Court directs
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 31 2018:
Division Bench High Court of Manipur comprising of Acting Chief Justice N Kotiswar and Justice Kh Nobin, has directed the State Government to submit the details and addresses of the Anganwadi centres, after six PILs were filed alleging that Anganwadi centres are not being constructed despite sanctioning of necessary funds by the State Government.
According to a source, the hearing of the PILs was conducted on March 20 and the Division Bench directed the State Government to submit necessary details regarding the Anganwadi centres present in the State as well as their addresses to the Court.
The source mentioned that during the hearing, the State Government submitted necessary affidavit claiming that the allegations of the petitioners are baseless and the funds sanctioned by the State Government have been utilised for the construction of some Anganwadi centres, while some are yet to be completed.
According to the affidavit, from 2002-03 to 2005-06 or from first to third phases, the State Government sanctioned around Rs 1.25 lakh per Anganwadi centres.
It also mentioned that the structures are susceptible to forces of nature and due to long and continued exposure to the elements (weather), most of the structures are now in dilapidated conditions and may have already been blown away/swept away by wind, rain etc.
The affidavit mentioned that under the fifth phase, a sum of Rs 4.05 lakh was earmarked for every Anganwadi centre.
During 2014-15, 50 percent of Central share was released for 1000 Anganwadi centres as first instalment.
In the second instalment, under the fifth.phase, a sum of Rs 14,35,72,500 for construction of 709 Anganwadi centres was submitted to the Finance Department.
However there is no mention of construction of the remaining 291 Anganwadi centres, the source added.