Aadhaar mandatory for children aged up to six years

Clarification regarding cash transfers and Aadhaar card requirements under ICDS 

Reports have appeared in some newspapers and media channels regarding Cash transfers under the ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme) Scheme of the Ministry of Women & Child Development and making Aadhaar mandatory for benefits under the programme. It has also been reported that for children aged up to six years, Government has decided to replace the provision of dry ration under ICDS with cash transfers. However, this is factually incorrect. It is therefore, clarified that: Under ICDS, Supplementary Nutrition is provided in the form of Take Home Ration (THR) to children 6-36 months’ age group (including malnourished children) and Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers. But for children between 3-6 years age group, Hot Cooked Meal is provided at the Anganwadi Centres. The Hot Cooked Meals will continue for the age group of 3 to 6 years. However, there is no plan at present to substitute this with cash transfers.
There have also been complaints about the quality of Take Home Rations (THR). Therefore, the Government is considering ways to improve the system and to make it more transparent. It is also exploring the possibility of Conditional Cash Transfer in lieu of THR in select districts as a pilot as one of the options. However, a final decision is yet to be taken in this regard.
Under Section 39 of the National Food Security Act, 2013, MWCD is mandated to notify the Supplementary Nutrition (Under ICDS) Rules. These Rules were framed and notified for the first time on 08.06.2015. Under Section 8 of the NFSA, a beneficiary is entitled to Food Security Allowance if he/she is not provided the food under the NFSA. This clause relating to Food Security Allowance has now been incorporated in the SNP Rules which were notified on 20.02.2017. Payment of Food Security Allowance is mandated by the NFSA, 2013 and it has nothing to do with the Conditional Cash Transfer in lieu of SNP.