Gangtok: In a significant move to bolster child and maternal care in Sikkim’s challenging terrains, the state’s lone Lok Sabha MP, Indra Hang Subba, has called upon the Central government to urgently upgrade the infrastructure of Anganwadi centres (AWCs) in its rural, tribal, and high-altitude areas. In a formal representation to Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitra Thakur, Subba highlighted the critical role these centres play under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, serving as a lifeline for early childhood education, nutrition, and maternal health support.
Subba’s missive underscored a pressing concern: many AWCs, particularly in geographically demanding regions like Sikkim, are operating from temporary or inadequate structures. These facilities often lack basic amenities crucial for a child-friendly environment, such as proper classrooms, safe kitchens, functional sanitation, and secure boundary walls. The MP pointed out that the current unit cost norms for AWC construction are woefully insufficient. He stressed that the existing budget allocations fail to account for the dramatically higher construction and transportation costs in hilly terrains, compounded by limited working seasons, making it impossible to build durable, climate-resilient structures.
The Sikkim MP has, therefore, urged for an immediate revision of the unit cost norms, advocating for a substantial increase in allocations for Himalayan states like Sikkim to accurately reflect cost inflation and logistical difficulties. He has also called for a strategic focus on building permanent infrastructure in remote and rural areas where centres are still housed in makeshift or rented facilities. Furthermore, Subba’s appeal includes a request for design flexibility, ensuring new constructions are child-centric, weather-insulated, and tailored to the unique geo-climatic conditions of the region. This initiative seeks to not only provide a safe and nurturing environment for children but also to dignify the tireless work of Anganwadi workers.
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