The Delhi government has announced the closure of all Anganwadi centres till June 30 due to severe heatwave conditions in the national capital, to protect the health and safety of vulnerable children and mothers.
It said in a statement that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government would provide supplementary nutrition food items such as Take Home Ration (THR), delivering these essential supplies directly to the beneficiaries’ doorsteps, including children in the age group of three to six years, who typically receive hot cooked meals at the centres.
Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Kailash Gahlot directed the WCD Secretary to ensure compliance with the order and furnish reports on a daily basis.
Notably, Delhi has 10,897 Aanganwadi centres and over six lakh beneficiaries currently receive supplementary nutrition food through these centres. This includes 56,051 lactating mothers, 65,726 pregnant women, 3,61,712 children aged six months to three years, and 1,60,271 children in the age group of three to six years.
While the government is already delivering supplementary nutrition to lactating mothers, pregnant women, and children aged six months to three years, this new initiative extends the service to include children aged three to six years during the closure period, it said.
Source Agencies