VISAKHAPATNAM: Woes of 84 tribal children in Boddu Mamidi and Nitta Mamidi hamlets in Gudutur panchayat of G Madugula mandal, who are deprived of admission in Anganwadi schools, will come to an end soon.
In response to a report (No Aadhaar, no Anganwadi benefit for tribal kids) published in these columns on November 12, a five-member ICDS team from G Madugula visited the two hilltop hamlets on Sunday for enumeration of children and lactating women.
The ICDS team interacted with children and women and collected their data. The team told them that an Anganwadi centre will be set up in the hamlets soon. Till a centre was set up in the two hamlets, nutritious food under the Poushtikaharam scheme will be supplied tribal children and lactating women from the Anganwadi centre at neighbouring Vedurupalli village.
Mobile Aadhaar team to be sent to two hilltop villages in Vizag Agency
The team will submit a report to the ITDA Project Officer soon based on the data collected from the two hamlets. Panchayat secretary Srinivasa Rao, accompanied by the village sapranch, will visit the two hamlets to issue birth certificates to children ahead of setting up a mobile Aadhaar centre.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, ITDA Project Of f icer Ronanki Gopalakrishna said a mobile Aadhaar centre will be sent to the two hilltop hamlets to issue Aadhaar cards, besides updating the existing ones.
The mobile Aadhaar centres can function offline too. He said after he took over as the ITDA PO, he set up 20 mobile Aadhaar units for the benefit of people living in remote tribal hamlets.
About 33,000 people have either been given new Aadhaar cards or their existing cards updated in 11 Agency mandals of the district. He said for children below five years, Aadhaar cards are being issued without biometric system and after taking thier photos. The cards need to be validated later.
Equipment required for mobile Aadhaar units has been procured from education and revenue departments. The mobile Aadhaar centres are now functioning in Injari, Jamiguda, Munchingput and Pedabayalu mandals covering people living on hilltop hamlets, he said.
Under Paderu connect programme, proposals are being made to lay CC roads, BT roads and WBM roads apart from constructing culverts and bridges at a cost of Rs 150 crore before March.
The District Collector is set to hold an official meeting next week to finalise the proposals, he added. Meanwhile, honorary president of the 5th schedule sadhana committee Govinda Rao said the two remote hilltop villages were finally getting the attention of officials. Boddu Mamidi village elder Pangi Sudhakar said the villagers were happy over the visit of the ICDS team.
Food for children
An Anganwadi centre will be set up in Boddu Mamidi and Nitta Mamidi hamlets soon. Till a centre was set up in the hamlets, nutritious food will be supplied to kids from Anganwadi centre at Vedurupalli