Minister of State for Housing & Urban Development and Social Welfare, Ms Asiea Naqash, today said the Government is contemplating to further extend the network of Anganwadi Centres in the State to supplement the nutritional needs of children living in rural and far-flung areas.While chairing a meeting to review implementation of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and its convergence with relevant Health schemes, she said the Department will go for convergence with Department of Rural Development for constructing Anganwari centers (AWCs) wherein the labor component will be covered under MGNREGA.The Minister asked the officers to prepare a model for new AWCs and ensure that the new centres are fully equipped with proper sanitation facility.She also stressed on streamlining the procurement of nutrition to the ICDS centres so that the children receive a balanced diet on time.
She said the nutritional plan for the children should not get affected due to paper works in offices and called for timely procurement of the nutrition.Threadbare discussion was also held on various issues including identifying locations for opening of new AWCs, making existing Anganwari centres as crèches, up-gradation of existing AWCs and digitization of data.The meeting also reviewed status of Adhaar seeding of Anganwadi Supervisors, Anganwari Workers (AWWs), Anganwari Helpers (AWHs) and beneficiaries which include children, pregnant and lactating women, besides progress of implementation of SABLA and Kishori Shakti Yojana (KSY).During the meeting, the Minister was informed that State has registered a substantial growth in the number of ICDS projects as well as AWCs, while expanding the ambit of these services to almost all the villages.It was given out that presently there are 141 projects comprising 29599 Anganwari centers which are operational in the State covering a population of over 10 lakh souls including children, lactating mothers, pregnant women and adolescent girls. Besides, 3316 new AWCs have been sanctioned for J&K which would be made functional by next fiscal.Programme Manager NHM Dr Mushtaq Ahmad, State Immunization Officer Dr Dolma and District Program Officers, officials of concerned Department attended the meeting.