Despite the Odisha Government’s tall claim that it has been taking proactive measures to ensure construction of own building of Angnwadi Centres (AWCs) across the State, in reality the construction of AWCs has remained a nonstarter, revealed from information sought under the RTI Act.
As per the RTI report dated November 1, 2013 provided by the Women and Child Welfare Department(W&CWD), a total of 14,938 AWCs were sanctioned under various schemes like State Plan, 13th Finance Commission and NOP scheme between 2010-11 and 2013-14 and a total of `597,76 lakh was sanctioned for the purpose.
Though three years have elapsed after the grant, only around 6 per cent (894 AWC buildings) of total 14,938 sanctioned building has been completed.
Similarly, the percentage of completion of buildings stood at 5.98 per cent whereas the percentage of non-completion building was 94.01 per cent which exposes the Government’s inefficiency towards children’s safety.
Notably, an RTI application on October 19, 2013 was submitted to the W&CDD, seeking information about status of AWCs with own building, fund sanctioned for building, its utilisation etc and the W&CDD PIO on November 1, 2013 had supplied the information.
The RTI report further stated that only 26 per cent of the AWCs are having their own buildings in Odisha while a total of 71,306 AWCs were sanctioned for the State.
Of the total sanctioned building, 18,958 AWCs have their own buildings, 16,303 AWCs are under construction mode and 36, 045 AWCs have no buildings.
In such a situation, just think how the Government is working to address issues of malnutrition, infant mortality and maternal mortality in the Odisha as Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) Programme best known as Anganwadi programme is being implemented in the State since 1975 with mandate of providing six services like immunisation, health check up, nutrition, pre-school education, referral services etc. to the children, lactating and pregnant women and adolescent girls. These services are made available to the beneficiaries in (AWCs) located in each village.
As per the provision, each AWC should have its own building and an Anganwadi worker appointed for management of the centre to ensure availability of all services to the beneficiaries. But it is seen that the AWCs could not function properly and failed to deliver services.