4 lakh Anganwadi Centre buildings to be built by 2019

New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS) With the aim to provide each Anganwadi Centre (AWC) with its own building, the government will construct four lakh more Anganwadi Centre buildings across the country by 2019, the Women and Child Development Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

According to the statement, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme -- now called Anganwadi Services -- envisages the Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) from the local community who come forward to render their services, on part time basis, in the area of child care and development as "honorary workers".

The government has also decided to provide insurance cover to AWWs and AWHs under which Rs 2 lakh will be paid to the family on the member's death due to any reason.

The Anganwadi Services Scheme was universalised during 2008-09, and currently 7,075 projects and 13,59,298 AWCs are operational.

"More than Rs 10,000 crore released in the current financial year till date under ICDS scheme which was launched in 1975 with the objective to improve the nutritional and health status of children and women and reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropout," it said.

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