Hyderabad Anganwadi selling food meant for mothers?

When Express visited the centre, the children were forced to sit in a row cramped together in the tiny shed while the roof continued to leak after the morning rains.
Several anganwadi centres in the city do not have proper infrastructure. (Photo | Vinay Madapu, EPS)
Several anganwadi centres in the city do not have proper infrastructure. (Photo | Vinay Madapu, EPS)

HYDERABAD: IN the heart of Hyderabad city, an anganwadi centre at Uday Nagar Colony in Banjara Hills has been functioning from a temporary shed for the past nine years.

At present it acts as a school for 20 children and feeds 18 women, who are either pregnant or lactating. However, the women allege that the nutritional supplements meant for them are being diverted to the open market for sale by the anganwadi’s authorities.

Anganwadis are mandated to provide supplementary food to children and pregnant women. However, Express finds that these eatables are being sold in the open market instead of being administered to women.

Speaking to Express, J Vijaya, a pregnant woman at the anganwadi centre in Banjara Hills said, “The teacher takes our thumb print as approval that we received the nutrition powder. But we are not given any of it. When we question they say the supplementary food has not come from the department.”

When Express visited the centre, the children were forced to sit in a row cramped together in the tiny shed while the roof continued to leak after the morning rains. “What can we do if the colony residents refuse to rent out a pucca building for poor children,” K Lakshmi, the teacher at the centre tells Express.

When contacted, K Lakshmi, Joint-Director of Woman Development and Child Welfare said, “The officials will soon visit the centre for inquiry.”

914
Anganwadis in Hyderabad district

720
Function out of rented building

194
 From own building

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The New Indian Express
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