Lok Sabha Question No. 1374 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-09
Subject: Construction of Anganwadi Centres in Urban Areas
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Pramila Bisoyi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:  1374 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2024

## CONSTRUCTION OF ANGANWADI CENTRES IN URBAN AREAS

## 1374.  SHRIMATI PRAMILA BISOYI:

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

- (a) the opening balance, fund allocation, fund utilization and closing balance under the  Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 scheme at the end of Financial Years (FY) 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, State-wise;
- (b) the  Central  share  approved,  released  and  utilised  under  the  above  said schemes for FY 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23, State-wise;
- (c) whether the funds utilised under the said schemes in Aspirational Districts in the country has been slow during last three years, which impacted resultant outcomes, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the plan for addressing infrastructure gaps, especially construction of Anganwadi  Centres  (AWCs)  in  urban  areas  and  increasing  the  unit  rate  of monthly rent of AWCs in urban areas?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) In the 15 th Finance Commission, components of nutritional support for children below the age of 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers, Adolescent Girls (14  -  18  years);  Early  Childhood  Care  and  Education  [3-6  years];  Anganwadi infrastructure  including  modern,  upgraded  Saksham Anganwadi, Poshan Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent Girls have been reorganized under Mission  Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.

Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is a centrally sponsored scheme and is being  implemented  across  the  country  including  aspirational  districts  and  the implementation  of  the  scheme  falls  under  the  ambit  of  State  Government/  UT Administration.  To  attain  the  objectives  of  the  scheme,  funds  are  disbursed  to  all States/  UTs  in  the  prescribed  cost  sharing  ratio.  Smooth  functioning  and  proper implementation of the scheme, including utilization of funds, is reviewed periodically through  sustained  engagements/  video  conferences  at  various  levels.  The  Central Government has been persistent in its efforts to ensure optimum utilization of funds towards the cause.

The details of State/UT wise release as well as utilization of funds including aspirational districts for the 15th Financial cycle period is placed at Annexure A.

As  per  the  report  of  NFHS-5  (2019-21),  the  nutrition  indicators  for  children under 5 years of age across the country have shown an improving trend as compared with NFHS-4 (2015-16). Wasting percentage has declined from 21% (NFHS-4) to 19.3 % (NFHS-5), Percentage of under-weight children has reduced from 35.7% (NFHS-4) to 32.1% (NFHS-5) and stunting indicator has shown a decline from 38.4% (NFHS-4) to 35.5% (NFHS-5).

Moreover, as per the data of Poshan Tracker for the month of  November 2023, around 7.44 crore children under 6 years were measured out of whom 37.51% were found  severely/moderately  stunted  and  17.43%  were  found  severely/moderately underweight. The prevalence of wasting as per Poshan Tracker is at 6 % which is much below NFHS 5 levels of 19.3%.

- (d) In  the  Annual  Programme  Implementation  Plan  (APIP),  States/UTs  provide complete details of infrastructure available in all Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) available in their State/UT and their proposals for current financial year. In order to improve the infrastructure facility of Anganwadi Centres various steps have been undertaken by the Ministry that inter alia include increasing the cost of drinking water facilities and toilets  at  Anganwadi  Centres  from  Rs.10,000/-  to  Rs.17,000/-  and  Rs.12,000/-  to Rs.36,000/- respectively.

The Ministry has issued directions to States/UTs to co-locate those Anganwadi Centres which are running on rent without sufficient infrastructure, with the nearby Primary  Schools.  Under  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi and  Poshan  2.0,  there  is  a provision of construction of 50000 AWCs building over a period of five years @10000 AWCs  per  year.  For  construction  of  Anganwadi  Centres  in  convergence  with MGNREGS, construction cost has been revised from Rs.7 lakh to Rs.12 lakh per unit. States/UTs  have  been  advised  to  continue  to  tap  funds  for  construction  of  AWC buildings  from  various  schemes  such  as  MPLADs,  MLALADS,  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.

Under Saksham Anganwadi, 2 lakh AWCs @ 40,000 AWCs per year are to be strengthened,  upgraded  and  rejuvenated  across  the  country  for  improved  nutrition delivery and for early childhood care and development. In FY 2022-23, a total of 41192 AWCs have been approved for up-gradation and in FY 2023-24, a total of 40301 AWCs have been approved for up-gradation as Saksham Anganwadi.

The Government has also decided to upgrade all Mini AWCs with one worker to a full-fledged Anganwadi Centre with one worker and one helper. Out of 1,16,852 Mini-AWCs sanctioned for 23 States/UTs, orders have been issued for up-gradation of 56514 Mini-AWCs in 14 States/UTs.

