Introduction

The Department of Women and Child Development (WCD), Lakhimpur functions under the broader framework of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, with a mission to promote the welfare, development, and empowerment of women and children in the district. The department implements a range of central and state-sponsored schemes and programs aimed at ensuring nutrition, protection, and equal opportunities for women and children, especially those from underprivileged and vulnerable sections of society.

Key focus areas of the department include:

• Child Development: Through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the department provides nutrition, early childhood education, and healthcare services to children under six years of age, as well as to pregnant and lactating women.

• Women Empowerment: Initiatives aimed at enhancing the social, economic, and legal status of women, including support through Self Help Groups (SHGs), training programs, and awareness campaigns on issues like domestic violence and gender equality.

• Protection and Welfare: Operation of child protection units, women helplines, and shelter homes to ensure safety and support for those in need.

The department works in coordination with Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers, local panchayats, and NGOs to deliver services at the grassroots level, ensuring inclusive growth and development in the district of Lakhimpur.

Our Mandate

The Women and Child Development Department in Lakhimpur district, Assam, operates under the broader mandate of promoting the welfare, development, and empowerment of women and children. Its key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring child nutrition and development through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which provides supplementary nutrition, immunization, health check-ups, and pre-school education via Anganwadi Centres.

• Protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation through implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act, Child Protection Services, and schemes like Mission Vatsalya.

• Empowering women by facilitating access to welfare schemes, legal aid, skill development, and livelihood support under programs such as Mission Shakti.

• Addressing malnutrition through initiatives like Poshan Abhiyaan, which emphasizes community participation and behavior change to improve nutrition outcomes.

• Preventing gender-based violence and child marriage in coordination with police, education, and legal services.

Overall, the department plays a crucial role in creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for women and children in Lakhimpur.

Key Programme and Schemes

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) 

Overview:

Launched in 1975, the ICDS Scheme is one of India’s flagship programs aimed at early childhood care and development, implemented across Assam by the Social Welfare Department. It targets children under 6 years of age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

In Assam, the ICDS scheme operates through a wide network of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in rural and urban areas, tribal blocks, and backward regions.

Key Objectives:

• Improve the nutritional and health status of children under 6.
• Lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical, and social development of the child.
• Reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition, and school dropouts.
• Enhance the capability of mothers to look after their children's health and nutrition.

Core Services Provided Under ICDS in Assam:

POSHAN Abhiyaan

(Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment)

Objective:

To improve the nutritional outcomes for children (0–6 years), adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers by reducing malnutrition in a targeted, time-bound manner.

POSHAN TRACKER:

The POSHAN Tracker is a mobile application developed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, to monitor and manage the delivery of nutrition services at Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) under the POSHAN Abhiyaan. It aims to enhance the effectiveness of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) by providing real-time data collection and monitoring capabilities.

Key Features of the POSHAN Tracker App

• Beneficiary Management: Tracks data for children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls, including growth monitoring and health check-ups. 

• Real-Time Data Collection: Allows Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) to input data during their visits, facilitating immediate access to information for timely decision-making. 

• Offline Functionality: Includes an offline mode enabling data entry in areas with limited internet connectivity, which syncs once the connection is restored. 

• Monitoring and Reporting: Generates detailed reports on nutrition trends, vaccination status, and beneficiary growth, aiding in targeted interventions. 

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PMMVY 2.0 – Key Features

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) The Government of India is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) with effect from 1 st January 2017. The PMMVY Scheme is being implemented as per provisions under Section 4 of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 which provides for financial support for pregnant and lactating mothers is to improve the health and nutrition for mother and child as well as compensation for wage loss, if any.

Objective: The Objectives of the PMMVYis to provide cash incentive for partial compensation for the wage loss so that the woman can take adequate rest before and after delivery of the first child; and to improve health seeking behaviour amongst the Pregnant Women & Lactating Mothers (PW&LM). The scheme also seeks to promote positive behavioural change towards girl child by providing additional cash incentive for the second child, if that is a girl child.

The cash incentives is provided in two installments for the first child as per the schedule provided in

table below:

In case of miscarriage/still birth, the beneficiary would be treated as fresh beneficiary in event of any future pregnancy.

Mission Shakti Assam

An integrated women empowerment program encompassing two sub-schemes: 

• Sambal: Focuses on women's safety and security, incorporating initiatives like One Stop Centres (OSCs), Women Helplines (WHL), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP), and Nari Adalats. 

• Samarthya: Aims at women's empowerment through schemes such as Shakti Sadan (formerly Ujjwala Homes and Swadhar Greh), Working Women Hostels, National Creche Scheme (PALNA), and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY). 

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)

A national campaign to prevent gender-based sex selection and promote the education and empowerment of the girl child. In Lakhimpur, this scheme is actively implemented through awareness programs, competitions, and community engagement activities. For instance, the district celebrated National Girl Child Day with a weeklong program, including Mahila Sabhas, sensitization sessions, and felicitations of local girl champions in sports.

