Bhubaneswar: Odisha is set to get 1,639 new Anganwadi Centre (AWC) buildings under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), with the Centre approving Rs 1,966.8 lakh for the project as part of a broader push to strengthen early childhood care infrastructure in the state.
The approval was disclosed by Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur in a written reply to a question by BJD Rajya Sabha MP Subhasish Khuntia in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
According to the minister, the construction will be carried out under the convergence model, with each Anganwadi building receiving Rs 12 lakh in financial assistance. The funding includes Rs 8 lakh from MGNREGS, Rs 2 lakh from the 15th Finance Commission or other untied funds, and Rs 2 lakh from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, shared between the Centre and the state.
The Centre has sanctioned 40,000 Anganwadi buildings across the country under the scheme, with Odisha accounting for 1,639 of them.
The state has also been sanctioned 89 Anganwadi Centres under the PM JANMAN initiative for the development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). An amount of Rs 1,068 lakh has been allocated for these projects.
To improve basic infrastructure, the Centre has approved drinking water facilities for 6,965 Anganwadi Centres in Odisha at a cost of Rs 1,782.24 lakh. Another 16,575 centres will get toilet facilities with financial assistance of Rs 2,458.79 lakh.
In another major boost, Odisha has been approved for 12,140 Saksham Anganwadis under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, with the Centre allocating Rs 7,284 lakh for their development.
Unlike conventional Anganwadi Centres, Saksham Anganwadis are designed as modern childcare and learning centres equipped with LED screens, water filtration systems, Poshan Vatikas (nutrition gardens), Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) learning materials, and Building as Learning Aid (BALA) paintings to create child-friendly environments.
The ministry said details of sanctioned and operational Anganwadi Centres in Odisha are available on the Poshan Tracker portal.
The Centre’s assistance is expected to strengthen the state’s Anganwadi network by improving infrastructure and expanding access to nutrition, pre-school education and early childhood care services.
