Here’s why over 2000 Anganwadi centers are without an operations building

BHUBANESWAR: Over 2080 Anganwadi’s in Odisha’s Cuttack district do not have a building and are operating out of rentals, local clubs, and puja mandapas. In total, the district has over 3310 Anganwadi centres that are mainly working with malnutritioned children and are running the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme. The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) provides an operational location to 290 angwandis and the rest are located in different villages. Out of the total anganwadi centres, 1338 manage their operations in their own buildings, over 1140 are operating in nearby school premises, and 833 are working in rented houses. 

Due to issues over the selection of a suitable location, over 18 anganwadis are running in rental homes in areas that come under CMC’s jurisdiction. Similarly, 1,317 anganwadi centres are still waiting for the construction of their operation’s building to begin. Moreover, the construction of over 88 anganwadi centres has been completed but have not been handed over to the authorities. The process is stuck due to the non-payment of bills to contractors and agencies involved in the construction. Nirupama Behera, District Social Welfare Officer, said that they are actively taking steps to sort out the problems. She said that except for 16 angwanwadi centres, they have received the funds for the construction of buildings for the rest of the anganwadi’s.