Those clumsy images of anganwadis may soon be replaced by modern anganwadis. To enhance and uplift the image of anganwadis, the ministry of women and child development, in a first-of-its-kind public private partnership, has joined hands with the Vedanta Group to develop and modernize the anganwadi infrastructure in the country.

The first model under this project was inaugurated on Wednesday by the minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi along with Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal at Hasanpur in Sonepat dist of Haryana.  Anganwadi is the service delivery unit established under the Integrated Child Development Scheme

This partnership aims to construct 4,000 anganwadi buildings in different parts of the country for the benefit of four lakh women and children.

These anganwadis have been named as "Nand Ghar" by the prime minister. The ‘Nand Ghar’ project promises to have multifunctional infrastructure. The structure is made in such a way as to provide low lifetime maintenance cost, spacious with ample light and is fire, dampness and earthquake proof. The infrastructure also offers amenities of smart education through interactive graphics, hygienic toilets, safe drinking water and a dedicated kitchen and storage space.

In this partnership, WCD and Vedanta are sharing the cost of construction of the buildings, which are prefab structures and powered by solar energy. The land will be provided by the panchayats and the construction will be undertaken by NBCC.

The anganwadis will come up in some of the high burden districts where the ministry is proposing to launch the National Nutrition Mission shortly. The proposal has already been submitted to the EFC (Expenditure Finance Committee) after an in-principle approval by the finance ministry. She further informed that the Mission will involve more non-government partners contributing collectively to one common objective of eliminating malnutrition.

The integrated anganwadi aims to provide smart education, mobile vans, health awareness and skill training.

The project will focus on enhancing learning experiences of children (between 3-6 years) and augmenting existing services with vocational training programme for women.

“We want to change the gloomy picture of anganwadi. It should be up to date and be able to provide a healthy atmosphere to children and women in villages,” said a senior official of the ministry. 

Every year, the ministry keeps a separate budget to develop infrastructure of these anganwadis so as to improve the overall functioning. It is important that anganwadis have a separate building where children and mothers can come and avail the nutritional services.

“We have been emphasizing the need for these buildings as places where the women in the villages can gather and discuss their issues and find solutions through collective action. The anganwadi can also function as an instrument of empowerment of women,” the official said.