the
abysmally low public health expenditure—
around 0.9 per cent of GDP, which is lower
than the average of low-income countries
and even Sub-Saharan Africa, and well below
the average of 2.8 per cent for low- and
middle-income countries, and the global
average of 5.5 per cent (India Health Report:
2003). Not even one-third of the already
inadequate health expenditure goes towards
child health (in 2004-05, only 23.95 per cent
of the total Union Budget of the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare was for child
health)
Source : HAQ: Centre for Child Rights 2004.
1 Pooja Ahluwalia. 2004. ‘The Implementation of The Right to Food at The National
Level: A Critical Examination of the Indian Campaign on The Right To Food as an Effective
Operationalisation of Article of ICESCR. Center For Human Rights And Global Justice
Working Paper NYU School of Law, New York

24
3.1 HEALTH STATUS
(a) Child Mortality Rate
[Ref.No: LSSQ 10, 1 Dec 2004]
Shri Bhartuhari Mahtab (BJD) asked:
(a) whether child mortality has increased because of diptheria and
measles;
(b) if so, the steps taken to bring down the infant mortality rate to
zero level;
(c) whether too much focus on the polio programme has resulted in
the neglect of other vaccine preventable diseases in the country;
(d) if not, the reasons for the non-decline of IMR; and
(e) the steps taken to improve the health of the infants in the country?
Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister of Health and Family Welfare
answered :
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
(a) There is no evidence that child mortality has increased because of
diphtheria and measles. In fact child mortality has declined from
26.3 in 1990 to 20.4 in 1999 as per the latest report of Registrar
General, India.
(b) to (e): The infant mortality rate (IMR) has declined from 80 in 1990
to 63 in 2002 as per the latest report of Registrar General, India.
The major causes of IMR are:
i) Pre-maturity
ii) Pneumonia
iii) Respiratory infection
iv) Congenital malformation
v) Anemia
vi) Diarrhea of new born
vii) Birth injury
viii) Tetanus Neo-natorum
ix) Diarrhea and gastroenteritis
x) Convulsions
The additional steps taken for Polio eradication have led to no neglect
of other vaccine preventable disease interventions in the country. The
infant mortality rate (IMR) has declined from 80 in 1990 to 63 in 2002
as per the latest report of Registrar General, India.
The following interventions are being implemented in order to reduce
the infant mortality rate (IMR) in the country.
Interventions under Maternal Health :
1. Essential obstetric care including antenatal check-up, safe delivery
services and post natal care.
2. Emergency obstetric care.
3. Provision of contractual staff like Laboratory Technician, Public
Health Nurses and additional Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANMs).
4. Hiring of Anesthetists and Safe Motherhood consultants for
provision of emergency obstetric care and safe abortion services,
etc.
5. Provision of drugs and equipment at sub-centers, primary health
centers, community health centers/first referral units.
In the present development paradigm which advocates for liberalisation
of all sectors, including the social sector, there is an increased private
sector involvement in Health. The Winter Session of the Parliament 2004
presented an interesting example of public private partnership framework
in the health sector. In response to a question (LSUSQ No 25, 1
December 2004) the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare said, “Based on a public and private partnership
framework, States and UTs will be encouraged to seek enhanced
participation of the private sector in both urban as well as rural areas
through social marketing and social franchising of RCH services.” So
far so good, but the question that still remains unanswered is — what
would be the exact modus operandi of the public partnership and how
will the state monitor the priorities of the private players especially in
the case of franchising of RCH services?

2525
6. A scheme for 24 hour delivery services at selected primary health
centers and community health centers.
7. Provision of funds for Referral transport for pregnant women
belonging to indigent families, through Panchayats.
8. Facilities and training for medical termination of pregnancies for
safe abortions.
9. Prevention, management and control of Reproductive Tract
Infections (RTI)/Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)
10. Intensification of Information, Education and Communication (IEC)
Programme for Maternal and Child Health through the mass media
as also decentralized local specific activities at the grassroot level.
