(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Centre has decided to upgrade Anganwadis into Saksham Anganwadi s with an aim to improve the quality of early childhood education and nutrition, Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Annapurna Devi said on Wednesday.
According to the minister, the upgrading of 92,108 Anganwadis to Saksham Anganwadis has been approved. While interacting with the media, Devi noted that as part of the 'Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi' initiative, 11,412 out of 33,175 state-level master trainers have been trained, who will, in turn, train all Anganwadi workers across India.
"Additionally, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme has been expanded to all districts, reinforcing the importance of educating and empowering the girl child. The prime minister's vision of building a developed India is moving from women's development to women-led development, where women are equal partners in the story of development and national progress and where they lead," Devi said.
According to the minister, the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programmes target undernourishment among women and children and emphasise the critical connection between their social and physical well-being. She also mentioned that the ministry operates childcare facilities and working women's hostels in an effort to increase the number of women in the workforce.
The minister spoke on a number of topics impacting women and children, such as nutrition, child development, and women's safety and empowerment. One-Stop-Centres offer vital services, like legal and medical support, to guarantee women's protection. Additionally, women and children in need of instant assistance can call the 24-hour toll-free helplines, 181 and 1098.
The minister stated that the gender budget allocation for programmes focused on women's welfare and empowerment for the fiscal year 2024–25 is ₹3.3 lakh crore, a 37.3 per cent increase over the gender budget for the previous fiscal year 2023–24. In addition, ERSS-112 has incorporated the child helpline and 411 special POCSO courts have been built.
According to Devi, there are already 785 One-Stop-Centres running all over the country that offer full support to women in need. In an effort to raise the standard of nutrition and early childhood education, the government has also approved the upgrade of 92,108 Anganwadis to Saksham Anganwadis, she continued.
Moreover, significant legislative amendments have been made to the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and the POCSO Act, 2012, to strengthen the legal framework for the protection of children. "These efforts are part of comprehensive missions, such as Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, Mission Vatsalya and Mission Shakti. Through various schemes, the ministry is progressing towards the vision of a developed India envisioned by the prime minister," she added.
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