Bhubaneswar, 6 December (H.S.): A total of 20,150 Anganwadi centres in Odisha are functioning without their own buildings, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida informed the State Assembly on Friday. She said that out of the 74,224 Anganwadi centres operating across the state, a significant number continue to run from rented or temporary spaces.

To address the infrastructural gap, the state government has begun the process of constructing new Anganwadi centres. Parida stated that land has been identified for 49 centres, and construction work has commenced at one location. She also clarified that Odisha currently does not have any mini-Anganwadi centres.

The Deputy Chief Minister informed the House that the government has allocated Rs 6 crore for the construction of 50 new Anganwadi centres in urban areas during the 2024–25 financial year. Each centre has been sanctioned Rs 12 lakh for construction.

Parida added that the government is committed to improving Anganwadi infrastructure across Odisha to ensure better delivery of nutrition, health, and early childhood care services.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda