Anganwadi

Anganwadi
Formation1975
FounderGovernment of India
TypeGovernmental organization
Legal statusGovernmental organization
PurposeCombat hunger and malnutrition of children.
OriginsIndia
AffiliationsGovernment of India
Anganwadi worker distributing dresses to children
Anganwadi worker distributing dresses to children
Anganwadi Kendra Kulei
Anganwadi Centre, Odisha, 2018

Anganwadi (Hindi pronunciation: [ãːɡɐnɐʋaːɖiː]) is a type of rural child care centre in India. It was started by the Indian government in 1975 as part of the Integrated Child Development Services program to combat child hunger and malnutrition. Anganwadi in Hindi means "courtyard shelter" in English.

Nirappam kunnu Anganwadi Centre, Cheruvannur Grama Panchayat, Kozhikode district, Kerala
Children and worker at Nirappam kunnu Anganwadi Centre
Children at Nirappam kunnu Anganwadi Centre
Karunaram Anganwadi Centre, Nanminda Grama Panchayat, Kozhikode district, Kerala
Karunaram Anganwadi - A day starts with prayer
Birthday celebration at Karunaram Anganwadi
Midday meals on a special day, at Karunaram Anganwadi

A typical Anganwadi center provides basic health care in a village. It is a part of the Indian public health care system. Basic health care activities include contraceptive counseling and supply, nutrition education and supplementation, as well as pre-school activities.[1] The centres may be used as depots for oral rehydration salts, basic medicines and contraceptives. As of 31 January 2013, as many as 13.3 lakh (a lakh is 100,000) Anganwadi and mini-Anganwadi centres (AWCs/mini-AWCs) are operational out of 13.7 lakh sanctioned AWCs/mini-AWCs. These centres provide supplementary nutrition, non-formal pre-school education, nutrition, and health education, immunization, health check-up and referral services of which the last three are provided in convergence with public health systems.[2]

While as of latest 31 March 2021, 13.87 lakh Anganwadi and mini-Anganwadi centres (AWCs/mini-AWCs) are operational out of 13.99 lakh sanctioned AWCs|AWC/mini-AWCs with the following categorization in the quarterly report:

  1. State/UT wise details of growth monitoring in Anganwadi Centers - Total children:-89.1+ lakh
  2. Total No. of AWCs/Mini-AWCs with Drinking water facility:-11.9+ lakh
  3. Total No. of AWCs/Mini-AWCs with toilet facility:-10+ lakh
  4. Other miscellaneous on rented/govt. buildings, nutritional coverage, pre-school education, vacant/in-position/sanctioned posts of AWWs/AWHs/CDPOs/Supervisors, etc.[3]
  1. ^ National Population Policy 2000 Archived 7 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine, National Commission on Population website. Accessed 13 February 2008
  2. ^ "Anganwadi Centres".
  3. ^ "ICDS Entitlements". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 6 June 2022.