Kerala Provides WiFi to 1,230 Anganwadis, Plans Smart Childcare Centres

The Kerala government has boosted the upgrade of Anganwadis by providing WiFi connections to 1,230 such rural childcare centres.

The Nellikaparmba Anganwadi, in Kozhikode district, has become the first WiFi-enabled Anganwadi, or ‘WiFi-wadi’, in the state. The project has been implemented by the department of child and women welfare with the connections provided by BSNL.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has sanctioned Rs 30.75 lakh to provide connections to the Anganwadis with Rs 2,500 allocated to each for obtaining connections to benefit children and empower adolescent girls as part of the Varna Kootu scheme, which was announced in May.

In another pilot project, 210 smart Anganwadis with state-of-the-art facilities will be set up. The Anganwadis are categorised into six types based on the built-up area and plot size. The state government aims to replace the old structures with smart Anganwadis in a phased manner.

WI-FI ENABLED ANGANWADIS

With several initiatives focussing on childcare, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that Kerala would become a children-friendly state. The department of women and child welfare has framed policies to provide integrated services, including health and education, to cater for the needs of the children.

After launching programmes to improve the physical well-being of children, the state government decided to provide WiFi to Anganwadis, especially in tribal and coastal regions and areas inhabited by economically weaker sections.

In the first phase, 1,230 Anganwadis have been selected based on their performance in providing services to children. Malappuram district will have 1the highest number of WiFi-wadis in the state at 35.

Varna Kootu aims to provide a platform for adolescent girl students to acquire knowledge to excel in academics and land government jobs. The scheme specifically aims to ensure knowledge upgrade, skill-based training and academic excellence. Students attending online classes and obtaining training for taking competitive exams will also be permitted to utilise the facility at Anganwadis.

SMART ANGANWADIS

The Vijayan government announced the construction of smart Anganwadis with multiple amenities as a pilot scheme in February 2021. Initially, the government sanctioned Rs 9 crore to construct 48 smart Anganwadis but the number was subsequently increased to 210. Local bodies will also chip in with their contribution to the construction of smart Anganwadis. 

Type-A smart Anganwadis will have a built-up area of 1,655 sq ft at a cost of Rs 42 lakh. These Anganwadis will have extensive facilities, including creative zones, community halls, and kitchen, dining and storage facilities. 

The first such Anganwadi was inaugurated in Poojapura, Thiruvananthapuram district, in May. The state operates 33,115 Anganwadis of which around 6,500 operate from rented buildings.