Dead Anganwadi Worker Issued Show-Cause Notice After 18 Months in Uttar Pradesh’s Mahoba

The notice issued to Parvati has shocked her family members, who say they submitted a death certificate to the authorities shortly after she died and cannot understand how this notice was issued. The incident has raised serious questions about procedural accountability within the system.

According to her family members, 49-year-old Parvati died on November 1, 2024. Her husband, Kishunlal, said he submitted the death certificate to the state Women and Child Development Department within eight days of Parvati's death, completing the formal requirement expected in such cases.

Now, after 18 months, Kishunlal received a notice that has left the family stunned. The document, signed by Child Development Project Officer Yasmeen Jahan, states that the anganwadi centre was found shut during inspection. It further claims that children in the 3–6 years age group were being deprived of pre-elementary education. Additionally, the notice mentions that Parvati had not updated data on Poshan Tracker, a system used by the Centre to monitor whether children at anganwadi centres are being served cooked meals as part of the midday meal programme.

The issuance of the notice, despite prior submission of the death certificate, underscores a glaring administrative oversight. The case highlights potential systemic gaps in record management and communication within the Women and Child Development Department, raising concerns about accountability and the functioning of monitoring mechanisms at the grassroots level.