Union Government on 24 June 2015 launched the first modernised Anganwadi centre of India at Hasanpur village of Sonepat in Haryana. The centre was inaugurated by Maneka Gandhi, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development (WCD).
The centre has been set up as part of Nand-Ghar Yojana of Union Government which aims at transforming the anganwadi centres.
The anganwadi centre at Hasanpur has been built in partnership with private mining firm Vedanta at a cost of 12 lakh rupees, while the land was provided by the Gram Panchayat.
Further, the centre with singular design has been constructed by state-run National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBCC) as per the guidance of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
The centre involving an area of 780 square feet can accommodate around 50 children in daytime every day and are equipped with latest facilities.
The centre is based on the concept of Building as a Learning Aid piloted by UNICEF and will be in addition to the existing anganwadi model for efficient delivery of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).
Under ICDS, supplementary nutrition is provided to children in the age group of 0-6 years and to pregnant/lactating mothers with main objective to fight the problem of malnutrition.
Why the need for modernised centres?
Anganwadi centres were started by the Ministry of WCD in 1975 as part of the ICDS programme to combat child hunger and malnutrition. As of now, a network of 13.4 lakh anganwadis has been established in every village, town, city and other habitations.
As per the ICDS scheme guidelines, a modernised anganwadi centre must have a separate sitting room for children/women, separate kitchen, store for food items and dedicated space for children to play.
However, in a recent audit by the government it was found that most of the centres lacked essential infrastructure for maintenance of hygiene and sanitation. Further, many of them were also found working under trees, in open spaces, dilapidated buildings and temporary structures.
Thus, the need for such modernized anganwadi centres, which will be opened across the country at 4000 other places.
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