Further, the amount of rent has been enhanced under guidelines of Mission

Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 as follows:

Rural: Rs.1000/- per month to Rs.2000/- per month

Urban: Rs.4000/- per month to Rs.6000/- per month

Metropolitan: Rs.6000/- per month to Rs.8000/- per month

********

## Annexure A

Statement referred to in part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Un-Starred Question No.1374 on  Construction  of  Anganwadi  Centres  in  Urban  Areas  due  for  answer  on 09.02.2024 by SHRIMATI PRAMILA BISOYI:

In the 15 th   FC, Saksham Anganwadi, POSHAN Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent Girls  have  been  reorganised  under  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0 (Mission  Poshan 2.0).  The  State-wise  details  of  funds  released  and  utilized  under Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 till now is as follows:

|                                    | State/UTs     | State/UTs     | State/UTs     | State/UTs            |
|------------------------------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|----------------------|
|                                    | 2021-22       | 2021-22       | 2022-23*      | 2023-24 (till date)* |
|                                    | Fund Released | Fund Utilised | Fund Released | Fund Released        |
| 1ANDHRA PRADESH                    | 74460.38      | 74990.85      | 79210.34      | 53304.08             |
| 2BIHAR                             | 157443.07     | 160801.5      | 167871.47     | 114337.73            |
| 3CHHATTISGARH                      | 60673.15      | 52272.36      | 58909.3       | 49752.00             |
| 4GOA                               | 1083.56       | 1291.72       | 1452.6        | 843.99               |
| 5GUJARAT                           | 83985.65      | 75792.18      | 90097.17      | 100576.48            |
| 6HARYANA                           | 17303.35      | 14698.8       | 19521.36      | 17666.92             |
| 7JHARKHAND                         | 35297.77      | 18330.29      | 35733.95      | 46438.93             |
| 8KARNATAKA                         | 100370.19     | 98461.76      | 75118.35      | 73657.07             |
| 9KERALA                            | 38822.74      | 39797.9       | 44213.5       | 22349.37             |
| 10MADHYA PRADESH                   | 108546.91     | 107787.58     | 98501.92      | 100286.09            |
| 11MAHARASHTRA                      | 171338.93     | 160901.59     | 163377.2      | 117208.52            |
| 12ODISHA                           | 106598.46     | 96445.74      | 87506.99      | 59405.09             |
| 13PUNJAB                           | 38351.68      | 17793.83      | 7473.96       | 18749.83             |
| 14RAJASTHAN                        | 68264.63      | 77164.16      | 95301.83      | 71209.77             |
| 15TAMIL NADU                       | 65538.13      | 68127.94      | 74844.97      | 55340.62             |
| 16TELANGANA                        | 48232.68      | 47929.87      | 51474         | 11777.08             |
| 17UTTAR PRADESH                    | 240755.08     | 234191.44     | 268122.42     | 184067.26            |
| 18WEST BENGAL                      | 66835.22      | 137830.5      | 120031.77     | 95425.83             |
| 19DELHI                            | 13310.7       | 12552.28      | 18277         | 10440.10             |
| 20PUDUCHERRY                       | 277.8         | 612.87        | 0.75          | 408.72               |
| 21HIMACHAL PRADESH                 | 24798.74      | 25209.25      | 26051.03      | 17626.78             |
| 22JAMMU & KASHMIR                  | 40573.74      | 37918.293     | 47746.57      | 37408.37             |
| 23UTTARAKHAND                      | 35365.25      | 33602.58      | 34877.55      | 20857.02             |
| 24ANDAMAN & NICOBAR                | 1971.15       | 1333.23       | 431.68        | 666.99               |
| 25CHANDIGARH                       | 1532.18       | 2308.52       | 3309.9        | 858.71               |
| 26 D. & NAGAR HAVELI & DAMAN & DIU | 933.39        | 838.79        | 579.95        | 581.80               |
| 27LADAKH                           | 1469.55       | 1467.45       | 1878.52       | 1746.07              |
| 28LAKSHADWEEP                      | 210.52        | 272.64        | 44.18         | 98.26                |
| 29ARUNACHAL PRADESH                | 17082.84      | 14564.45      | 12934.21      | 11729.66             |
| 30ASSAM                            | 131989.88     | 143219.22     | 161876.99     | 144940.11            |
| 31MANIPUR                          | 22892.04      | 17728.41      | 11962.31      | 14254.83             |
| 32MEGHALAYA                        | 17332.82      | 17786.35      | 19170.27      | 10937.88             |
| 33MIZORAM                          | 5931.57       | 6196.87       | 4216.61       | 3552.39              |
| 34NAGALAND                         | 15980.27      | 16020.96      | 19633.32      | 17518.50             |
| 35SIKKIM                           | 2573.06       | 2459.08       | 1968.56       | 10.49                |
| 36TRIPURA                          | 18672.47      | 17165.52      | 14746.76      | 9822.46              |
| Total                              | 1836799.55    | 1835866.77    | 1918469.3     | 1495855.8            |