The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has written to the Union Finance Ministry asking it to waive off Uttarakhand’s contribution to the funds that are to be used for the reconstruction of anganwadis that have been destroyed or damaged due to the recent floods in the area.
The letter was written after the WCD had a review meeting to assess the impact of the recent floods on the region’s children.
“The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which has been recently re-strengthened and reconstructed, has provision for construction of anganwadis with 25 per cent of the cost being borne by the concerned State government. There is a budget provision for construction of 20,000 anganwadi centers in the current financial year. However, keeping in view the recent situation in Uttarakhand due to the floods, we have written to the Finance Ministry asking them to waive off the 25 per cent of the State requirement for reconstruction, relocation and repair of the anganwadi centres that have been damaged or destroyed in the floods,” said WCD Minister Krishna Tirath.
WCD’s preliminary estimate suggests that at least 30 anganwadi centres and one main office have been completely destroyed in the affected areas. The ICDS State directorate has also been damaged. “The present estimated additional cost will be about Rs. 1.13 lakh per anganwadi centre. The full cost of reconstruction, relocation and repair of the anganwadi centres that have been damaged or destroyed will be now borne by the WCD,’’ said a senior Ministry official.
“We have also written to the State Chief Minister regarding this waiver and have requested the State authorities to assess the actual damage to the anganwadis,” said Ms. Tirath.
Meanwhile, the WCD Ministry has also directed the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to seek a report from the State government on the exact number of children missing in the recent calamity and asked it to identify those who were orphaned.
