JEYPORE: Anganwadi centres in Koraput district have been refurbished with multi-purpose desks.
There are 2,600 anganwadi centres in four urban local bodies and 14 blocks of the district where over 50,000 children are enrolled.
As per norms, children aged between three and five are provided pre-school education along with food at these centres.
However, most of the anganwadi centres in the district were in a dilapidated state and in some of them, the classes were held on the verandah. Concerned over the state of affairs, the district administration decided to modernise the centres and a few months ago, the Collector of Koraput directed the panchayats concerned to equip the centres with the multi-purpose desks with their special funds.
The Panchayati Raj and District Social Welfare departments worked in tandem to ensure all anganwadi centres in the district were equipped with the desks which are being used for both studies and dining.
An anganwadi worker of Dhanpur block said the new desks have received good response from the children and the move has also helped improve attendance at the centres.
Koraput District Social Welfare Officer H K Pradhan said this initiative is a first-of-its-kind in the State. Earlier, such multi-purpose desks were provided to schools and colleges.