Latest news with #AWCs
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Andhra government launches clean cooking drive at AWCs
VIJAYAWADA: In a major push for clean energy and women's welfare, the Andhra Pradesh government has initiated the distribution of energy-efficient induction cooktops and compatible utensils to 11,400 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) across the state as part of the first phase of a statewide green initiative. The project, led by the Department of Women and Child Welfare, is aligned with the Union Government's 'Go Electric' campaign and the National Efficient Cooking Programme (NECP), spearheaded by the Ministry of Power, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). The official launch will take place on Thursday, June 5, in Vijayawada to mark World Environment Day. Minister for Women, Child Welfare and Tribal Welfare, G Sandhya Rani and others will formally inaugurate the programme.
Hans India
3 days ago
- General
- Hans India
Energy-efficient induction stoves to be distributed to Anganwadi centres
VIJAYAWADA: Marking a significant step towards environmental sustainability and women's welfare, the State government has made all arrangements for distribution of energy-efficient induction cooktops and compatible utensils to 11,400 Anganwadi Centrrs (AWCs) across the State in the first phase. The programme is being conducted to mark the World Environment Day to be celebrated on Thursday. The initiative, led by the Department of Women and Child Welfare, aligns with the Union Government's Go Electric campaign and the National Efficient Cooking Programme (NECP), championed by the Ministry of Power, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). The State and Central governments are trying to transitioning from LPG to Induction Cooking in the Anganwadi Centres. Timed to coincide with the World Environment Day, the initiative reinforces the State's commitment to climate action and clean energy adoption. Implemented in collaboration with EESL - a joint venture of Central public sector undertakings under the Ministry of Power - the large scale distribution programme will be launched by Minister for Women, Child Welfare and Tribal Welfare G Sandhya Rani along with public representatives on June 5 in Vijayawada. They will oversee the distribution of the energy-efficient induction cooktops and compatible utensils to Anganwadi Centres. Plans are underway to extend this initiative to all 55,607 Anganwadi centres across the State. EESL CEO Vishal Kapoor along with top officers including CGM Animesh Mishra are currently overseeing implementation. Benefits of Transitioning from LPG to Induction Cooking: Energy Efficiency: Induction cooktops are 30 per cent more efficient than traditional LPG stoves. Cost Savings: Switching to 1200 W induction stoves is projected to reduce recurring LPG costs, with annual savings estimated at Rs 24 crore. Environmental Impact: Expected to avoid approximately 28,327 tons of CO₂ emissions per year. Safety and Health: Eliminates open flames, reducing fire hazards and improving kitchen safety. Better Working Conditions: Creates cooler, cleaner, and safer environments for Anganwadi workers, especially during hot summers. Minister Gummidi Sandhya Rani, Secretary Surya Kumari (Department of Women and Child Welfare), and Director M Venu Gopal Reddy expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister Khattar for their continued guidance. They also acknowledged the contributions of Chief Secretary K Vijayanand, BEE, EESL, and other State Designated Agencies for their collaborative efforts. In Vijayawada, the induction stoves distribution programme will be held at Funtimes Club, Teachers Colony from 11 am to 1 pm on June 5.
New Indian Express
30-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Beneficiary data, monitoring inadequate in ICDS in Tamil Nadu: CAG
CHENNAI: The Comptroller and Auditor General's audit on the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) in Tamil Nadu between 2020 and 2023, has flagged several concerns regarding the scheme's implementation, including a lack of beneficiary data, inadequate monitoring and misuse of funds. One of the key findings was that rationalisation of anganwadi centres (AWCs), mandated by the centre in 2014, was initiated only in 2021-22 and completed in 2023. However, the state's ICDS Directorate had no data on uncovered areas or mini AWCs needing upgrades. However, the state said the rationalisation exercise was complete and uncovered areas were identified, the report said. The audit also revealed that the state failed to conduct annual beneficiary surveys leading to discrepancies in data as the total number of beneficiaries differed in each set of data like TN ICDS, Poshan tracker and monthly progress reports. The audit also noted that Rs 10 crore (2020-21) for AWC construction and Rs 7.75 crore (2021-22) for maintenance from the centre were pending as of March 2024. The state government said the funds hadn't been released despite repeated requests. This apart, the state failed to use Rs 3 crore given for Poshan Abhiyaan Award (2018-19) to be utilised for gap filling and innovation. A significant shortfall in coverage of children aged three to six was seen, with only 8.18 lakh of the 18.49 lakh children in this age group covered in 2022-23. The government attributed this to migration to private institutions but failed to address AWCs' lack of adequate human resources and infrastructure to prevent such migration, the report said. The audit also pointed out that only 73% of AWCs were FSSAI-registered. Non-provision of funds for the renewal of FSSAI licence and non-reimbursement of full cost of cooking gas to Anganwadi workers (AWWs) resulted in shifting the government's responsibility on AWWs as well as burdening them financially. There are also vacancies in the AWW positions (18.8%). Other issues included inflated procurement costs for LED TVs resulting in excess expenditure of Rs 33 lakh in surveyed AWCs and procurement of carrom boards worth Rs 3.81 crore in violation of centre's guidelines as part of pre-school education kits which remained unused. The state lacked a dedicated toll-free number for ICDS, and the centralised Poshan Abhiyaan number (14408) offered only Hindi and English options, defeating the objective of an inclusive grievance redressal platform for ICDS beneficiaries, it said.
