As many as 1,600 Anganwadi centres without buildings would have their own buildings in Chhattisgarh.
The assurance was provided by Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi to Chhattisgarh Women and Child Development Minister Ramsheela Sahu in New Delhi on Monday.
According to officials, Sahu met Maneka Gandhi in New Delhi and raised the pending issues of the State related to Women and Child Development Department.
She informed the Union Minister that the State has not received any amount under different heads in the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).
In addition to this, the State Government had sent a proposal for grant of `444 lakh for regular training under ICDS and MIS training which is still pending.
Gandhi assured for approval of various pending proposals of the State after holding meetings with departmental officers.
Sahu said that malnutrition rate has been brought down due to effective implementation of schemes like Mukhyamantri Bal Sandarbh Yojna, Ready-to-Eat scheme and nutritious diet plan in the State.
She said that Chhattisgarh is the first State to provide nutritious diet food to girls in the age group of 11-18 years.
She said that the State has demanded `22.11 crore from Central Government for purchase of electronic weighing machines for 38,000 Anganwadi centres of the State.
The State has also requested the Central Government for approving the construction of Nirbhaya centres in all 27 districts.
She informed the Union Minister that the list of land allotment for proposed Nirbhaya centres has been sent to the Union Government.
Sahu invited Maneka Gandhi to participate as the chief guest of various programmes like launching of the fourth phase of Nava Jatan (de-addiction campaign), bhumi pujan of Nirbhaya Centre, State-level women conference and Chief Minister Kanyadan Yojna.
Gandhi accepted the invitation and said that she will visit Chhattisgarh in the last week of January.
Notably the Chhattisgarh Government has opened new 29,000 Anganwadi centres for ensuring overall healthcare of children below 6 years of age, officials stated.
The total number of Anganwadi centres during the past one decade has crossed 50,000 mark, they stated.
Notably, these Anganwadi centres provide nutritious food, vaccinations, supplementary diet to children between six months and six years of age.
The State Government has even hiked budget of Woman and Child Development Department by 20 per cent as compared to last year. In the current year, `1601.74 crore has been sanctioned for the department.
Officials informed that between 2001 and 2004 , the State had 21,125 Anganwadi centers which by 2014 have reached 50,311 registering growth of 21,186 centres. This includes 43,763 Anganwadis and 6,548 mini Anganwadis. Earlier between 2001
and 2004 Chhattisgarh had only 863 Anganwadis which by 2014 has reached 6,548, they said.
In Anganwadis of all 27 districts, through 220 different projects being run under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), 20.55 lakh children and their mothers/pregnant woman are being provided with nutritious food, officials said.
These projects include 121 in tribal areas and 84 in rural regions. For urban areas 15 Integrated Child Development Program are being run. These projects have started yielding good results, officials claim.
According to officials, in year 2006 the infant mortality rate (IMR) was 61 in every 1,000 live births which by 2013 reached 47. Similarly, the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in 1999-2001 was 407 per 1 lakh deliveries which by 2012-13 reached 230 per 1 lakh deliveries. Between 2005 and 2006, the malnutrition rate was 47 per cent which by 2914 has been reduced to 32.51 per cent.
Officials further informed that Ready-to-Eat food for these Anganwadi centers are being prepared and supplied by 1,568 women self help groups.