Mangaluru: Anganwadi were started with the aim of combating child hunger, malnutrition and to provide first concepts of learning to little children. While efforts should have been made to empower and strengthen the anganwadis, it is now learnt that as many as 1298 anganwadis in the state have been put to inconvenience with disconnection of power supply owing to non payment of bills.
According to the sources, Hassan district, with 272 Anganwadi centers tops the chart and Dakshina Kannada district is in the bottom of the list, where power connection was withdrawn from three Anganwadi centers for non payment of bills.
Power connection was withdrawn from 263 Anganwdi centers in Haveri district , 211 centers in Mysuru, 113 in Chikkaballapur, 110 in Yadagiri district, 98 in Gadag, 96 in Ramanagar, 91 in Belagavi, 24 in Chikkamagaluru and 17 Anganwadi centers were denied power connection in Davanagere. This list was released by the government during the recently concluded winter session when MLC Ivan D’Souza was keen to know how may Anganwadi centers were denied power connection owing to the non payment of electricity bills.
When contacted, MLC Ivan D’Souza told Newskarnataka that there might be more Anganwadi centers across the state, if efforts would be made to find out how many Anganwadi centers were denied power connection owing to non payment of electricity bill. “Many Anganwadi centers are deprived of some basic infrastructure and facilities. Hence, there is a need to provide all essential services to the Anganwadi centers as these centers play a vital role in integrated development of children. The officials attached to Women and Child Development informed that measures will be taken to pay the pending electricity bill amount of Anganwadi centers through respective Gram Panchayats.
Memorandum submitted to Minster Dr Jayamala
Dakshina Kannada District Women and Child Development Deputy Director Sundar Poojary told Newskarnataka that a memorandum has been submitted to Dr Jayamala, Minister for Women and Child Development to pay the electricity bill of all Anganwadi centers through the department. ” Minister has already consented for the same and the problems would be rectified soon”, he added.
