Table 2: Socio-Economic Characteristics of Child
Beneficiaries in the Study Area
Source: Field Study
*Figures in the bracket represent
percentages.
Table 2 presents the socio-economic
characteristics of Child beneficiaries under ICDS. Child beneficiaries are
chosen purposively one from each Anganwadi Centre. Therefore, under each age
group, there are 283 children. It means that the total number of children
chosen is 849 and children under each age group constitutes as 33% equally under
all three groups. It is clear from the data that majority (60%) of the sample
child beneficiaries are boys and about 40% of them are Girl students.
As regards social status, out of 849
children, about 41 Percent of them belong to Backward Community followed by
Scheduled Tribe (29%), Scheduled Caste (20%) and about 10% of them belong to
Other Community children.
The distribution of Child
Beneficiaries in sample Anganwadi Centers by religion reveals that Children
belonging to Hindu religion was found to be the predominant one with 591
(69.61%) children followed by 161 (18.96%) who belonged to Muslim religion, 61
(7.18%) child beneficiaries who belonged to Christian religion and lastly 36
(4.24%) of them belonged to Sikh religion.
The distribution of Child
Beneficiaries in the sample Anganwadi Centers by type of family reveals that at
the aggregate level, 261 (30.74%) of the Child Beneficiaries live in the joint
families whereas 588 (69.25%) of them live in the nuclear families.
Table 3: Facilities available at Anganwadi Centers
Source: Field Study
*Figures in the bracket represent
percentages.
At the outset, it is clear from the
above that about 70 percent of Anganwadi Centers are being housing either in
community halls or in Auditoriums and only about 30 percent of them are having
their own buildings. During the field investigation most of the Centers had not
seen boundary surrounding the Center. Due to inadequate space for displaying
NFPSE posters or other posters related to nutrition and health education, for
conducting recreational activities like outdoor activities. At some centers
cases of theft of vessels and other stuffs are very common and many respondents
have to face difficulties due to the unavailability of the locking facility on
some Centers.
As regards the type of Anganwadi
centre building construction in which they were located, it is clear that the
number of Anganwadi Centers were with Cement structure is the highest (98%)
while only about 2 percent Anganwadi Centers were housing in mud type of
houses. Though we do not have detailed information about own building Centers,
but on the whole whether they are working either in school buildings,
auditoriums or community halls but housing in pukka houses which are safe for
children who are getting educated in Anganwadi Centers.
With regards to Educational aids,
about 70 Percent of these Anganwadi centers were well equipped with all types
of educational aids through which children got educated in Anganwadi centers.
Social Health Activist plays a crucial
role and it is clear that each Anganwadi worker has been in touch with Social
Health Activist Workers and they meet frequently. What we observed that they
are regularly having meetings and implementing program effectively.
Results related with the updating of
records in Anganwadi centres shows that the records have been updated at
Anganwadi centers to the extent of 80 Per cent. It is a positive sign to say
that the activities of the program have been implemented regularly and reaching
to the grass root level beneficiaries, but this is all with the hardship and
hard work of Anganwadi Workers at Centers.
As regards the availability of
Medical Kit in Anganwadi centres, 204 (72.08%) of the sample Anganwadi Workers
do have the medicine kit in their Centers. This is most important one where in
urgency with which health problems could be solved. Hence, not only 72 Percent
Centers, all the Centers should have Medical Kit. Our results are almost
similar of the study (3) by Prudhviraj et al (2022).
Whether these Centres are receiving
funds from Government or not, the response is that 283 (100%) out of 283 sample
Anganwadi Workers had only the source of government funds and no other source
of funds available to them. If the Non-Governmental Organizations and Donors
also contribute, these Centers can serve more number of beneficiaries.
Arriving at conclusion about the availability of
Infrastructural facilities, 258 (91.16%) of the sample Anganwadi Workers have
good infrastructural facilities in their Centers whereas 25 (8.83%) of the
sample Anganwadi Workers do have the infrastructural facilities but in bad
condition. These results are nearer to the study (4) Prudhviraj, K.,et
al.,(2022).
With regard to the analysis of the
Anganwadi Workers having any problem in maintaining the Anganwadi Centers, some
of the Anganwadi Workers responded positively and others responded negatively.
On the whole, this table shows that most, 175 (61.83%), of the Sample Anganwadi
Workers do not face any kind of challenges in maintaining their Centers whereas
108 (38.16%) have expressed some kind of issues in maintaining their Centers.
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We conducted a Chi Square Test to
know whether Null Hypothesis is Rejected or Accepted. Null Hypothesis is “There
is no association between the availability of infrastructure facilities and
problems in maintaining Anganwadi centres”
Results are as follows:
Chi-Square = 16.924, df = 1:
Computed value = 16.924 which is
higher than table value of 3.841. Hence Null Hypothesis is rejected.
Therefore, there is a significant
relationship between the availability of infrastructural facilities and
problems maintaining Anganwadi workers.
Table 5: Opinion on availability of SNP and Health and
Nutrition
Source: Field Study
*Figures in the bracket represent
percentages.
Results in above table reveal
information about the availability of supplementary nutrition, health and
nutrition education service, satisfaction about the growth in height and weight
of children, etc., The response for the opinion about whether Adequate
Supplementary Nutrition is there or not, 768 (90.45%) out of 849 Anganwadi
Beneficiaries responded positively and 81 (9.54%) of them were responded
negatively.
