Patna: The Bihar government has decided to construct Anganwadi centre buildings within the premises of government primary and middle schools across the state. The construction will be funded through the VB-G RAM G scheme, with priority given to areas where sufficient and dispute-free government land is not available for setting up separate Anganwadi buildings. The decision aims to improve facilities for young children and strengthen the connection between early childhood care and formal school education. In this regard, Additional Chief Secretary of the Rural Development Department, H.R. Srinivas, and Additional Chief Secretary of the Education Department, C.K. Anil, have jointly issued instructions to all District Magistrates, who also serve as District Programme Coordinators. According to the instructions, wherever sufficient government land is unavailable in the community or other locations for constructing Anganwadi buildings, the available vacant land within the premises of the government school serving that particular Anganwadi’s area will be used for construction under the VB-G RAM G scheme. Anganwadi buildings to come up on available school land Under the new arrangement, government school campuses will be considered a priority location for constructing Anganwadi centres in areas facing land constraints. The initiative is expected to bring Anganwadi services closer to existing school infrastructure and provide young children with access to better facilities. The government has also laid down provisions for situations where sufficient space is unavailable on the ground floor of school buildings. In such cases, additional rooms may be constructed on the first floor of the school building after technical experts and engineers examine the structural strength and safety of the existing building. Special arrangements to ensure children’s safety The government has specified a separate arrangement for schools where construction on available ground-floor land is not possible. After the required technical assessment, additional classrooms may be developed on the first floor. Higher classes of the school can then be shifted to these newly constructed rooms, while the vacant ground-floor classrooms will be used to operate Anganwadi centres. This arrangement is intended to ensure that young children have easy access to Anganwadi facilities while maintaining their safety and convenience. The provision also seeks to ensure that Anganwadi centres remain accessible to small children without requiring them to use staircases or move through upper floors. District officials directed to coordinate construction To ensure that the construction work is completed within the prescribed timeframe, the government has directed District Education Officers (DEOs), District Programme Officers (DPOs) of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and executive engineers to work in coordination. The instructions also emphasise the timely issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) at the district level. District authorities have been asked to ensure that the proposed construction receives priority and that the necessary administrative and technical procedures are completed without delay. Initiative aligned with NEP 2020 The initiative is being implemented in line with the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development and the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. One of its key objectives is to connect Anganwadi centres with nearby primary schools so that children can move more easily from early childhood education to formal schooling. Anganwadi centres play an important role in early childhood care, nutrition and pre-school education. Bringing them within school campuses is expected to strengthen coordination between Anganwadi workers and school authorities while creating a more integrated learning environment for young children. Through this initiative, the Bihar government aims to make better use of existing government school infrastructure, address land-related challenges in establishing Anganwadi buildings and strengthen the foundation of early childhood education across the state.
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