ODISHA: Vedanta’s modern Anganwadi; Nandghar was inaugurated on 24 June 2015, by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi and Anil Agarwal, Chairman, Vedanta.
The Nand Ghar, a first of its kind PPP model, in partnership with the government has potential to be a movement for a holistic approach towards child care and women empowerment.
Safe drinking water, mobile health vans, nutritious meals, toilets and awareness on practices that promote a healthy atmosphere for mother and child are some of the many facilities of this modern Anganwadi, as the social incubators of educating children and eradicating malnutrition are the most effective way to mobilize the upliftment of communities on a national scale.
The other benefits, is the infrastructure of Nand Ghar, which is designed to be fire resistant, damp resistant and earthquake resistant. The prefab structure has the convenience to be built in inless than one and half month. Clean energy for a TV and other appliances is obtained from solar power panels that ensure the availability of electricity always.
As independent research organizations have highlighted time and again; that the more a country empowers its women, the more economically and socially prosperous it becomes, Vedanta has incoporated facilities to empower women through skill development. Agarwal believes that vocationally skilled women will broaden India’s base of economic development.
Today India looks poised to grow at over 7.5%. While, it is a robust rate, Anil Agarwal is confident that it can achieve double-digit growth. Our billion plus population houses over 600 million women. 50% of its total population is between the age of 0-25, which makes India one of the youngest nations globally. Such demographic wealth is unmatched. But it can only be tapped when women are empowered.
Anil Agarwal is thankful to the unwavering support of the Honorable Union Minister for Woman and Child Development, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, to be given an opportunity to build 4,000 Nand Ghars, thereby bringing to life the Prime Minister’s vision of a resurgent India.
This will ensure that more and more parts of rural India get the opportunity to become an integral part of the mainstream economy and ride this spirit of new found confidence. Agarwal believes that it is just the first step. Many more such ‘firsts’ will follow, which will strengthen India’s democracy and its resurgent economy in the years to come.