New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing the Budget on February 1, said that 2 lakh anganwadis will be upgraded. While presenting the Budget in the Parliament she highlighted the government’s push on women and children empowerment, via boosters which will improve their intellectual, social and economic growth.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development will be supporting over 2,00,000 anganwadis, which will be upgraded to Saksham Anganwadis under the umbrella scheme of Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0. The scheme includes Umbrella ICDS — Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyaan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls and National Creche Scheme.
The Finance Minister said, “Our government has comprehensively revamped schemes of the Ministry of Women and Child Development such as Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya, Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 to provide benefits.”
Adding on she said, “Recognising the importance of ‘Nari Shakti’, 3 schemes were launched to provide integrated development for women and children. 2 lakh Anganwadis will be upgraded for improving child health.”
She further states that the Saksham Anganwadis were new generation Anganwadis. They had better infrastructure and audio visual aids. In her budget speech, Nirmala said, “Saksham Anganwadis are new generation anganwadis that have better infrastructure and audio-visual aids powered by clean energy and providing an improved environment for early childhood development.”
These anganwadis would be upgraded using clean energy for early child development. For government health of children was of paramount importance and upgraded anganwadis will be of key importance in the direction.
According to reports, in the last financial year, Rs 20,105 crores were expected to be invested in the scheme. The scheme will be introducing upgraded facilities like smart teaching, smart learning, crèche facilities etc.
Last year, the Union Budget allotted resources towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan extensively, be it in the social sector, energy, government reforms, migrant workers or agriculture. While the National Education Policy was the focus, the education sector saw a budgetary slash of 6 per cent from Rs 99 crores to Rs 93.2 crores last year.
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