The concept of anganwadis, which were started in 1975 under the Integrated Child Development Services scheme (ICDS) to take care of the educational and nutritional needs of pre-school children, especially the poor, is today in a shambles. There are over 40,000 anganwadis in the state alone. While there is the semblance of a place where a few toddlers spend some time, and are fed, the grander ambitions of the anganwadi idea remain mostly on paper. Infrastructure, absence of workers, poor hygiene and nutrition are the bane of most of these in Karnataka. The educational aspect is not even worth mentioning, nor the mandated professional child care and child-friendly environment. The requirement of an anganwadi for any habitation of more than 400 people is not met.

Increasingly research has proved the importance of the first six years in the development of a child, both in terms of physical and mental growth. It is in this light that the need to provide a nutritious and hygienic meal along with some non-formal education has been stressed. A joint Centre-state initiative, the ICDS has welcomed the intervention of NGOs to achieve its objective but what many of them have found is a system that abounds in official apathy and political interference. Some amount of success was achieved with the evolution of community ownership in the anganwadis. However, the larger picture is that of waiting for someone to do the needful. Where NGOs have been facilitating the process, what was seen was a return to chaos and disuse, once they withdrew from the scene.

Sustainability of any process brought in by the intervention was a big problem. Expecting enthusiasm and active participation from the anganwadi worker who is already overloaded with work is being too optimistic. The functioning anganwadis  in rural areas needs to be supported by NGOs. While supervisors are a part of the system, there is the need for some accountability regarding their day to day working. Neither the right to food nor the right to education bills have been notified. Experts suggest that it is best to follow up on the Supreme Court judgement which makes education from birth to 14 years a fundamental right. There is a need to hold the state responsible for education of the poor millions.