11. Involvement of NGOs in awareness generation and service delivery
where government services are not adequate.
12. Training of medical/paramedical and other services providers.
13. National Maternity Benefit Scheme
14. Training of Dais
15. RCH Camps in remote and underutilized Primary Health Centers
particularly in EAG States.
Intervention under Child Health
1. Strengthening of routine immunisation with focus on Measles
vaccination of children and Tetanus Toxiod (TT) vaccination to
pregnant women.
2. Promotion of breast feeding
3. Promotion of Oral re-dehydration therapy for control of diarrhoeal
disease.
4. New born care including management of acute respiratory
infections.
(b) High Risk group for HIV/AIDS
[Ref. No. LSUSQ 2295, 15 Dec 2004]
Smt. Kiran Maheshwari(BJP), Shri Hemlal Murmu (JMM), Shri
Raghunath Jha (RJD), Shri Virchandra Paswan(RJD) and Shri Adhalrao
Patil ShivajiRao (SS) asked :
(a) whether homosexuals, truck drivers, tribals, police forces, para -
military forces etc. have been identified as high risk group for HIV/
AIDS;
(b) if so, the details regarding these high risk groups that have been
identified in the country, category-wise and State-wise;
(c) the details of the total number of HIV infected people belonging
to these high risk groups who have died during the last three
years in the country, category-wise and state-wise;
(d) whether any study has been conducted by the World Bank or
related organizations on HIV/AIDS;
(e) if so, the details of studies conducted during the last five years;
(f) the details of Indian/Foreign experts engaged in such studies during
the above said period; and
(g) the number of men, women and children who died of AIDS during
the last three years, Category-wise and State-wise?
Smt. Panabaka Lakshmi, Minister of state in the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare answered:
(a) Based on the dynamics of HIV epidemic in India, the population is
divided into 3 sub groups viz core groups, bridge population and
general population. Core groups include Commercial Sex Workers
(CSWs); Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) nad Injecting Drug
Users (IDUs). Bridge populations are Truckers, Migrant Workers,
Street Children, Prison Inmates etc. and the rest are General
Population. The general population groups which indulge in risky
behaviour, are also at higher risk of acquiring HIV infection.
(b) To know the size estimate of High Risk Groups (HRGs), mapping
exercise is undertaken. The details of High Risk groups is enclosed
at Annexure I.
(c) a statement indicating total number of deaths during last three
years, Stae-wise, is enclosed at annexure II.
(d) & (e) No, Sir. National AIDS Control Organization is not aware of
any study conducted by World Bank on this.
(f) Does not arise.
(g) The statement is already enclosed at Annexure II as reply to para
(c) of the question as above.

