Alipurduar: The Alipurduar district administration is set to establish 71 new Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) centres across the district, at an estimated cost of around Rs 9.5 to Rs 10 crore. These centres are being designed to be fully child-friendly, and block administrations, along with engineers, have been instructed accordingly.
Each of the 71 new centres in Alipurduar will adopt a design similar to the state government’s recent model of attractive and modern ICDS buildings. Construction cost per centre is expected to range between Rs 12 and Rs 13 lakh. To suit the needs of young children, windows are being installed at lower heights, blackboards are being downsized and interiors will be decorated with colourful wall paintings and playful floor designs. The administration is targeting to complete the construction work by December this year.
According to officials, all blocks in the district will be covered. Specifically, 18 centres will be built in Alipurduar Blocks I and II, 3 in Falakata, 24 in Kalchini and Kumargram, and 26 in the Madarihat-Birpara block.
To ensure children stay engaged and active, the centres will feature recreational amenities. Many of them are already equipped with toys while additional play materials will be added soon.
Existing ICDS centres that haven’t yet been upgraded will also be modernised in phases, officials said.
District Magistrate R Vimala stated: “Each building is being constructed prioritising children’s needs. We are hopeful that every centre will be appreciated by both children and their parents. The construction will be completed soon.”
Since 2022, the district administration has been steadily working to overhaul the ICDS infrastructure. Of the over 3,200 existing centres in the district — most with dedicated buildings — many have already been upgraded, especially in tea garden regions. A significant portion of the 71 new centres will also serve children in these tea belt areas.