As per the plan, the government will integrate its Anganwadi centres with the schools by providing them space in the select school premises.
“Girls from the under-privileged families face difficulties in attending schools as they are often used by parents to look after younger siblings. These centres will act as substitute care units for younger siblings, thus freeing the older siblings, especially girls to attend school,” said Sandeep Kumar, minister for Women and Child Development in Delhi government.
“The students will be able to come to schools with their younger siblings, drop them at the creche for the day and take them back after school hours,” added Kumar.
The minister also informed that the department has written to 1,400 government schools including 942 schools of the MCDs to provide Anganwadi centres in their premises.
Delhi has as many as 11,150 sanctioned Anganwadi centres under the Central government’s scheme — Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), out of which around 10,000 centres are functional.
“These centres are mainly situated in slums and unauthorised colonies but were in very pitiable condition as they were getting just Rs 700 per month to hire accommodation. We have increased the amount to Rs 5,000 per month. Now, around 2,000 centres have shifted in larger buildings while others are in the process to shift,” added the minister.
He further informed that to ensure nutritious food to the children in the Anganwadi centres, the government has infused more funds to provide them an egg or a banana on <g data-gr-id="32">weekly</g> basis.
The department has also written Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to provide 40-50 outdated buses to convert them into schools and station them at Jhuggi <g data-gr-id="29">Jhopari</g> (JJ) clusters (slums) and unauthorised colonies.
“We have already started two mobile schools for the kids roaming at red lights and shopping centres. We will increase these facilities in the course of time,” added Kumar. He further informed that the government aims to achieve the target of complete enrolment of kids by next year.