Jammu, Mar 18: The Government has clarified that there is no proposal currently under consideration for establishing new Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in the Shangus–Anantnag East Constituency. The response came in reply to a question raised by Advocate Reyaz Ahmad Khan, seeking clarity on the Government’s plans in this regard.
According to the Social Welfare Department, the establishment of AWCs falls under the centrally sponsored “Poshan Abhiyaan”, which requires a detailed need assessment and formal approval from the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India. As a result, no new Anganwadi Centre has been set up in the area over the past two years.
The selection of new locations for AWCs is based on population criteria for uncovered areas: 400–800 people: 1 AWC, 800–1600 people: 2 AWCs, 1600–2400 people: 3 AWCs For tribal, hilly, or other difficult terrains, an AWC is sanctioned for every 300–800 people.
Although new centres are not being established, the existing Anganwadi Centres have undergone significant infrastructure upgrades. Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi, improvements include: Drinking water facilities, Sanitation (toilets), Electricity connections, LED lighting, RO water purifiers, Wi-Fi access, Pen drives with learning material, Rainwater harvesting systems, Poshan Vatikas (nutrition gardens)
To enhance early childhood education, many of these centres are also being transformed into “Smart Vidyalayas”—fitted with CCTV cameras, Alexa devices, LED screens, and modern connectivity tools.
