'Koosina Mane' turns a boon for rural working women in Mysuru

Mysuru: Koosina Manes (creches) have turned out to be a boon for rural working women of Mysuru district. At least 443 children (214 girls, 229 boys) are being taken care of in 80 Koosina Manes, established by the district administration and the zilla panchayat, under the funds
allotted by the state government. 

These creches take care of nutrition, health and safety of children, whose mothers are majorly employed under the MGNREGA, or, are serving in various capacities at the gram panchayat-level. Total 351 MGNREGA women job card holders have been trained in the first phase to take care of children.

“Taking up work along with my husband under the MGNREGA was essential to support my family, amid drought. There was no one to take care of my two-year-old son. Thanks to Koosina Mane at my village Mosambayanahalli in Mysuru taluk, I am able to work peacefully,” said Saakamma, a daily wage worker. 

“The government releases Rs 1.9 crore every year to each district under the Panchayat Raj Commission funds and the MNREGA, to establish and maintain creches. The district administration and the zilla panchayat are planning to establish 29 more by March-end,” said ZP deputy secretary M Krishnaraju. The creches are functioning from schools, community halls and GP buildings.

They have been beautified with paintings, provided with toys and have a child-friendly atmosphere. Children are given milk, nutri-mix for breakfast, groundnut laddus as an evening snack, while lunch comprises dal khichdi, sweet pongal and sprouted wheat payasa. 

There are total 3,267 Koosina Manes in the state, that take care of 22,445 children of rural working women.At least 4,000 creches
have been planned by March end.

Mobile Creches, which has signed an MoU with the RDPR department, has trained 20,172 caretakers in the first phase and plans to train 32,000 caretakers, with four of them in each centre. 

Belagavi boasts of 288 Koosina Manes, the highest in state, while Kalaburagi boasts of total 3,515 children admitted in 185 Koosina Manes, the highest number in state, B N Manjunath, Thematic Lead - Karnataka State Project, Mobile Creches.