Government selected children by its own process for national children's award

NEW DELHI: The government carried out its own selection process for the national children’s awards after it decided to dissociate itself from an NGO which had been giving the awards since 1957, officials have said.

In the past, the bravery awards were organised by an NGO, Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW), but recently, the financial integrity of the ICCW was questioned by the Delhi High Court during hearings on a writ petition.

In view of this, the government dissociated itself from the NGO and revamped the scheme of the national awards for children last year to include bravery as an additional component in the Pradhan Mantri National Children Awards. Senior officials said the government had advertised in August itself for the awards, and was fully prepared for it.

The Women and Child Development Ministry has said an FIR has been filed against ICCW over alleged embezzlement of funds. 

The FIR has been registered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, which was funding the ICCW for the National Creche Scheme as well as the National Bravery Awards.

“On examination of audited accounts of the ICCW, it has been ascertained that the ICCW has not refunded the unspent balance of Rs 5,44,002 for the year 2015-16 and Rs 83,99,852 and Rs 2,19,70,197 for the years 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively,” the ministry said.