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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 1102
TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2026
New AWCs in Bihar
†1102. Shri Sunil Kumar
Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that the proposal regarding approval of new Anganwadi Centres in Bihar is
pending with the Government, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether it is a fact that the Social Welfare Department of the State has submitted a proposal to
open approximately 18,000 new centres along with several "Saksham Anganwadi Centres" for
approval, which is awaiting final clearance; and
(c) if so, the time by which the Government is likely to grant approval to these new centre?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD
DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)
(a) to (c) Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, there is a provision of construction
of AWC building in convergence with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme (MGNREGS).
Further, States/UTs have also been advised to continue to tap funds for construction of AWC
buildings from various schemes such as Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme
(MPLADS), Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), Finance Commission Grants to
Panchayati Raj Institutions, Multi- Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) of Ministry of
Minority Affairs, etc.
Under PM-JANMAN (Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan), a total of 2,500
Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) have been sanctioned in PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal
Groups) areas out of which 59 AWCs has been sanctioned for construction in the state of Bihar.Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA) launched by the Ministry of Tribal
Affairs (MoTA) focusses on convergence, outreach and saturation in approximately, 63,843
villages. Under DAGJUA, 875 AWCs have been sanctioned for construction out of which 45
AWCs has been sanctioned for construction in the state of Bihar.
States/UTs have been advised to conduct rationalisation exercise and revisit the availability of
Anganwadi Centres at habitation level to ensure adequate coverage of population.
Directions have been issued to States/UTs to co-locate Anganwadi Centres, which are running on
rent without sufficient infrastructure, at nearby Primary Schools, where space is available.
Guidelines for Co-locating Anganwadi Centres within Government Primary Schools have been
issued jointly with Ministry of Education.
Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, two lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs)
located in Government buildings have been sanctioned as Saksham Anganwadis for delivery of
improved nutrition and for Early Childhood Care and Education in the 15th Finance Commission
cycle. Saksham Anganwadis are provided with infrastructure such as LED screens, water filtration
system, Poshan Vatika, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) material and Building as
Learning Aid (BALA) paintings. A total of 11,529 AWCs have been approved for upgradation as
Saksham Anganwadis for the State of Bihar.
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