Lok Sabha Question No. 4768 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-20
Subject: Upgradation of AWCs in Rajasthan
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Kuldeep Indora

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4768

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026

## UPGRADATION OF AWCS IN RAJASTHAN

## 4768.  SHRI KULDEEP INDORA:

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

- (a) whether  a  large  number  of  Anganwadi  centres  are  functioning  without  their  own buildings across the country including Rajasthan and if so, the details thereof, Statewise;
- (b) the  reasons  for  not  achieving  the  annual  target  of  constructing  10,000  buildings in convergence with MNREGA and for not being able to ensure basic facilities such as toilets and safe drinking water (RO) under the "Saksham Anganwadi" initiative;
- (c) the administrative bottlenecks identified in the Centre-State cost-sharing arrangement;
- (d) the number of Anganwadi centres functioning in rented/temporary and unsafe premises in Rajasthan, particularly in the Sri Ganganagar-Hanumangarh Lok Sabha Constituency; and
- (e) the timeline  and  budgetary action plan for providing permanent  buildings  to every Anganwadi centre during the year 2026-27?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a)  to  (e):  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 reorganised under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.

Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, various steps have been undertaken to improve  the  infrastructure  facilities  at  Anganwadi  Centres  (AWCs).  During  15 th Finance Commission cycle, 50,000 Anganwadi Centres are being constructed @10000 AWCs per year in convergence with MGNREGS wherein Rs.8.00 Lakh is provided under MGNREGS, Rs.2.00

Lakh under 15 th Finance Commission (FC) (or any other untied funds) and Rs.2.00 Lakh by MWCD per AWC shared between Centre and States/UTs in the prescribed cost sharing ratio. A total of 40,000 Anganwadi Centres have been approved for construction under MGNREGS across the country including State of Rajasthan up to FY 2024-25.

Further, States/UTs have also been advised to continue to tap funds for construction of AWC buildings  from  various  schemes  such  as  Member  of  Parliament  Local  Area  Development Scheme (MPLADS), Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), Finance Commission Grants to Panchayati Raj Institutions, Multi- Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) of Ministry of Minority Affairs, etc.

Various other initiatives have been undertaken for construction of AWCs under PM JANMAN and  Dharti  Aaba  Janjatiya  Gram  Utkarsh  Abhiyan  for  the  targeted  development  of  Tribal population  and  VVP  (Vibrant  Village  Programme)  -  Phase  I,  focusing  on  Northern  border areas.

Also,  in  order  to  improve  the  infrastructure  facilities  at  AWCs  various  steps  have  been undertaken by the Ministry that, inter alia, include increasing the funding for 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.

Under Mission Poshan 2.0, two lakh AWCs located in Government buildings @40,000 AWCs per year are being strengthened as Saksham Anganwadis for delivery of improved nutrition and for Early Childhood Care and Education in the 15 th  Finance Commission cycle. Saksham Anganwadis are provided with better infrastructure than the conventional Anganwadi centres with LED screens, water filtration system, Poshan Vatika, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) material and Building as Learning Aid (BALA) paintings.

In  convergence with Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education Guidelines  for  Co-locating  AWCs  within  Government  Primary  Schools  have  been  jointly launched on 3 rd September, 2025 to strengthen ECCE and Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) services. In places where physical co-location is not possible, AWCs are to be mapped with the nearest primary school.

Under  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0,  AWCs  have  been  technologically empowered with the provision of smartphones and growth monitoring devices for efficient monitoring and delivery of services.

Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0  is  a  Centrally  Sponsored  scheme.  The implementation  of  the  scheme  falls  under  the  ambit  of  State  Governments  and  UTs administrations.  The  State  and  UT  wise  details  of  infrastructure  is  available  at  the  link: https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics.

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