New Delhi: In order to shore up their
functioning, the government is considering providing permanent
structures to Anganwadi centres and bring the honorarium being
paid to the workers on par with minimum wages.
The reason for looking out for concrete and permanent
structures was that most Anganwadis were finding difficulty
in functioning from rented and temporary structures, Minister
of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath told
reporters here today.
"I have requested MPs and MLAs to contribute some part
of their MPLADs scheme towards building anganwadi centres in
their respective constituencies," Tirath said.
The government was also contemplating increasing the
pay packets being paid to the anganwadi workers to better
their performances and states and the central governments have
decide cons tribute equally towards this, she said.
"I have spoken to the finance minister on this
already."
Apart from this, the government was also looking at
mobile anganwadis to operate from difficult areas.
Under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme, the
ministry has adopted a model of tracking missing children
through an integrated network of various states.
"The model was tried on a pilot basis in West Bengal
and now 32 states have signed MoUs with the ministry to adopt
it," she said.
Earlier, addressing delegates of voluntary
organisations after inaugurating the National Consultation for
Evolving an Efficient Grant Management System towards
Improving GO-NGO Cooperation in WCD Schemes, Tirath said that
transparency in managing grant system was imperative.
In view of greater penetration of voluntary
organisations in far-flung areas, and their demonstrated
capabilities in implementation of Five Year plans, they were
in better position to manage the issues at grass-root level,
the Minister said.
She said, more the number of voluntary agencies,
higher the pace of development. They are the eyes, ears and
legs of the government, she added.
PTI
