Anganwadis in Bagepalli lack facilities

A majority of the anganwadi centres in the taluk face lack of infrastructure.

According to the statistics provided by Women and Child Development Department for 2012-13, of the 363 anganwadi centres in the taluk, 146 function from rented building, 137 are located in own building, 13 each function at the Panchayat buildings and community halls, nine are in temple, 42 in government school buildings and nine centres in Bhajan mandirs.

As many as 134 centres lack a kitchen while 68 have no toilet facility and there is no water scarcity in 27 anganwadi centres. Out of the total 18,666 students at anganwadi centres across the taluk, 5,563 belong to Scheduled Castes and 3,862 belong to Scheduled Tribes.

The Department has established  anganwadi centres in each of the 23 wards in the town. However, they too lack basic infrastructure.

Students crammed in a small room packed with sacks of nutritious food,  scattered water pots, charts displaying students’ progress, are a common sight at a majority of the anganwadi centres.

Mohammed S Noorulla, a resident, said the Town Municipal Council had earmarked more than 60 sites for parks, which could have been used for construction of anganwadi centres. Noorulla said while some of such sites have been encroached upon, influential persons have grabbed some.

Lakshmidevamma, an officer with Women and Child Development Department said the Town Municipal Council has been requested to allot sites for the construction of anganwadi centres in 23 wards. She said it had not been possible to provide basic amenities at the centres since they were functioning from rented buildings. She added that well-equipped anganwadi centres would be constructed if the municipality allots sites.

R Srikanth, the Chief Officer of the Municipality said immediate steps will be taken to allot sites for construction of anganwadi centres.