Maharashtra Cabinet Clears Proposal to Upgrade 13,000 Mini Anganwadis amid Protests by Workers – News18

The Maharashtra cabinet has given an early New Year’s gift to Anganwadi workers. It has approved the proposal to give the status of Anganwadi to approximately 13,000 mini Anganwadis running in the state. The landmark decision was taken in the last cabinet meeting after the proposal was moved by the department of women and child development. With this step, the state government has also given approval to create 13,011 posts of Anganwadi helpers, minister Aditi Tatkare told Palavanewhs.

Anganwadi workers had been protesting in the state for several days over various demands and also recently held a rally in Nagpur.

Apart from creating the 13,011 posts of Anganwadi sevikas (helpers), the state cabinet has also approved 520 posts of mukhya sevikas and supervisors. The mini Anganwadis will also get regular funds from the state government, which will help them cater to people in remote villages.

Anganwadi is a type of rural child care centre, started by the Indian government in 1975 as part of the Integrated Child Development Services programme to combat child hunger and malnutrition.

Tatkare also shared information about steps her government is taking for orphaned children in the state.

“They are the responsibility of the state government and hence this government will work for their kalyan through various schemes,” she said. “My department is working on all fronts to help orphans to come into the mainstream. We are in the process of distributing yellow ration cards to these children. We are also assisting orphans above 18 years on how they could get benefits from the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana. We are also in the process of giving 1% reservation in government jobs to orphans who are above 18 years, concession of two years to produce the typing exam certification in government jobs, scholarships through various schemes, etc.”