MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has issued directives to start the Centre-approved 98 'anganwadis' and 745 'mini-anganwadis' in the state at the earliest, Women and Child Welfare Minister Yashomati Thakur said.
The approval for these state-run women and child care centres was earlier given by the Union government, but they were yet to become functional, Thakur said on Saturday.
The minister said she has now issued directives to expeditiously start these centres, which have been approved under the National Integrated Child Development Scheme.
"Under the process, which will start soon, 5,500 posts of anganwadi sevikas (workers) will be filled," he said.
She also said the state government had decided to increase rent for anganwadis situated in private buildings from Rs 1,000 to Rs 6,000.
The rent will be Rs 1,000 in tribal areas, Rs 4,000 in municipal council areas and Rs 6,000 in civic corporations.
There are 37,545 anganwadis in private buildings in different parts of Maharashtra.
Thakur said facilities for anganwadis located in private buildings was not possible due to low rent, which was only Rs 750 earlier.