Anganwadi centres: Odisha HC asks govt to explain delay in construction

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, July 11:

The Odisha High Court on Thursday asked the state government to reply on the inordinate delay in the construction of buildings for the Anganwadi centres in the state.

A division bench of the court comprising Justice Pradeep K Mohanty and Justice Biswajit Mohanty directed the government to reply within a month.

The petitioner has informed the court that while the Centre has released Rs 2699.60 crore under Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) scheme under the State Plan for the year 2011-12 and 2013-14 for construction of 6559 Anganwadi centres, the state government during the period has constructed only 151 centres.

Besides, out of a total of Rs 300 crore released by the 13th Finance Commission for construction of 8000 Anganwadi centres in the state, only 754 centres have been constructed so far.

This apart, the state government has not able to construct a single Anganwadi centre under the Network Operation Plan of the Centre that had released Rs 189.50 crore for construction of 379 Anganwadi centres, the petitioner has contended.

Stating that the gross apathy of the state government has put the life of the little children at risk as they are attending the Anganwadi centres, most of which are in a dilapidated state, the petitioner has urged the court to intervene in the matter and direct the state government to take immediate steps in this regard.

Besides, the petitioner has also prayed before the court to direct the state government to form a state level committee to examine the quality of construction of the Anganwadi centres.