Bhubaneswar, Feb 15: More than 21,000 Anganwadi centres in Odisha are functioning without their own buildings, the state Assembly was informed on Saturday. The issue was highlighted in a written response by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who also holds the Women and Child Development portfolio.
According to the data presented in the House, Odisha has a total of 74,192 Anganwadi centres. Out of these, 52,806 centres have their own buildings, while 21,386 operate without dedicated structures. Additionally, only 26,455 centres have boundary walls, and 42,736 have access to electricity.
The statistics further reveal that 31,456 Anganwadi centres are still without electricity, and a staggering 47,737 centres lack proper boundary walls. The government is working towards enhancing the basic infrastructure of these centres, with funds being allocated to district collectors in phases to improve power supply.
While there is currently no proposal for constructing boundary walls around Anganwadi centres, the government is taking steps to upgrade facilities in a phased manner. The Deputy CM assured that efforts are being made to ensure better working conditions for Anganwadi workers and improved facilities for children.
Over 21,000 Anganwadi centres in Odisha lack own buildings