26
Table 3.1: Statement showing details of Mapping of High Risk Groups in States (November 2004)
Name of State FSWs IDUs MSM Migrant Workers Truckers Street Children Eunuchs
Sites Size Sites Size Sites Size Sites Size Sites Size Sites Size Sites Size
A&N Island 58 158 - - - - - - 56 1140 - - - -
Ahmedabad 297 3028 - - 81 3196 60 - - - 20 6070 60 -
Andhral Pradesh 670 23758 18 298 98 5082 - - 341 84725 323 8973 - -
Arunachal Pradesh 31 146 - - - - - - 36 324 - - - -
Assam 69 1270 14 100 - - - - 54 4050 - - - -
Bihar 129 5458 23 338 9 128 28 341 81 21842 50 1882 28 341
Chandigarh 10 3224 12 1671 7 181 - - 12 32100 13 6319 - -
Chennai 347 18809 73 4877 85 4676 99 3955 117 11647 - - 99 3955
Daman & Diu 16 85 - - - - - - 14 582 - - - -
Delhi - 34,000 - 9605 - 7532 - 7317 - - - 35,450 - 7317
Goa 11 601 - - 7 936 - - 22 112275 14 957 - -
Gujarat 448 10088 1 20 129 5866 25 560 103 1318860 8 1004 25 560
Haryana (10 distt.) 124 7835 62 3236 18 714 25 719 90 29992 107 11172 25 719
Himachal Pradesh 116 246 24 210 15 109 - - 197 33303 - - - -
Jammu & Kashmir 32 125 12 48 - - - - 66 2958 - - - -
Jharkhand 38 429 3 12 - 127 - - 93 25593 - 180 - -
Karnatka 703 9859 28 703 89 705 81 557 180 17542 197 3569 81 557
Kerala 429 5865 76 1729 273 3385 - - 247 9142 235 4520 - -
Madhya Pradesh 234 - 6 - 19 - 86 - 136 - 23 - 86 -
Maharashtra (21dist.) 325 22541 5 71 47 1468 22 793 121 53000 10 1071 22 793
Meghalaya 9 - 8 - - - - - 14 - 1 - - -
Mizoram 8 1198 8 10325 - - - - - - - - - -
Manipur 130 6800 1101 26800 35 2700 - - 25 14600 45 2500 - -
Mumbai (MC) 154 12881 9 149 77 39905 35 528 11 567 44 817 35 528
Nagaland - - 24 16827 - - - - - - - - - -
Pondicherry 33 1455 1 15 24 1365 12 148 8 395 - - 12 148
Punjab 184 3250 68 864 - - - - 680 62720 - - - -
Sikkim 6 67 7 34 - - - - 4 2155 - - - -
Tamilnadu 1034 62573 178 2662 223 6560 265 4285 848 69229 - - 265 4285
Tripura 212 644 - 164 - 35 - - - - - - - -
Uttar Pradesh 320 6163 68 1466 17 1361 - - 413 113128 45 1888 - -
Uttranchal 33 322 5 125 - - 24 168 48 7072 24 1097 24 168
West Bengal 585 49180 360 13418 217 3886 117 1579 459 61165 375 13855 117 1579
Total 6795 292058 2194 95767 1389 86721 819 20950 4476 2090106 1514 95254 819 20950

2727
(c) Conference On Infant Mortality
[Ref. No. LSSQ 319, 22 Dec 2004]
Shri Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) and Shri Chengara Surendran (CPI)
asked:
(a) whether a two-day Conference on child survival was held in New
Delhi recently jointly by the Government of India and the United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF);
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the programme drawn up, if any, for reducing infant mortality
rate; and
(d) the response of the Government in this regard?
answered :
(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
(a) Yes, Sir. A two-day conference on child survival was held in New
Delhi on 29th-30th November, 2004, jointly by the Government of
India and the United Nations Children‘s Fund (UNICEF).
(b) The conference was a response to the concern of the Government
that the gains made in child health during the past two decades
are stagnating. Hence, several organizations like UNICEF, WHO,
World Bank, USAID, CIDA, DFID and the Gates Foundation, together
with partner countries, professional, academic and research
institutions have joined hands to forge a global Child Survival
Partnership(CSP) to revitalize and re-energize the child survival
revolution and to galvanize the world‘s attention once again to
focus on child survival related activities.
This conference was an opportunity for concerted action in major
thrust areas of child health.
(c) & (d) A detailed programme for action has been drawn up for
reducing infant mortality rate. It includes the following points:
Rapid but high quality roll out of Integrated Management of
Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses (IMNCI), child health strategy
to include quality improvement and scale up prevention and
treatment services for women and children affected by or
vulnerable to HIV/AIDS
Maternal and Child Health interventions to include services
for Reproductive tract and sexually transmitted infections.
Greater intersectoral co-ordination between the government
departments and with the private sector and donor partners.
Subset of key results and deliverables at district level pertaining
to programme operations and management components
considered crucial to child survival will be agreed upon,
together with related indicators to ensure mobilizing and
management action for child survival at different levels.
