Question : ANGANWADI CENTRES

(a) the number of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) operating in the country, as on date, State/UT-wise along with the activities being carried out therein;

(b) the criteria laid down by the Government for setting up of new AWCs and mini-AWCs in the country;

(c) whether the Government proposes to relax the said criterion for setting up of AWCs and mini-AWCs in desert, hilly and tribal areas of the country and if so, the details thereof along with the time by which final decision is likely to be taken in this regard;

(d) the details of the AWCs being operated from rented buildings in the country, as on date; and

(e) whether the Government has any proposal to revise rent of the buildings hired for operation of AWCs in the country and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)

(a): There are 13,41,745 operational Anganwadi Centres (AWCs)/ mini-AWCs out of 13,74,935 sanctioned AWCs/mini-AWCs in India as on 31.12.2013. State-wise details are given at Annex-I. As per schematic norms of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, Anganwadi Centres (AWCs)/ mini-AWCs provide a package of six services namely (i) supplementary nutrition, (ii) non-formal pre-school education (iii) nutrition and health education, (iv) immunization, (v) health check-up and (iv) referral services of which three later services are provided in convergence with public health systems of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

(b) & (c): The general guidelines for setting up of an AWC are based on population norms, i.e., for population of 400-800 in the rural/urban areas, one AWC can be set up; and thereafter in multiples of 800, one AWC. For tribal/hilly areas, for population of 300-800, one AWC can be set up.

There is a provision for setting up of Mini-AWCs. One Mini-AWC can be set up for population of 150-400 in the rural/urban areas whereas, for hilly/tribal areas, one Mini-AWC can be set up for population of 150-300.

Further, as per the order dated 13.12.2006 of the Supreme Court, an Anganwadi-on-Demand (A0D) can be opened if child population in an area/habitation is not less than 40 and there is no AWC, irrespective of overall population of the area/habitation.

Population norms for hilly and tribal areas are already relaxed. There is no proposal to further relax these norms.

(d): As per information available, about 33 per cent AWCs and mini-AWCs are operating from rented buildings and remaining from other places like own buildings, Anganwadi Workers (AWW)/ Helpers (AWH)’s house, School premises, Panchayat buildings, Other Community buildings etc. as per following details:

 
 Item	Type of Building	Kutcha	Pucca	Total	Total AWCs reporting	1203365 # Govt.	0.04%	30.04%	30.08% Own Building #Rented AWWs/	0.84%	4.40%	5.24% AWHs House Others	11.42%	16.23%	27.65% # Community School	0.00%	22.33%	22.33% Panchayat	0.05%	3.89%	3.94% Others	2.48%	7.10%	9.58% Open Space	0.91%	0.27%	1.18% Total	15.74%	84.26%