Vedanta To Construct 400 Anganwadi Centres

BHUBANESWAR: Vedanta Limited has proposed to construct 400 Anganwadi centres (AWC) across the state as part of its corporate social responsibility, said an official on Saturday.

The official said the government would hold a meeting with Vedanta officials to start the construction of AWCs in the state.

Meanwhile, the state government asked all the district collectors to take immediate steps to sensitize Anganwadi workers and parents to ensure that children going to AWCs after completing six years of age do not drop out and must become part of the primary education system.

“Take necessary action for sensitizing the parents and Anganwadi workers who can work in convergence with Primary school teachers for enrolment of children in primary schools at the age of six and ensure that after attaining six years of age,” said women and child development secretary Vishal K Dev.

The state government’s move comes after the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) raised concern over the huge drop out of children at six years of age in various states across the country.

NCPCR has said that as per Census 2011, more than half of the children aged six years have never attended any educational institutions, while 3.2 million children have attended before but not parties of any schools.