CRADLE (Child Rearing And Development – a Life cycle Elucidation), a project to modernise anganwadis in Kozhikode district, was launched at P.C. Palam, Kakkur, near here on Saturday.
Run by the Department of Women and Child Development, Kozhikode district panchayat, and the Kozhikode district administration, the project aims to improve services under the Integrated Child Development Scheme.
The plan is to raise the standards of infrastructure and food being served in anganwadis, and introduce more facilities for teenaged girls, and breast-feeding and pregnant women. It will also be a platform to offer legal help for women and monitor the needs of infants. Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Health Department, National Institute of Technology, Indian Institute of Management, Food Craft Institute, Kozhikode, and expert doctors will be involved in the project.
A release said the project would be implemented in 44 anganwadis in 10 grama panchayats and Koyilandy muncipality in the first phase. It is part of the ‘Immade Koyikkode, Opparam Koodam’ scheme of the district administration. The facilities will be more child-friendly and will provide them more entertainment.
Pre-reading and pre-writing books titled GEMS (Grow, Enlighten, with Multiple Skills) are being prepared for children. Nutritious food will be ensured for all children and the menu will include items as varied as kanji (porridge) and biryani.
Supervisors in local self-government institutions were trained by Food Craft Institute staff for preparing the food. Milk, curd, eggs, fruits and vegetables will be procured in association with Kudumbasree units.
Launching the project, Labour Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan said the government would consider extending it to other districts. Kozhikode district panchayat president Babu Parassery said a modernised anganwadi had been set up at Chemanchery.