And also it is clear in our opinion
survey about the adequate availability of health and nutrition education
service, at the aggregate level, the highest number of sample beneficiaries 774
(91.16%) out of 849 have the satisfactory opinion about adequate availability
of the health and nutrition education service provided in the Anganwadi center
followed by 75 (8.83%) of them having unsatisfactory opinion about adequate
availability of the health and nutrition education service provided at their
Anganwadi center.
Though the majority of parents (94%)
is satisfied with the growth in weight and height of children, it is necessary
that we also give importance to the views of minority respondents. Thus, it is
suggested that the need for evaluating and monitoring the feeding practices at
home and educating mother to give proper breakfast, inclusion of milk, balanced
meal and diet plans in future. Mere monitoring of the child beneficiaries by
the AWCs is not sufficient to bring improvement in child’s growth and
development. Improvement with attitudinal change in health and nutrition habits
of the mothers and children shall positively and constructively improve their
nutritional status.
On our enquiry about whether parents
of child beneficiaries were satisfied with overall services provided at centre,
835 Parents (98.35%) of the child beneficiaries were satisfied with the overall
services provided by the Anganwadi Center whereas 14 (1.64%) Parents of the
child beneficiaries were not satisfied with the overall services provided by
the Anganwadi Center.
We conducted a Chi Square Test to
know whether Null Hypothesis is Rejected or Accepted.
Null Hypothesis is “There is no
association between the problems faced by Anganwadi worker and their level of
satisfaction with their nature of work and work load”
Results are as follows:
Chi-Square = 134.966, df = 1,
Computed value = 134.966 which is
higher than table value of 3.841.
Null Hypothesis is rejected.
Therefore, there is a significant
relationship between Provision of Supplementary Nutrition and Health related
facilities on growth of the child beneficiaries in terms of height and weight
of child beneficiaries.
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Table 6: Opinion on availability of Pre education Facilities
Source: Field Study
*Figures in the bracket represent
percentages.
Information furnished in this table
is related to availability of Pre-School educational facilities. As regards
whether the daily pre-school education activities are taking place or not, the
aggregate responses revealed that around 97% of the beneficiaries agreed to the
daily pre-school activities being taking place in the Anganwadi Centers whereas
3% of the beneficiaries did not agree to the daily pre-school activities being
taking place in the Anganwadi Centers.
With regard to the usage of
educational material is up to the mark or not, at the aggregate level, out of
849 sample Anganwadi beneficiaries, 817 (96.23%) of the beneficiaries are happy
with the usage of educational material whereas 32 (3.76%) of the beneficiaries
are not happy with the usage of educational material on a regular basis.
As regards the change in the
children behaviour after attending centre, at the aggregate level, out of 849
sample Anganwadi beneficiaries, parents of 835 (98.35%) of the beneficiaries
are happy, whereas parents of 14 (1.64%) of the beneficiaries are unhappy.
Pattern of attendance by
Beneficiaries in Anganwadi centers reveals that 719 beneficiaries i.e. almost
85% of the total beneficiaries had regular attendance in their respective
Anganwadi Centers whereas mere 130 beneficiaries i.e. around 15% of the total
beneficiaries had irregular attendance in their respective Anganwadi Centers.
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We conducted a Chi Square Test to
know whether Null Hypothesis is Rejected or Accepted.
Null Hypothesis is “There is no
association between the Pre-School Educational facilities on children behaviour
about regular attendance towards reading and learning”
Results are as follows: Chi-Square =
72.779, df = 1,
Computed value = 72.779 which is
higher than table value of 3.841.
Null Hypothesis is rejected
Therefore, there is a significant
relationship between Pre-School Educational facilities on children behavior
about regular attendance, attitude towards reading and learning.
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 7: Opinion on availability of immunization and health
checkups
Source: Field Study
*Figures in the bracket represent
percentages.
Table 7 reveals information about
the availability of immunization and health checkup facilities at Anganwadi
centres. When we asked the opinion on above aspect, about 801 (94.34%) out of
849 of the sample beneficiaries have responded positively about the adequate
availability of immunization and health checkup facility at the Anganwadi
Centers whereas 48 (5.65%) out of 849 of them have a negative opinion about the
adequate availability of immunization and health checkup facility at the
Anganwadi Centers.
On our enquiry about whether there
are regular health checkups or not, it is observed that at the aggregate level,
out of 849 sample beneficiaries, 786 (92.57%) of the beneficiaries answered in
a positive way and 63 (7.42%) of the beneficiaries answered in a negative way.
On our enquiry whether there are
adequate referral services available or not, it is observed that at the
aggregate level, out of 849 sample beneficiaries, 792 (93.28%) of the
beneficiaries agreed with the adequate availability of the referral services
and 57 (6.71%) of the beneficiaries did not agree with the adequate
availability of the referral services.
When adequate facilities with regard
to immunization and regular checkup taking place, we enquired about health
status of children. For which out of 849 child beneficiaries 756 (89.04%) of
the beneficiaries do not have tendency of frequent illness and their health
position was good whereas 93 (10.95%) of the beneficiaries do have tendency of
frequent illness and are facing one or other health problem by the children.
We conducted a Chi Square Test to
know whether Null Hypothesis is Rejected or Accepted.
Null Hypothesis is “There is no
relationship between regular immunization, health check-up and referral
services on child beneficiaries health.”
Chi-Square = 24990.878, df = 4,
Computed value = 24990.878 which is
higher than table value of 9.488.
Null Hypothesis is rejected
Therefore, there is a significant
relationship between regular immunization, health check-up and referral
services on child beneficiaries health.
