Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi inaugurated the first "Nand Ghar" or modern anganwadi of the 4,000 her ministry plans to set up around the country in partnership with the Vedanta Group, a statement said on Thursday.
Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal was also present at the inauguration of the "Nand Ghar" at Hasanpur village in Haryana's Sonepat district on Wednesday, said the statement by the company.
"Nand Ghars" will be developed in some of the high-burden districts where the government is proposing to launch the National Nutrition Mission shortly, said Gandhi, adding that the mission will involve more non-government partners contributing collectively to one common objective of eliminating malnutrition.
Working under the public-private-partnership model, the Vedanta Group and women and child development ministry will share the cost of construction of the "Nand Ghar" which would have prefab structures with solar power.
The land would be provided by the gram panchayats and the construction will be undertaken by National Building Construction Corp Ltd (NBCC).
"Nand Ghar is an extension to the existing Anganwadi initiative and will be Vedanta Group's endeavour to provide a better environment to the children of India. Healthy children and empowered women will eradicate poverty and malnutrition, and make a prosperous nation," said Anil Agarwal on the occasion, according to the statement.
He said the project aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "vision and commitment to provide quality education for children and skill development for women in the entire country".
The "Nand Ghar" will also act as a focal area for immunisation, gender sensitisation and maternal care.
It also aims to enhance the learning environment through an e-learning module and skill enhancement programme for women.
The "Nand Ghar" centres are proposed to be run as a shared space in which 50 percent of the time will be devoted to children's education and the remaining half will support women's skill development, Agarwal said.
"This Nand Ghar model will provide targeted delivery of supplementary nutrition services along with related healthcare services for both mother and child including skill training for women," Gandhi said.
She also stressed on the need of having toilets in "Nand Ghar" for women to strengthen the Swachh Bharat Mission.
