Mangaluru official writes to Centre over building boundary walls around anganwadis

The Commissionarate of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj has written to the Union government seeking permission to construct compound walls around anganwadi centres under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

According to statistics, there are 2,104 anganwadi centres across Dakshina Kannada district. As many as 736 anganwadi centres do not have compound walls in the district. As many as 12,138 anganwadi centres do not have compound walls in Karnataka.

Sheena Shetty, former ombudsman of MGNREGS and director of Jana Shikshana Trust (NGO campaigning for cleanliness, sanitation and literacy) said that without the compound walls, there is no protection for the garden developed by members of various self-help groups through MGNREGS in the anganwadi centres.

“Besides, there is no safety for children who attend anganwadis,” he said.

Sheena Shetty had written to the commissioner of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, the chief secretary of Karnataka and the chief minister seeking permission to make anganwadi centres as child-friendly centres by providing basic facilities, building compound walls and developing gardens through MGNREGS.

But, officials had pointed out that compound walls to anganwadi centres were not included in the list of works to be taken up under MGNREGS. Hence, they have sought clarification from the Centre on the issue.

Women and Child Development Department's Joint Director in a letter said that all deputy directors of women and child development had been asked to collect fruit-bearing saplings from horticulture, Forest Departments and initiate measures to plant them in the premises of anganwadi centres.