PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Acting on the directions of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Dehradun district administration has modernised 54 rural Anganwadi centres in the district, transforming them into play schools as part of the 2024-25 District Plan. Implemented by the Minor Irrigation department, these Anganwadi centres have been enhanced to provide a more engaging and educational environment for young children.
According to officials, under the leadership of district magistrate Savin Bansal and Chief Development Officer (CDO) Abhinav Shah, the centres in various development blocks, including Doiwala, Raipur, Sahaspur, Kalsi, Vikas Nagar and Chakrata, have been developed under the integrated child development services initiative in Dehradun.
The transformation of these centres includes two in Raipur, eight in Doiwala, four in Sahaspur, eight in Kalsi, eight in Vikas Nagar, and 24 in Chakrata. The repairs carried out by the Minor Irrigation department included painting the inside and outside walls with vibrant murals.
Additionally, smart TVs have been installed in every centre to enhance learning facilities. Each Anganwadi centre is equipped with various toys, colorful carpets and plastic chairs to foster engaging learning experiences for young children. There are also provisions for clean drinking water, toilet facilities and electricity to maintain a hygienic environment. Regular nutritious meals are served to the children by the Bhojan Mata.
The CDO stated that the 2024-25 District Plan focused on transforming and modernising these 54 Anganwadi centres, including necessary repairs, electrical connections and other facilities. He also said that as part of the 2025-26 District Plan, over 150 Anganwadi centres will undergo similar transformations.
District programme officer Jitendra Kumar highlighted that the efforts at these centres go beyond mere repairs, incorporating smart educational content in all facilities.
Further, executive engineer of Minor Irrigation Vinay Kumar Singh said that the DM and CDO assigned the task of improving the 54 Anganwadi centres under the district project which has been completed. He said that the transformation of Anganwadi centers in the Chakrata Block, including Kota-Taplad, Dharaupudiya, Majhgaon and among others, is currently underway and is expected to be completed soon.