Ensure a synergistic working relationship amongst various
health and nutrition workers at village level.
To address the issue of co-morbidity by combined delivery of
strategic interventions, standards of excellence will be defined
by the Government to ensure appropriate quality of care and
managerial capacity
(d) Eradication of Tetanus
[Ref. No RSUSQ 968, 10 Dec 2004]
Shri Rama Munni reddy Sirigirireddy (TDP) asked:
(a) the deadline set up to eradicate tetanus among the new born
(b) State-wise number of children not immunised in spite of campaigns
during the last one year; and
(c) the action proposed to analyze the cost of failure in persuading
the district authorities to achieve the target?
answered :
(a) The goal of elimination of neo-natal tetanus (NNT) has been set
to be achieved by the year 2009.
(b) The tetanus Toxoid is given to pregnant women with the routine

28
immunisation and not in campaign mode to prevent neonatal tetanus.
As per the routine immunisation coverage State-wise number of
pregnant women not immunized during the last year is in Table 3.2
(c) The action proposed for persuading the districts authorities to achieve
the target is:
1) Maintaining high level of Tetanus Toxoid (TT) coverage to
pregnant women by strengthening routine immunisation.
2) Promotion of clean delivery through institutional delivery. A
scheme for 24 hour delivery services at selected primary health
centers and community health centers.
3) Effective surveillance to detect and investigate NNT cases.
3.2 HEALTH PROBLEMS
(a) Nutritional Anaemia
[Ref. No. LSSQ 319, 8 Dec 2004]
Dr M Jagannath(TDP) and Shri Kinjarapu Yerrannaidu (TDP) asked:
(a) whether 3 out of 4 children under 3 years of age suffer from
nutritional anaemia; and
(b) if so, the reasons for no budgetary commitments for implementing
the National Nutrition Policy?
answered:
(a) The Registrar General of India is responsible for carrying out the
census. No such data is available in the census.
The second National Family Health Survey carried out in the year
1998-99, provides information on fertility, mortality, family planning
and important aspects of nutrition, health and health care. The
International Institute for Population Sciences coordinated the survey,
which collected information from a nationally representative sample
of more than 90,000 ever married women age 15 to 49 years.
As per information available, 5.9 % of male children and 4.8 % of
female children under the age of 3 years suffer from severe anemia.
Table 3.2: Tetanus Immunisation for Expectant Mothers (II+Booster)
Sl. State/union 2003-04
No. Territory/Agency Not covered as per
monthly service statistics
I. Major States (Population>20 million)
1. Andhra Pradesh 0.2
2. Assam 52.5
3. Bihar 66.9
4. Chattisgarh 5.1
5. Gujarat 12.0
6. Haryana 16.4
7. Jharkhand 66.0
8. Karnataka 26.5
9. Kerala 12.1
10. Madhya Pradesh 11.8
11. Maharashtra 7.3
12. Orissa 22.3
13. Punjab 15.3
14. Rajasthan 12.1
15. Tamil nadu 5.0
16. Uttar Pradesh 21.1
17. West Bengal 22.6
II. Smaller States
1. Arunachal Pradesh 66.3
2. Delhi 12.4
3. Goa 10.2
4. Himachal Pradesh 8.8
5. Jamu & Kashmir 2.2
6. Manipur 44.3
7. Meghalaya 55.7
8. Mizoram 0.0
9. Nagaland 22.5
10. Sikkim 27.3
11. Tripura 18.4
12. Uttaranchal 0.0
III. Union Territories
1. A&N Island 5.2
2. Chandigarh 4.6
3. D&N Haveli 13.5
4. Daman & Diu 34.3
5. Lakhadweep 9.0
6. Pondicherry 8.4
All India 22.2
Note: Figures are provisional

2929
3.2%, 6.3% and 5.6% of children in the age groups 6 to 11
months, 12 to 23 months and 24 to 35 months respectively suffer
from severe anemia. A total of 5.4 % of children under the age of
3 years suffer from severe anemia.
