Odisha Assembly: 20,150 Anganwadi centres in state lack own buildings, informs Deputy CM

On the third day of the winter session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, detailed discussions on the state of Anganwadi infrastructure were held, with the opposition BJD focusing on the lack of dedicated buildings for many centres across the state.

In a reply to BJD legislator Ashwini Patra during question hour, Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Women & Child Development Minister Pravati Parida informed the House that 20,150 Anganwadi centres are yet to operate from their own premises, highlighting a significant gap in the state’s early childhood development infrastructure.

Current Distribution of Centres

The Deputy CM informed that Odisha currently has a total of 74,224 Anganwadi centres. Out of these, 54,074 centres operate from their own buildings. An additional 10,416 mini-centres have been merged with main centres to optimise resources and streamline operations.

For centres without dedicated buildings, alternative arrangements are in place with 4,574 centres functioning in school premises, 10,469 in community centres, and 3,890 in rented properties.

The Deputy Chief Minister assured the Assembly that all centres will eventually have their own premises, with Panchayati Raj institutions facilitating land acquisition where required.

Progress and Upgrades in Infrastructure

The Deputy CM highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen Anganwadi services across the state. She reported that 12,144 centres have been upgraded to fully functional Anganwadi centres, while 5,056 centres were completed in the 2024-25 financial year.

Additionally, the supplementary budget includes provisions for the construction of 10,900 new centres, which will further reduce the dependence on temporary arrangements and ensure all centres have dedicated buildings.

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In her reply, Pravati Parida also shared plans that include acquiring land with the help of Panchayati Raj institutions where required, completing under-construction centres swiftly, and ensuring that children in every corner of Odisha have access to well-equipped, safe, and functional Anganwadi centres.