New Delhi, Oct 18 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra have emerged as the main beneficiaries of the more than Rs 2,155 crore released by the Government during April to July 2006 under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme to improve the nutritional status of the children up to six years and pregnant and nursing mothers.

Among the top ten states, Uttar Pradesh received Rs 33,873.86 lakh followed by Bihar with Rs 18,526.06 lakh, Maharashtra - Rs 17,344.164 lakh, West Bengal - Rs 14,658.91 lakh, Andhra Pradesh - Rs 14,280.32 lakh, Madhya Pradesh - Rs 13,142.09 lakh, Orissa - Rs 12,996.62 lakh, Karnataka - Rs 10,142.649 lakh, Rajasthan - Rs 10,975.65 lakh and Tamil Nadu - Rs 10,102.18 lakh, according to figures released here.

Next were Gujarat with Rs 8,821.01 lakh, Assam - Rs 7,931.1 lakh, Jharkhand - Rs 6487.57 lakh, Chhattisgarh - Rs 6,429.01 lakh, Kerala - Rs 5,565.96 lakh, Haryana - Rs 4,282.29 lakh, Punjab - Rs 3,692.85 lakh, Jammu&Kashmir - Rs 3,418.36 lakh, Himachal Pradesh - Rs 2,038.46 lakh, Uttaranchal - Rs 1,917.32 lakh, Manipur - Rs 1,435.36 lakh, Delhi - Rs 1,320.067 lakh, Tripura - Rs 1,274.63 lakh and Nagaland - Rs 1,241.90 lakh.

The other states received Meghalaya - Rs 870.16 lakh, Mizoram - Rs 556.96 lakh, Goa - Rs 270.65 lakh, Sikkim - Rs 217.47 lakh, Pondicherry - Rs 240.25 lakh, Andaman&Nicobar - Rs 205.23 lakh, Chandigarh - Rs 192.12 lakh, Daman&Diu - Rs 70.52 lakh, Dadra&Nagar Haveli - Rs 68.92 lakh and Lakshadweep - Rs 41.44 lakh.

Nutritional support under the scheme is being provided to about 54.6 million targeted beneficiaries comprising about 45.2 million children and about 9.3 million pregnant and nursing mothers through a network of about 745,000 anganwadis.

The Centre provides 50 per cent cost of the supplementary nutrition to the states.

UNI SD LS DS1416