The best adolescent clubs that are attached to anganwadis in the State will be rewarded for their activities.
The government has decided to give awards of ₹1,250 and ₹5,000 to the best adolescent club, or Varnakoottu as they called, at the ICDS (Integrated Child Development Project) project and district levels.
The adolescent clubs, set up for mental and physical development of adolescent girls, will be adjudged on the basis of activities such as distribution of nutritious food to club members, health and nutrition education, life skills education, legal literacy, skill development, activities based on department directions, and awareness programmes, according to a government order.
Detailed guidelines too have been brought out to identify the best Varnakoottu. Committees to decide the best clubs will be set at the panchayat/municipal/corporation, ICDS project, and district levels. The welfare standing committee will decide the award at the panchayat, municipality, and corporation level. A committee with the block panchayat president, municipal chairperson, and Corporation Mayor as chairperson will make the selection at the ICDS project level. A panel with the district panchayat president as chairperson will make the decision at the district level.
ICDS supervisors have to recommend nominations for the awards from anganwadis and, along with recommendations of the welfare standing committees, submit these to the child development project officers. The best clubs will then be selected at the project levels. Those nominated by the project-level award committees will be examined by the district committee and selected for the district-level award.
Club activities from January to December this year will be considered for the award.
