Jharkhand to get 1,220 new Anganwadi centers under tribal welfare schemes

Mail News Service

Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has proposed the establishment of 1,220 new Anganwadi centers under the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyay Mahabhiyan (PM-Janman) and Dharti Aaba Janjati Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA). Of these, 275 centers will be opened under PM-Janman Yojana, while 945 villages have been identified for new centers under DAJGUA. A proposal for this expansion has been sent to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development for approval.

Under the PM-Janman Yojana, new Anganwadi centers will be set up in Primitive Tribal Group (PVTG) areas. So far, 111 centers have been selected, of which 91 have been approved for immediate operation. Currently, these centers function in rented buildings, but the government has decided to construct permanent structures for all 111 centers. Land has already been identified for 53 centers and a budget of Rs 13.32 crore has been approved, allocating Rs 12 lakh per unit. Rs 11.52 crore has been sanctioned for this initiative.

Meanwhile, the DAJGUA scheme, which is funded in a 70:30 ratio by the Central and State Governments, aims to enhance tribal welfare by establishing new Anganwadi centers in 945 villages. The initiative was officially launched in Hazaribagh on October 2, 2024.

Additionally, the government plans to upgrade most existing Anganwadi centers into Saksham Anganwadi Centers to enhance their infrastructure and services. A list of 7,139 villages was submitted to the ministry, revealing that 6,524 villages already have operational Anganwadi centers. A survey has been initiated in the remaining 615 villages to determine their requirements.

Officials are optimistic that these new centers will significantly improve nutrition, education and early childhood care for tribal communities across Jharkhand.