Lok Sabha Question No. 1240 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-28
Subject: New Anganwadi Buildings
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Nihal Chand Chauhan, Sanjay Jaiswal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1240

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.06.2019

## NEW ANGANWADI BUILDINGS

1240. SHRI NIHAL CHAND: DR. SANJAY JAISWAL:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is contemplating to construct new Anganwadi buildings in cities on the lines of rural/urban Anganwadi Centres (AWCs);
- (b) whether  the  Government  have received proposals from States/UTs in this regard and if so, the details thereof along with  the  response  of  the  Government thereto;
- (c) the  measures  taken  by  the Government  to  make  AWCs  more accessible and child friendly;
- (d) whether  the Government  during the XII Plan period proposed to construct two lakh AWCs at a cost of Rs. 4.5 lakh per  unit  and  annual  allotment  of  funds worth Rs. 200 crores for their maintenance; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the present status of the said proposal?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) &  (b):  No  Sir.  Government  has  been  receiving  proposals  from  States/UTs  for  construction  of  new Anganwadi  buildings  from  time  to  time  in  the  rural  and  urban  areas.    Under  the  revised  scope  of Anganwadi  Services  implemented  from  01.12.2017,  the  central  assistance  for  construction  of  new Anganwadi  Centre  building  is  available  in  rural  areas  in  convergence  with  Mahatma  Gandhi  National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The total cost of construction of one Anganwadi building is Rs. 7 lakh. Central assistance for construction of new AWC buildings @ 1 lakh Anganwadi buildings per annum is Rs. 1 lakh per Anganwadi building for all States/UTs. This amount is reimbursable to States/UTs after completion of construction of Anganwadi building.
- (c): States/UTs  have  been  advised  to  re-assess  their  requirement  of  Anganwadi  Centres  (AWCs)  and relocate  AWCs  considering  the  need.  While  relocating,  the  aspect  of  availability  of  adequate  land, building,  water  facilities,  ease  of  access  of  pregnant  women  and  children  besides  maximum  travel distance not being more than 5 km in case of urban areas, 3 km in rural areas and 1.5 km in tribal areas for  the  AWWs  is  to  be  kept  in  view.    Besides,  improved  water  and  sanitation  facilities,  Pre-school education and Medicine Kits are provided at the AWCs.
- (d) & (e):  During XII Plan period, a provision was made to construct 2 lakh AWC buildings at a cost of Rs. 4.5 lakh per AWC building and cost norm for maintenance was decided @ Rs. 2000 per AWC per annum in the government  buildings. However,  the aforesaid scheme  component  for  construction  was discontinued  as  it  was  felt  that  this  can  best  be  done  through  convergence  with  Schemes  like MGNREGS. Accordingly, joint guidelines were issued on 17.02.2016 for construction of AWC buildings in convergence with MGNREGS.

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