The Take Home Ration (THR) will be delivered to the beneficiaries at home under the monitoring of districts’ administration, said the director of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Jharna Kamthan. On the other hand, the State president of Anganwadi workers association Rekha Negi opposed this decision of the Government stating it to be risky for Anganwadi workers.

Every month the THR is distributed to several beneficiaries across the State including lactating mothers, children up to to 6 years besides pregnant and abandoned women under Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) of ICDS. This month, due to novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Anganwadi workers are instructed to deliver the THR at the doorstep of every beneficiary instead of distributing it through the respective centres. According to Kamthan, the district administration of each district in the State has been instructed to manage the distribution of THR. While talking to The Pioneer, Dehradun Chief Development Officer (CDO) Nitika Khandelwal said, "We have done a tie up with the Self Help Groups (SHGs) who pack and send the THR to Anganwadi centers for making the kits too that include masks, gloves and sanitisers.

These kits will be provided to the Anganwadi workers to use while delivering the ration."

She further added that the THR will be delivered from April 5 to 10. However, the state president of Anganwadi workers Rekha Negi said that the workers will not home deliver the THR amid the risk of COVID-19 infection. Talking about the health insurance approved for Anganwadi workers, she said that they had not received any such information from the government and they will believe it only after it’s provided in writing.

"The State Government also promised us about the formation of committee for Anganwadi workers after our two month strike but I have not even heard about its discussion from the administration.

I do not trust this government anymore. We will distribute THR but only from the centers, not deliver it at homes." However, ICDS director Jharna Kamthan confirmed that among the frontline workers, Anganwadi workers are also being provided insurance cover by the State Government. About the Anganwadi workers rejecting to deliver the THR, CDO said that workers cannot refuse orders and will have to follow the instructions of the administration.