Lok Sabha Question No. 545 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-09
Subject: Basic Infrastructure in Anganwadi Centres
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.545

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.12.2022

## BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN ANGANWADI CENTRES

545.   SHRI LAVU SRI KRISHNA DEVARAYALU:

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

- (a) the number of Anganwadi Centres presently functioning in the country;
- (b) whether the Government has taken note that as per a report by NITI Aayog and World  Food  Programme,  basic  infrastructural  facilities  like  drinking  water  and toilet facility are not available in many Anganwadi centres;
- (c) if so, the reasons therefor and the steps taken to rectify the situation;
- (d) whether it is also true that almost 25% of AWCs run in rented buildings; and
- (e) if  so,  the  time  frame  by  which  permanent  buildings  will  be  provided  to  the aforementioned centres?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) As on 30.6.2022, 13,91,412 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) are functioning across the country.
- (b) & (c) For  the  development  of  infrastructure  at  Anganwadi  Centres,  several measures  have  been  taken  under  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0,  (Mission Poshan 2.0) for improving infrastructure facilities at Anganwadi Centres (AWCs). 2 lakh AWCs  @  40,000  AWCs  per  year  shall  be  strengthened,  upgraded  and  rejuvenated across  the  country  for  improved  nutrition  delivery  and  for  early  childhood  care  and development.  Under  Swachhta  Action  Plan,  provision  of  drinking water  facilities and toilet  facilities  has  been  made.  Anganwadi  Workers   have  been  provided  with  Smart Phones for efficient service delivery.

Streamlined  guidelines  were  issued  on  13.01.2021,  covering  several  aspects such  as  quality  assurance,  roles  and  responsibilities  of  duty  holders,  procedure  for procurement,  integrating  AYUSH  concepts  and  Data  management  and  Monitoring through 'Poshan Tracker' for transparency, efficiency and accountability in delivery of Supplementary Nutrition.

(d)  &  (e)   There  is  a  provision  for  construction  of  50,000  Anganwadi  buildings  in convergence  with  MGNREGA  during  15 th Finance  Cycle.  Ministry  has  also  issued directions  to  States/UTs  to  co-locate  those  Anganwadi  Centres  which  are  running  on rent  without  sufficient  infrastructure,  with  the  nearby  Primary  Schools.  In  addition, States/UTs have also been advised to continue to tap funds for construction of AWC buildings  from  various  schemes  such  as  MPLADs,  MLALADS,  BRGF  (Backward Regions Grant Fund), RIDF (Rural Infrastructure Development Fund), Finance Commission Grants to Panchayati Raj Institutions, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), Multi-Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) of Ministry of  Minority  Affairs,  etc.  States  at  their  level  in  their  own  discretion  shall  involve Individuals, Companies, Business Houses and Institutions of repute and CSR funds for construction  of  AWCs  purely  on  pro  bono  basis  without  any  obligation.  Similarly,  the DMs shall encourage/mobilize resources for this purely on pro bono basis and without any obligation.

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