One Stop Centre (OSC) Scheme – Sakhi:

• Provides integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence under one roof.
• Includes medical aid, police assistance, legal support, psychological counseling, and temporary shelter.

Women Helpline – 181

• A 24x7 helpline offering immediate and emergency support services to women in distress.

MISSION VATSALYA:

Mission Vatsalya is a centrally sponsored scheme launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), Government of India, to ensure the protection, care, and welfare of children in difficult circumstances. It aims to provide comprehensive child protection services aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on child rights, advocacy, and strengthening the juvenile justice care and protection system.

Objectives of Mission Vatsalya

• Support and sustain children in difficult circumstances: Ensure the well-being and development of children facing challenges.

• Develop context-based solutions for holistic development: Implement strategies tailored to the specific needs of children from varied backgrounds.

• Strengthen the juvenile justice care and protection system: Enhance the infrastructure and functioning of child care institutions and related services. 

Key Components

1. Institutional Care Services: Establishment and maintenance of child care institutions, such as Children Home, Special Adoption Agency (SAA), to provide safe and supportive environments for children in need.

2. Non-Institutional Care Services: Promotion of family-based care options, including:

   • Sponsorship: Financial support to children living with extended families or biological relatives.

   • Foster Care: Placement of children with unrelated families for care and protection.

   • Adoption: Facilitation of in-country and inter-country adoption processes.

   • Aftercare: Support for children leaving institutional care to reintegrate into society. 

3. Emergency Outreach Services: Deployment of mobile outreach teams to identify and assist street children, providing access to education, healthcare, and rehabilitation. 

4. Training and Capacity Building: Equipping officials and stakeholders with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide appropriate care and protection to vulnerable children. 

Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan Under Lakhimpur District 

Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan was launched on 15th August 2020 by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and is being implemented in 372 most vulnerable districts based on the findings of the first Comprehensive National Survey and inputs from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). 

Objective and Target group: Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan intends to reach out to the masses and spread awareness about substance abuse through various activities like: 

•Awareness generation programmes 

•Focus on higher educational Institution, university campuses and schools 

•Reaching out into the Community and identifying dependent population,

 •Focus on counselling & treatment facilities in hospitals & rehabilitation centres .

•Capacity building programmes for a service providers .

As part of the Abhiyaan, special emphasis is laid on the participation of stakeholders such as women, children, educational institutions, civil society organizations etc. who may be directly or indirectly affected by substance use.

Scholarship scheme for differently abled children:

1. Students with disability of 40% or more can apply for scholarships under this scheme. They are provided a financial support of Rs. 200 per month. 

2. Scholarship scheme for differently abled children pursuing medical and technical education: Under this scheme, differently abled children pursuing medical and technical education are provided a financial support of Rs 3000 per month. 

Achievements

Key Achievements:

Key Achievements in Lakhimpur District

Key Initiatives and Achievements under POSHAN Abhiyaan:

1. Rashtriya Poshan Maah Celebrations: Lakhimpur actively participated in the third Rashtriya Poshan Maah, inaugurating a Poshan Mela and establishing a Poshan Vatika (Nutri Garden) at the Lakhimpur ICDS project office. These events aimed to promote nutritional awareness and community engagement.  

2. Anganwadi Centers (AWCs): The district operates 3,066 AWCs, serving as pivotal points for delivering nutrition and health services to children and women.  

3. Capacity Building through Incremental Learning Approach (ILA): Lakhimpur has implemented the ILA to enhance the skills of frontline workers, ensuring effective delivery of nutrition services.  

4. Community-Based Events (CBEs): Regular CBEs have been organized to foster community participation and awareness regarding nutrition and health practices.

Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA):

1. Awareness Programs and Capacity Building

On July 25, 2024, a district-level capacity-building program was organized at the Lakhimpur Convention Centre in Chukulibhoria. The event aimed to disseminate knowledge about the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders. It featured a documentary showcasing local success stories and included sessions by experts such as Dr. Samiul Akhtar Barbara, a psychiatrist and program officer of the District Mental Health Programme. The program was attended by officials from various departments, including Education, Health, and Social Welfare, as well as representatives from NGOs and media personnel. 

2. International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

On June 26, 2024, the District Social Welfare Department of Lakhimpur led an awareness program at Khora Higher Secondary School to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The event included an awareness rally, discussions on the biological, psychological, and social factors leading to substance abuse, and information about the NMBA and the toll-free helpline 14446. Activities such as miking, pledges against substance abuse, and slogan-writing competitions were also conducted to sensitize the public.

3. Community Engagement and Support

The NMBA in Lakhimpur has fostered community involvement through various initiatives, including the formation of Nasha Mukt Clubs in educational institutions. These clubs serve as platforms for students to discuss and spread awareness about the ill effects of substance abuse. Additionally, local NGOs and youth organizations have collaborated with the district administration to organize outreach programs, workshops, and counseling sessions, contributing to a collective effort in combating drug abuse.

Contact Details of Officers: