HEMGIR (SUNDARGARH) : Sundargarh administration has launched ‘Shaktigaon’ project in the district with an aim to make anganwadi centres smoke-free zones.As many as 2,550 anganwadi centres that have own buildings will be provided LPG connections and currently, 160 such centres have already been covered by the project. Apart from LPG cylinders, free stoves have been provided to them.The project, a brainchild of Collector Surendra Kumar Meena, will not only do away with use of firewood for cooking but also prevent health hazards for children and anganwadi workers.
A majority of the anganwadi centres use smoke generating firewood, while some depend on coal. The project is being funded from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) and facilitated by the Odisha Rural Development And Marketing Society (ORMAS).
ORMAS Assistant Director Souravmaya Das informed that `1.28 crore one-time spending towards connections and stoves were incurred from the DMF. He said by end of November, remaining 2,390 AWCs would be covered and each AWC would get one 19-kg cylinder with refill provision. Each cylinder is likely to last 4 to 5 months. He said the anganwadi centres without own buildings would also get the benefit after construction of permanent buildings.