Nutritional anemia is important because nutrition is an issue of
survival, health and development for current and succeeding
generations. Good nutrition is the material basis for human
resources development. Children born underweight have impaired
immune function and increases risk of diseases such as diabetes
and heart disease in their later life. Malnourished children tend to
have low I.Q. and impaired cognitive ability affecting their school
performance and productivity in their later life. Therefore, the
nutritional health in all age groups represents a national economic
asset.
To rectify the situation, the Government has laid out the 10th
Five Year Plan goals which are :-
1. Screening of all children for anemia and appropriate treatment
of those found anemic.
2. Universal screening of pregnant women for anemia.
3. Reducing prevalence of anemia by 25% and moderate and
severe anemia by 50% in children
The existing interventions for children are:
i. Reproductive and Child Health Programme: Iron and Folic Acid
is given to all zero to two year old.
ii. Integrated Child Development Services Scheme : Children in
the age group 0 to 6 years receive supplementary nutrition.
iii. Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY): This scheme was
launched in 2001 for timely introduction of complementary
food to children in the age group 6 to 36 months.
For implementation of all these interventions, the National
Nutrition Policy was formulated.
(b) The National Nutrition Policy states that nutrition affects
development as much as development affects nutrition.
Integrating nutritional concerns in development policies and
programmes of the Government was the main thrust of the
National Nutrition Policy. It identified a series of actions to be
undertaken by various concerned departments/ Ministries of the
Government in different spheres like food production, food
supply, health and family welfare, education, information, rural
development, women and child development, people with
special needs and monitoring and surveillance. It was the
commitment of the Government for several Ministries/
Departments. Various Ministries/Departments have been
contributing to the goals of the National Nutrition Policy
through their respective programmes. The budgetary support for
different programmmes particularly the Integrated Child
Development Services Scheme of the Department of Women
and Child Development, Reproductive and Child Health
Programme of Department of Family Welfare, National Iodine
Deficiency Disorders Control Programme of Department of
Health, Universalization of Primary Education of Department of
Elementary Education and Literacy, various poverty alleviation
and employment generation programmes has substantially
increased over the years.
(b) Death of Children Due to Mysterious Disease
[Ref No: RSUSQ 1669, 17 Dec 2004]
Shri Datta Meghe (NCP) asked:
(a) whether it has come to the notice of Government that during the
last two months more than 100 children have died of some
mysterious disease in Saharanpur and neighbouring areas in Uttar
Pradesh;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether Government have sent any expert team there to look
into it and identify the virus that has struck there ;
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(e) whether any financial assistance has been provided to the State
Government to take effective measures to control the disease; and
(f) if so, the details thereof ?

30
Smt Panabaka Lakshmi, Minister of state in the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare answered:
(a) to (f) Fever and deaths due to encephalitis in the districts of
Saharanpur and Baghpat have been reported to the Ministry of
Health & F.W. Govt. of India by the health authorities of
Government of Uttar Pradesh. In Saharanpur district of Uttar
Pradesh, 159 cases amongst children including 114 deaths (as on
14th December, 2004) due to encephalitis were reported from 25th
Sept. 2004. In district Baghpat (Block Khekra), 13 deaths were
reported from 28th September to 23rd October, 2004. No death
has been reported thereafter. On the request of the State Govt. a
multi-disciplinary Central Team comprising experts from Central
Govt. Hospital, National Institute of Communicable Diseases,
National Vector Borne Disease Control Program, National Institute
of Virology (Indian Council of Medical Research) investigated these
cases in Saharanpur and Baghpat districts. The clinical,
epidemiological, entomological and serological investigations
suggested that the outbreaks were due to acute viral encephalitis.
The primary responsibility of instituting medical care and public
health measures vests with the State Govt. The Central Govt.
extends technical support as and when required. Guidelines on
public health measures have been sent to district and state health
authorities by the Central Govt.
