Quantitative assessment: Beneficiary nutritional status and performance of ICDS supplementary nutrition programme in Bihar

The main findings from this quantitative assessment are:

1. 53% of the SNP budget was “missing” due to leakage
   • 71% of the budget for food served at AWCs was missing
   • 38% of the budget for take home rations was missing
2. The main sources of fund leakage were
   • Anganwadi centres were open 76.5% of the time they should have been
   • Meals were only served 77% of the time when centres were open, and 59% of the time overall
   • When meals were provided, only 386 calories (77% of stipulated amount) and 11.7 grams of protein (78% of stipulated amount) were served per child per day
   • On days when the centres served meals, child attendance was only 56% of the number of children for which the centres get funds
   • 84% of beneficiaries received take home rations (THR), and those that got THR only received 61% of the stipulated amount, on average
3. Nutrition levels were very low
   • 43% of children are underweight-for-age, 58% have low height-for-age, and 20% have low weight-for-height, a prevalence beyond “critical” as per the World Health Organization.
   • 39% of nursing mothers are underweight

Background