Ranchi: Around 16,775 of the total 38,523 anganwadi centres across the state are being upgraded into resource based ‘playschools’ to strengthen early childhood care and education. The project which began in 2023 for children aged 3 to 6 years and jointly funded by the central and the state govts is targeted for completion by March 2026.The first phase of the upgradation includes 6,850 centres. Each anganwadi centre under this scheme is being allotted Rs 1 lakh to strengthen facilities, study materials, and child development infrastructure. This includes provision for LED TVs, clean drinking water via filters, development of nutrition gardens, toys, child-friendly furniture, and creative learning materials such as children’s artwork. The tender process has been concluded and supply of materials to the centres is already underway.Talking to TOI, director of social welfare department, Kiran Pasi, said, “A key feature of the initiative is the development of a new curriculum aligned with NEP-2020, placing a strong emphasis on holistic childhood care and foundational learning. Anganwadi workers and assistants are also being trained to implement the curriculum effectively. The aim is to ensure that children spend three years in anganwadi centres before entering formal primary schooling, thereby laying a strong foundation for cognitive, emotional, and physical development.”According to officials, the transformation of anganwadi centres into ‘Saksham Anganwadis’ is part of Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. This centrally sponsored scheme merges anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls into a unified framework. It seeks to improve the nutritional and health status of children (0-6 years), adolescents, pregnant women, and lactating mothers by providing supplementary nutrition and promoting early childhood stimulation, health, and wellness.Saksham Anganwadis programme includes ICT-based monitoring through the nutrition tracker and its integration with the reproductive child health portal. Districts like Giridih, Ranchi, Gumla, and Hazaribag are among the top in terms of the number of anganwadi centres identified for upgradation. For instance, Giridih alone will see 1,271 of its centres upgraded, followed by Sahibganj with 1,063, Gumla with 997, and Hazaribag with 880.“We can’t afford private playschools. Upgraded anganwadis will help poor families like ours where our children can learn through innovative means. They can also get nutritious food,” said Ramesh Oraon, a resident of Dumka.
