Centre to upgrade 5,008 ‘Anganwadi’ centres in Telangana at ₹30.04 crore

The Centre will upgrade 5,008 Anganwadi centres in Telangana for ₹30.04 crore, enhancing nutrition and early childhood education.

Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Sunday said that the Centre has decided to upgrade 5,008 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in Telangana as ‘Saksham Anganwadis’ at a cost of ₹30.04 crore.

In a press release, the Minister said the Ministry of Women and Child Development, under the ‘Mission Saksham Anganwadi’ and ‘Poshan 2.0’ scheme, is strengthening nearly two lakh ‘Anganwadi’ centres housed in government buildings across the country to ensure improved nutrition and early childhood care and education.

Students at an anganwadi centre in Sangareddy. | Photo Credit: MOHD ARIF

The upgraded ‘Saksham Anganwadis’ will be equipped with enhanced infrastructure compared to conventional centres. Facilities include LED screens, water filtration systems, ‘Poshan Vatika’ (nutrition gardens), early childhood education material, and Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) paintings, he said.

Mr. Reddy said the Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) provides nutritional support to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children, and is primarily designed to bridge the gap between the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and the Average Daily Intake (ADI).

Fortified rice is being supplied to Anganwadi centres to meet micronutrient requirements and to control anaemia among women and children. Greater emphasis is also being laid on the use of millets at least once a week in the preparation of hot cooked meals and take‑home rations at ‘Anganwadi’ centres, he said.