‘Government to convert anganwadis into pre-school education centres’

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi on Thursday said that to widen the role of anganwadis, the government is now shifting the emphasis to convert anganwadis into centres of pre-school education.

As part of this measure, a massive exercise is being launched to train the anganwadi workers to become pre-school teachers. There are currently about 27 lakh anganwadi workers and helpers at 14 lakh anganwadi centres across the country.

"The role of anganwadi workers revolved around mainly distribution and provision of food to children and lactating mothers. However, the government is now shifting the emphasis to covert anganwadis into centres of pre-school education. As a result, a massive exercise is being launched to train the anganwadi workers to become pre-school teachers," said Gandhi.

She was speaking at a programme held here to give national-level awards to Anganwadi workers to recognise their exemplary voluntary service in the field of child development and related areas under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme. The awards for the year 2016-17 were given to 51 awardees.

Gandhi urged the anganwadi workers to keep up their dedication to the cause of child development, community mobilisation and awareness generation while delivering the ICDS Services.

"The functionaries anganwadi workers and anganwadi helpers play a pivotal role in child development since the responsibility of taking care of small children has been given to these frontline workers across the country under the ICDS," said the minister.