India Today
21-04-2025
- Health
- India Today
The malnutrition blight: Why 40% of Gujarat kids under 5 are underweight
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue April 2025)The Census suggested that 7.8 million children should be enrolled in AWCs, but the CAG report showed only 4.1 million, indicating a 'massive gap'—between 2015-16 and 2022-23, some 3.7 million children (48.1 per cent) had missed out on the supplementary nutritional diet provided at anganwadis. Also, only 18.8 per cent of those in the 3-6 age group were enrolled in the AWCs for preschool advertisement AWCs offer a range of critical services in backward areas of India's rural and urban landscape. This is where children, lactating mothers, pregnant women and adolescent girls get supplementary nutrition; children gain access to key health services like vaccination; and mothers and families get educated on childcare, hygiene and nutrition. For children aged 3-6 years, preschool education is also offered. The anganwadis play a pivotal role in controlling malnutrition and stunting among growing children, so when a report highlights 48.1 per cent of them 'missing', it's shorthand for how poorly Gujarat is doing on a range of social and health indices. And this is despite an array of schemes and budgetary allocations. The NITI Aayog's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index 2023-24, released in July 2024, said that nearly 40 per cent of children in Gujarat under five are underweight or stunted, and over 38 per cent of the population is undernourished. The state also lags behind many peers in addressing the issue of hunger. Gujarat's performance is concerning as its SDG-2 score has dropped from 49 in 2018 to 41 in 2019, and now stabilised at 46 in 2023-24, suggesting limited progress in tackling malnutrition.'Tribal areas are the worst affected due to landscape and distance,' says social activist Neeta Hardikar, whose NGO Anandi has been working in the tribal regions of Gujarat to spread awareness about health, education and women's empowerment. 'In aspirational districts like Dahod, AWC numbers have not increased. But the biggest concern is the staff. Just two people per anganwadi is too little. Workers are stretched thin and unable to give quality attention to women and children.'The SDG Index also notes that 62.5 per cent of pregnant women aged 15-49 in Gujarat are anaemic, contributing to intergenerational malnutrition cycles. 'Intergenerational malnutrition requires persistent intervention. Initial findings of a recent study we did on food security across 30 households of each village in five talukas of Dahod district revealed that only two of the five food types prescribed for a nutritive diet show up on their plate on an average day,' says Hardikar. 'Allocated ration is not enough and does not reach intended beneficiaries.'advertisement In the past four months, the Bhupendra Patel government has announced two new initiatives to counter malnutrition—the Mukhyamantri Paushtik Alpahar Yojana to provide protein-rich snacks to students in state-run and grant-in-aid schools with budgetary funds of Rs 607 crore annually; and the Nutrition Mission, with an allocation of Rs 75 crore to enhance obstetric and newborn care. The MoWCD submitted in the Lok Sabha in December 2024 that the proportion of stunted children in Gujarat dropped from 53.6 per cent in 2022 to 40.8 per cent in 2024; the share of underweight children fell from 23.1 to 21 per cent over the same there is a long way to go. Hardikar says schemes and allocations don't translate into results on the ground. 'Anganwadi workers are not trained for the complex job at hand. Understanding around contraception is still abysmally low. Child and maternal mortality from malnutrition is under-reported as the anganwadi and ASHA workers are in denial. Any discussion on the issue at the gram sabhas is only to demand explanations; we need constructive feedback sessions rather than a punitive process,' she says. 'Keeping up the morale of the anganwadi and ASHA workers is critical here.'advertisementSubscribe to India Today Magazine
