No proposal for new anganwadi centres in Chanapora: Sakeena

Srinagar, Apr 07: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo, on Monday informed the Assembly that there are currently no proposals for the establishment of new Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in the Chanapora Constituency.
The statement came in response to a question raised by MLA Chanapora Mushtaq Guroo, who asked about the current status of Anganwadi centres in the area.
Responding to the question, Itoo said, “Currently, 114 Anganwadi centres are operational within the constituency,” catering to the needs of the target beneficiaries. These centres are part of three Poshan Projects—Poshan Project Srinagar, B.K. Pora, and Budgam.
Itoo further explained that “there is no proposal to open new centres at present, as the establishment of additional AWCs requires a detailed need assessment and approval from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India.” She added that the criteria for opening new centres are population-based, “One AWC serves 400-800 people, two centres are set up for populations between 800-1600, and so on.” In tribal and remote areas, one AWC is established for populations between 300-800.
The Minister also pointed out that “the Poshan Abhiyaan, under which these centres operate, is a centrally sponsored scheme, and any expansion must follow the guidelines laid out by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.”