'Steps taken to strengthen Anganwadis in state'

KOLKATA: The Union government has taken several steps to strengthen Anganwadi services in the states, though it has not constituted any task force for implementation of the schemes related to women empowerment. These steps, include revision of cost norms of supplementary nutrition, provision of construction of Anganwadi Centres under Convergence with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), provision of drinking water and sanitation facilities at AWCs under Swachhta Action Plan (SAP) etc. This was stated by the Union minister for Women Child Development Smriti Zubin Irani in a written reply to a question posed by Kunar Hembram, MP, Jhargram in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

The minister stated that in Bengal a total of 576 projects and 1,19,481 Anganwadi Centres have been sanctioned out of which all are operationalised catering to the needs of 87.69 lakh beneficiaries. Under Anganwadi Services, a package of six services, comprising Supplementary nutrition; pre-school non-formal education; nutrition and health education; immunisation; health check-up and referral services are provided to targeted beneficiaries i.e. all children below 6 years of age, pregnant women and lactating mothers.