{"id":14151,"date":"2025-07-26T03:14:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-26T03:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/?p=14151"},"modified":"2025-08-04T10:24:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T10:24:34","slug":"anganwadi-infrastructure-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/anganwadi-infrastructure-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Anganwadi Infrastructure Deserves a Second Look"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Well-functioning Anganwadi Centres are the backbone of India\u2019s early childhood development and maternal-child health programmes. Nearly 14 lakh Anganwadis<\/a><\/strong> across India serve as the first point of contact for nutrition, health monitoring, and preschool education for rural and urban poor children. In 2025, these centres provide hot meals, immunisations and growth tracking for 0\u20136 year-olds, and critical prenatal\/postnatal care to pregnant and lactating women. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ASER 2024 data show that Anganwadis are the biggest provider of pre-primary school services, with over half of all 3\u20134 year olds enrolled there. These figures highlight that Anganwadis not only fight malnutrition (child undernutrition fell from ~30% in 1975 to 7.7% by 2019\u201321) but also prime millions of children for school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across India, Anganwadis are often simple village centres providing early education<\/a> and nutrition. Upgrading these facilities as advocated by NEP 2020 is essential for quality learning and health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Glaring Anganwadi infrastructure gaps undermine outcomes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On-the-ground surveys reveal alarming deficits in Anganwadi infrastructure. Recent data from Telangana expose how thousands of centres lack basic amenities. Out of 35,700 Anganwadis<\/a> surveyed, 41% (14,866 centres) had no electricity, crippling lighting, ventilation, and cold-storage of vaccines and supplements. Similarly, 32.5% (11,595 centres) had no toilet facilities, jeopardising sanitation and dignity, especially for girls and women. And 16.8% (5,981 centres) lacked drinking water access. These gaps directly violate Swachh Bharat and Poshan Abhiyaan goals, and mirror a wider pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2020 NITI Aayog review found that a majority of Anganwadis still operate in rented or makeshift spaces, not permanent government-built rooms. The consequences are crumbling walls, overcrowding, and AWWs unable to teach or even cook mid-day meals. For example, in one Odisha Anganwadi shown below, children sit under a leaking roof, illustrating the urgent need for upgrades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Anganwadis today lack safe, child-friendly buildings. In rural India, a worn-down Anganwadi centres struggle to serve mothers and children in inadequate space, underscoring why state action is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The case for renewed investment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As NEP 2020 notes, the early years are crucial not just for physical development but also cognitive and emotional growth. High-quality, child-friendly infrastructure (safe classrooms, play areas, sanitation, and power) is now explicitly mandated by policy. Indeed, states like UP and Maharashtra are hiring dedicated pre-school teachers and rolling out new curricula in Anganwadis. But to meet these goals, existing centres must be upgraded in tandem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In practical terms, infrastructure translates to a well-lit, ventilated Anganwadi with clean water and toilets. It boosts attendance, learning and health. In Telangana, Anganwadi Workers report they cannot adopt digital or creative teaching methods without electricity. When toilets and water are absent, young children, and caregivers face illness and indignity. Conversely, interventions that improve the centre environment (e.g. furniture, cooking facilities, kitchen gardens) lead to higher community trust and programme uptake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smile Foundation\u2019s own experience confirms this. <\/strong>With PepsiCo Foundation, Smile implemented the Nutrition Enhancement Programme (NEP)<\/a><\/strong> in rural Punjab. Over three years, NEP improved maternal-child nutrition in 23 villages of Sangrur, reaching 60,000 people. This CSR-backed initiative directly benefited 16,000 pregnant\/lactating women and children and indirectly another 45,000, through 260 health camps, kitchen gardens and AWW training. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Likewise, in Kosi (Mathura, UP), the recent Pink Smile<\/a><\/strong> project (PepsiCo\u2013Smile) deployed mobile medical units and community camps to screen and treat anemia for 4,200 vulnerable women and children. These projects underscore how supporting Anganwadi-based care yields immediate health gains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smile Foundation\u2019s Anganwadi infrastructure initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Building on this evidence, Smile Foundation has launched dedicated Anganwadi infrastructure programmes through CSR<\/a> partnerships. In Maharashtra, the Mars Wrigley Foundation\u2019s Community Connection grant<\/a><\/strong> empowered us to revamp 10 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) across Pune. Over 2024\u201325 we revitalised 10 AWCs, impacting 13 centres overall, reaching 1,562 direct beneficiaries (children, mothers, adolescent girls) and 4,660 community members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key upgrades included 202 kitchen gardens to improve food security, 30 health\/haemoglobin screening camps, and training for Anganwadi workers. We provided furniture, learning materials and safe sanitation creating cleaner, child-friendly learning spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, under our Women Empowerment (Swabhiman<\/a>)<\/strong> programme in Tamil Nadu, Odisha and other states, Smile has supported Anganwadi upgrades by building toilets, installing solar lights, and water filters, and training AWWs in hygiene and nutrition. Our anaemia and nutrition mobile units also regularly link families to their Anganwadi Centres. All these efforts from Assam to Andhra Pradesh illustrate Smile\u2019s conviction that investing in Anganwadis today builds healthier, more educated communities tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Practical CSR partnerships for lasting impact<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For CSR leaders seeking high-impact opportunities, Anganwadi upgradation should be a strategic priority. We recommend:<\/p>\n\n\n\n