BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has set a target to construct buildings for 19,561 Anganwadi centres (AWCs) during 2019-20.

Of 72,587 AWCs functioning in Odisha, 38,124 have their own buildings. Buildings of another 14,892 centres are in different stages of completion. Drinking water facilities are available in around 94 per cent of AWCs and more than 84 per cent of the centres have separate kitchens.  

The State Government has approved enhanced annual programme implementation plan (APIP) of Rs 2584.38 crore for 2019-20 which is around 17.5 per cent more than the last year’s provision. The annual plan for 2018-19 was around Rs 2,198 crore. 

The proposed activities include child care and development, supplementary nutrition, training, capital asset creation, construction of new buildings along with other establishment and contingency expenditures, said Director of ICDS and Social Welfare Reghu G.

The annual plan for Anganwadi services was approved in the State Empowered Committee Meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi here recently.

Padhi directed the Women and Child Development department to make AWCs more inspirational and attractive for children. He said the site selection for construction of AWC buildings should be close to village and habitation. 

He asked the department to supply LPG connections to all the centres and ensure refill of empty cylinders so that supply of cooked food under supplementary nutrition is not disturbed.

It was decided to supply medicine kits to all AWCs which would contain general drugs and vitamins for children. Principal Secretary, Women and Child Development Anu Garg placed the need for a ‘Mamata Corner’ in AWCs for health and antenatal check up of expecting mothers. This was approved in the meeting.

It was further decided that AWCs will be developed with beautification of the external walls, interior designs, kitchen gardens, boundary walls, electrification, drinking water and toilets. These activities will be taken up in convergence with MGNREGS funds. 

The fund for APIP is financed both by Central and State Governments. The fund for different component of the programme is shared in varying proportions.

While salary component of AWCs is shared on 75:25 ratio (the State bearing the major share), in information, education and communication (IEC), the sharing pattern is 40:60 between the State and Centre.