(c) Infant Deaths
[Ref. No: RSSQ 248, 17 Dec 2004]
Shri Dara Singh (BJP) asked:
(a) whether it is a fact that India ranks first in the total number of
child deaths, with 2.4 million dying before the age of five, whereas
China with a higher population base, ranks third with 7,84,000
child deaths;
(b) if so, what are the reasons therefor, indicating figures of neonatal
mortality rate during the last three years, year-wise and State-wise;
and
(c) what preventive measures Government have taken, so far, to
control infant deaths/gender bias from birth prevalent in certain
States like Orissa etc. and need of raising awareness and
strengthening laws in this regard?
Dr Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister of Health and Family Welfare
answered:
(a) Sierra Leone is the country with a under five mortality rate of 284
which is the highest in all the countries of the world . In Asia,
Pakistan has a under five mortality rate of 107 and a rank of 44
as compared to India with a under five mortality rate of 93 and a
rank of 53. China has a under five mortality rate of 39 and a rank
of 86. Further, last year China had about 10 million new borns
against about 25 million by India due to prevalence of high fertility
in some large states of India.
Box No. 4: Child Mortality in India
The honourable Member of Parliament had asked – whether India ranks
first in the world with a total of 2.4 million under five child deaths per
year? However, even though the question referred to the “absolute
number of child deaths per year” the Honourable Minister of Health
gave an answer on the floor of the house that referred to “rate of child
deaths.” He said that with an under five mortality rate of 93, India
ranks 53rd in the world.
This answer of the Honourable minister was tantamount to misleading
the august house, as the Honourable Member of Parliament sought
clarification on the absolute number of child deaths whereas the
Honorable Minister in his reply talked about the child mortality rate and
these are two different things. The India Development Report (2004-05)
says, “From among the 10.8 million under–five (infant and child) deaths
per year in the world, 2.4 million are in India.” India fares better on the
indicator of under five mortality rate because the base population of
India is high.
(b) The principal causes of infant mortality rate (IMR) in India are low
birth weight, sepsis, respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases and
congenital mal formations. The tables indicating the neonatal
mortality rate both state-wise (larger states) and year-wise are given
in Table. 3.3.

3131
(c) To control infant deaths, the initiatives being undertaken are :
1. Interventions for immunization against the six vaccines
preventable diseases i.e. tuberculosis, diptheria, pertussis,
tetanus, polio, measles.
2. Control of acute respiratory infection.
3. Control of diarrhoeal diseases.
4. Provision of essential new born care.
5. Vitamin-A supplementation.
6. Iron and folic acid supplementation.
7 Promotion of exclusive breast feeding upto the age of 6
months and appropriate practices related to complementary
feeding.
8. Preconception and pre natal Diagnostic Techniques(Prohibition
of sex selection) Act, 1994 PC&PNDT Act being implemented
throughout the country to counter gender bias. It has been
amended to strengthen it in 2003.
Implementation of Integrated Management of Neonatal and
Childhood Illness (IMNCI) Programme in collaboration with
WHO and UNICEF whereby availability of home based and
community care along with referral linkage will be made
available in States like Orissa, MP, UP with high IMR by training
doctors and grassroot health related workers.
3.3 POLICIES/ INTERVENITONS
(a) UNDP project
[Ref. No: LSUSQ 206, I Dec 2004]
Shri Parsuram Majhi (BJP) asked:
(a) the States where the UNDP funded pilot project has been launched
on community initiative in the health sector;
(b) the brief outline of the said project;
(c) whether the Government proposes to submit a proposal before
UNDP to extend the project to every State;
(d) is so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
(e) the response of UNDP thereto?
