Despite approval for 317 Anganwadi-cum-Crèches, not a single centre operational in J&K

VIKAS SHARMA

SAMBA, JULY 27: Despite receiving approval for 317 Anganwadi-cum-Crèche Centres (AWCCs) from the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, not even a single centre has become operational in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi informed the Lok Sabha recently during a written reply that, as of January 31, 2026, 317 Anganwadi-cum-Crèche Centres had been approved for Jammu and Kashmir, but none had become functional.

The data places Jammu and Kashmir among several States and Union Territories where sanctioned crèche centres are yet to become operational. Andhra Pradesh (108 approved), Gujarat (25), Himachal Pradesh (152), Lakshadweep (8), Madhya Pradesh (448), Maharashtra (345), Manipur (702), Odisha (1,000), Tamil Nadu (600) and West Bengal (10) have also failed to operationalise any of their approved Anganwadi-cum-Crèche Centres.

Among the neighbouring regions, Ladakh has operationalised six of its seven approved centres, while Punjab has made 144 of its 148 sanctioned centres functional, reflecting significantly better implementation than Jammu and several other States and Union Territories.

The Government further informed the Lok Sabha that Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh had not submitted any proposal for setting up Anganwadi-cum-Crèche Centres during the Programme Approval Board (PAB) meetings.

The Minister said the Ministry of Women and Child Development has been implementing the Palna Scheme under the Samarthya Vertical of Mission Shakti since April 1, 2022, to provide day-care facilities and protection to children while enabling more women to participate in the workforce.

She said the lack of accessible child-care facilities often discourages women, particularly those employed in the unorganised sector, from taking up work. The scheme aims to formalise child-care services, reduce the burden of unpaid care work on women and contribute towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 8 relating to decent work and economic growth.

At the national level, the Government has envisioned the establishment of 17,000 Anganwadi-cum-Crèche Centres during the 15th Finance Commission period. States and Union Territories have been encouraged to submit proposals for opening more centres during the annual Programme Approval Board (PAB) meetings.

The Minister informed the Lok Sabha that 14,599 Anganwadi-cum-Crèche Centres had been approved across the country, but only 2,820 had become operational as of January 31, 2026, indicating that a large number of sanctioned centres are yet to be commissioned.

The Government also informed the House that Anganwadi Workers receive an honorarium of ₹4,500 per month, while Anganwadi Helpers receive ₹2,250 per month under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. Those working in Anganwadi-cum-Crèche Centres are entitled to an additional ₹1,500 per month for workers and ₹750 per month for helpers, besides performance-linked incentives.

The Minister said the Centre has also introduced several welfare measures for Anganwadi Workers and Helpers, including enhanced promotional opportunities, 20 days of annual leave, paid maternity benefits, enrolment under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan pension scheme, life and accident insurance, and annual health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).