Question : CONSTRUCTION OF AWC BUILDING

(a) the number of AnganwadiCentres (AWCs) in the country functioning from their own premises, rented premises and open spaces, State/UT- wise including Odisha;

(b) the details of funds allocated/ released for the construction of buildings for Anganwadi Centres along with its utilisation reported by the States during each of the last three years and the current year, State/ UT-wise including Odisha;

(c) the details of the rents fixed by the Government for hiring buildings for running AWCs in urban as well as rural areas in various States across the country;

(d) whether the Government has any proposal/ request to revise the existing rent amount, if so, the details thereof along with the action taken by the Government thereon; and

(e) whether the Government has constituted any State level committee to monitor the functioning and construction of AnganwadiCentres in the country and if so, the details thereof ?

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

(a): There were 7.95 lakhs AnganwadiCentres (AWCs) running from Government Buildings (3.68 lakhs AWCs from Government owned buildings, 2.68 lakh from School premises, 0.42 lakh from Panchayat and 1.17 lakhs from other community buildings), 3.97 lakhs from rented buildings and 0.14 lakh were operating from open space as on 31.3.2014. State-wise, including Odisha, details are given at Annex-I.

(b): Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme did not have provision for Construction of Anganwadi Centres (AWC) except for North Eastern (NER) States @ Rs.1.75 lakhs per unit. Year-wise number of AWC buildings sanctioned, funds released to NER states and utilization reported are given at Annex-II.

Construction of AWCs has become a programme component only recently. In the strengthened and restructured ICDS, construction of 2 lakh AWC buildings has been approved at a unit cost of Rs.4.5 lakhs. Upgradation of 2 lakh AWC buildings @ Rs.1 lakh per unit has also been provided for. Under Restructured ICDS, construction of AWC buildings has been sanctioned for the first time from the year 2013-14. State/ UT-wise, including Odisha, details of funds released and utilization reported by States / UTs for construction of AWC buildings during 2013- 14 and 2014-15 are given at Annex-III.

(c) & (d) : Under the restructured ICDS, the rent for hiring buildings for running AWCs/ Mini-AWCs has been revised and fixed for rural/ tribal areas @ Rs. 750/- per AWC per month, for urban areas @ Rs. 3000/- per AWC per month and for metropolitan cities @ Rs.5000/- per AWC per month. The cost- sharing pattern between the Centre and States/UTs for this component is 90:10. The revised rate of rent has been rolled out in three phases from 2012-13 to 2014-15. There is no proposal under consideration for further revision in the existing rent amount.

(e) : The Government has issued the guidelines on 31.3.2011 to constitute Monitoring & Review Committees at different levels including State level Monitoring & Review Committee on ICDS to review progress in implementation of the ICDS Scheme. As per information available, 31 States have constituted the State Level Monitoring & Review Committee. The details of State level committee, including composition and roles, are given at Annex-IV.