Smt Panabaka Lakshmi, The Minister of State in The Ministry of Health
& Family Welfare answered:
(a) & (b) A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assisted
pilot project on ‘Community Initiatives for Health‘ was launched
in 1999 - 2000 in the States of Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh,
Uttaranchal, Delhi and Karnataka. UNDP has provided financial
assistance of US $ 2 million for the project, which has got three
components, namely school health, community health care
financing and multi-sectoral approach to health. The School Health
Component in Kerala is rural based and looks at the issue of
learning disability while in Delhi (urban based) it focuses at the
Table 3.3: Neonatal Mortality Rate in Selected Indian States
India and bigger States 1999 2000 2001
India 45 44 40
Andhra Pradesh 46 45 40
Assam 53 47 46
Bihar 41 42 39
Gujarat 43 42 40
Harayna 39 38 38
Karnataka 43 40 40
Kerala 11 10 09
Madhya Pradesh 61 59 53
Maharashtra 29 33 30
Orissa 61 61 59
Punjab 34 29 31
Rajasthan 50 49 47
Tamilnadu 36 36 32
Uttar Pradesh 52 53 47
West Bengal 31 31 31

32
issue of ill health and absenteeism. The School health project taken
up in hundred schools of Delhi has been completed. Community
Health care financing component in Karnataka and West Bengal
focuses on pilot models for health care safety nets for the
economically weaker sections of the society so as to improve access
to primary health care. The multi-sectoral approach to health
component in Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal focuses on
development of district health plans which respond to the needs
identified by the communities through empowerment of
communities as well as the local government units.
(c) to (e) Presently, no such proposal is under consideration to extend
the project to other states.
(b) Revamping Reproductive and Child Health Programmes
[Ref. No: LSUSQ 25, 1 Dec 2004]
Shri Suresh Kalmadi (INC) asked:
(a) whether the Government is going to revamp the existing
reproductive and child health programmes;
(b) if so, the details thereof ;
(c) whether private sector will be involved to provide child health
care programme in rural areas; and
Smt. Panabaka Lakshmi, The Minister of State in The Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare answered:
(a) Yes, sir.
(b) The key principles of the revamped Reproductive and Child Health
(RCH) programme will include:
Adoption of Sector-Wide Approach;
Building State ownership by involving States and UTs from
the outset in development of the programme;
Decentralisation through development of need based State
plans;
Flexible programming;
Capacity building at the District, State and the Central level
to ensure improved programme implementation; and
Convergence, both inter-sectoral as well as intrasectoral to
optimise utilization of resources as well as Infrastructure
facilities.
(c) & (d) Based upon a public private partnership framework, States
and UTs will be encouraged to seek enhanced participation of the
private sector in both urban as well as rural areas through social
marketing and social franchising of RCH services.
(c) Vaccines for Immunisation Programme
[Ref. NO: LSSQ 321, 22 Dec 2004]
Shri Ateeq Ahmad (SP) asked:
(a) whether the vaccines for Hepatitis A,B, Chicknpox and Rabies are
not covered under the National Immunisation Programme;
(b) if so, the reasons therefore;
(c) whether the Government proposes to include these vaccines in
the National Immunisation Programme; and
Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, The Minister of Health & Family Welfare
answered:
(a) to (d): The Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) was started in
1985 and implemented in a phased manner so as to cover the
entire country by 1990. Under this programme, vaccines having
the maximum impact on mortality and morbidity were considered
in order to reduce the Infant Mortality Rate. The vaccines that are
presently being administered under the UIP are BCG, DPT, Polio,
Measles, DT and TT.
The Hepatitis-B vaccine has been introduced in the country as a
pilot project in 15 cities and 33 districts in 2002-03. The
introduction of newer vaccine like Chickenpox and Hepatitis A have

3333
not been considered as these vaccines are having very minimal
impact on the mortality rate and are recent entrants and very costly.
The Anti Rabies vaccine has not been considered for routine
vaccination of children as it is incidence based and it is being
given to general public including children following dog bites/
animal bite.
