Vedanta on a spree of modernizing the 4,000 existing Anganwadi structures in the country
India CSR News Network
PILIBHIT: Union Cabinet Minister for Women & Child Development Maneka Gandhi today inaugurated Vedanta ‘Nand Ghars’ in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh. The Minister has inaugurated four centers in Marori, Collectorate and Lalorikheda.
The Vedanta Group, in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, plans to modernize around 4,000 anganwadis which will focus on children’s health and education and skilling women.
In order to develop and upgrade the infrastructure of anganwadis, the Ministry has allocated a separate budget every year under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) to improve overall functioning. Hon’ble Union Minister stressed the need for developing these centers, as investment in the healthy growth of India’s children as well women’s skill development.
“In keeping with the Prime Minister’s vision of eradicating malnutrition, we hope to provide Pilibhit’s children an environment where they can learn. As the social incubators, these refurbished Nand Ghars have been equipped to lay the foundations for a healthy, successful life for children and through them, the future of India” said Mrs. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Hon’ble Union Minister for Women and Child Development.
Speaking on the occasion Vedanta, said “These refurbished Nand Ghars are Vedanta’s commitment towards the nation’s most priceless resources – its children. They will run on the integrated education model including interactive learning and e-learning for children in the age group of 0-6 years. We also believe that vocationally skilled women will broaden India’s base of economic development and therefore the Nand Ghars are designed to provide training to women in vocational skills”.
Vedanta’s ‘Nand Ghar’ initiative adds to the existing Anganwadi model of the Ministry’s ‘Integrated Women and Child Development Scheme’ and this centre will act as a focal area for immunization, gender sensitization and maternal care. It also aims to enhance the learning environment through an e-learning module and skill enhancement program for women. The ‘Nand Ghar’ centres are proposed to be run as a shared space in which 50% of the time will be devoted to children’s education and the remaining half will support women’s skill development. ‘Building as a Learning Aid’ a concept piloted by UNICEF, which will feature learning concepts embedded within the structure, will attempt to increase attendance of children. In addition, the Centre will be equipped with solar panels, TV, toilets and water supply.
Nand Ghar uses state of art construction technology and has added benefits of round the clock electricity through Solar panels, e-learning in a stimulating environment, clean drinking water through RO purifiers. The ‘Nand Ghars’ will run as children’s education and health center. The structure has low lifetime maintenance cost, is spacious with ample light, and is fire, dampness and earthquake proof. It offers amenities of smart education through interactive graphics, Hygienic toilets, Safe drinking water, a dedicate kitchen and storage space and will run on Solar Panel Power.
The cost of one ‘Nand Ghar’ centre, involving an area of 780 sq ft, is estimated to be around Rs 10 lakhs. It is proposed to have a gap funding model where the WCD ministry will allocate a funding of up to Rs 4.5 lakhs per ‘Nand Ghar’ for its construction using eco-friendly material. Construction of the ‘Nand Ghar’ centres will be under taken by National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBCC), a central government PSU, as per the guidance of the WCD Ministry.
The NBCC is a Navratna company having expertise in Project Management Consultancy (PMC), Real Estate Development & EPC Contracting. NBCC would coordinate with the respective state government for site allocation. Post construction, the constructed ‘Nand Ghar’ centres will be handed over to the respective Panchayat/ local urban body.
Vedanta Foundation is a Public Charitable Trust registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950 which was setup in the year 1992, as an extension to the company’s efforts for focused sustainable development of the underprivileged population of the country.
Education, Child Care, Employment, Women Empowerment prioritize the Foundation’s social development initiatives among others. Vedanta Foundation has woven its social programs to support the achievement of India’s Millennium Development Goal.