(d) Reasons For Malnutrition
[Ref. No: RSUSQ 1677, 17 Dec 2004]
Shri Ravi Shanker Prasad (BJP), Raj Mohinder Singh Majitha (SAD)
and R.K. Anand (INC) asked:
(a) whether it is a fact that 53 per cent children in the country are
victims of insufficient nutrition ;
(b) if not, the estimate of Government in this regard;
(c) whether the Government have found out the reasons of this
problem;
(a) if so, what are those reasons;
(b) number of children died due to malnutrition in the country
during the last three years ,State-wise ;and
(c) what steps Government propose to take to eradicate
malnutrition among children?
Smt. Panabaka Lakshmi, The Minister of State in The Ministry of
Health & Family Welfare answered:
(a) & (b): The proportion of children under 3 years of age who are
under weight for age decreased from 52% in National Family
Health Survey (NFHS) 1 to 47% in National Family Health Survey
(NFHS) 2.
(c) & (d): Yes, Sir. According to National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau
(NNMB) of the Indian Council of Medical Research (2001), the mean
intake of cereals and millets among 4-6 year children was about
80% (217 g) of the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) of 270 g.
The intake of all other foodstuffs was less than the Recommended
Dietary Intake (RDI), except roots & tubers.
(e) & (f): Malnutrition among children is a contributory factor in deaths
among children. Steps currently undertaken by the Government to
control malnutrition among children are:-
(i) Exclusive breastfeeding for first six months of life.
(ii) Complementary feeding initiated from 6 months of age.
(iii) Iron folic acid supplementation.
(iv) Vitamin A supplementation
(v) Mid Day Meal Programme
(vi) Supplementary nutrition as under integrated Child
Development Services Scheme (ICDS).

34
Table 3.4: Child Focused Questions on Health, Winter Session 2004-05
HEALTH STATUS
1. Bhartruhari Mahtab BJD M LSSQ 10 1 Dec H&FW Child mortality rate
2. Kiran Maheshwari BJP F LSUSQ 2295 15 Dec H&FW High risk group for HIV/AIDS
Hemlal Murmu JMM M
Raghunath Jha RJD M
Virchandra Paswan RJD M
Adhalrao Patil Shivaji Rao SS M
3. Gurudas Dasgupta CPI M LSSQ 319 22 Dec H&FW Conference on infant mortality
Chengara Surendran CPI M
4. Shahid Siddiqui SP M LSSQ 159 1 Dec H&FW Child Mortality rate
5. Savita Sharda BJP F RSUSQ 940 10 Dec H&FW Infant Mortality Rate
6. Rama Munni Reddy TDP M RSUSQ 968 10 Dec H&FW Eradication of tetanus among new born
Sirigirireddy
7. Balavantalias Bal Apte BAL M RSUSQ 1671 17 Dec H&FW Infant mortality in capital
Rudra Narayan Pany BJP M
HEALTH PROBLEMS
8. Chandrabhan Bhaiya BJP M LSUSQ 1206 8 Dec H&FW Leukemia among children
9. M Jagannath TDP M LSSQ 105 8 Dec H&FW Nutritional anaemia
Kinjarapu Yerrannaidu TDP M
10. K S Rao INC M LSUSQ 2466 15 Dec H&FW Toxins affected children
Kiran Maheshwari BJP F
11. Narendra Kumar Kushawaha BSP M LSUSQ 3638 22 Dec H&FW Death rate during child birth
12. Kalpana Ramesh Narhire SS F LSUSQ 3502 22 Dec H&FW Backbone T.B. in children
13. Datta Meghe NCP M RSUSQ 1669 17 Dec H&FW Death of children due to mysterious disease
14. Dara Singh BJP M RSSQ 248 17 Dec H&FW Infant deaths
POLICIES/INTERVENTIONS
15. M Appadurai CPI CPI LSSQ 1 1 Dec H&FW Combating AIDS
Bhal chandra Yadav BSP M

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