Shillong, Oct 6 (PTI) The Centre has sanctioned funds for setting up 266 new anganwadi centres and the upgradation of 1,266 mini-anganwadi centres in Meghalaya, the state's Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh said on Friday.

Thanking Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani for the funds, he said it is a major achievement for the state government.

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"We had about 1,500 villages that weren't covered by anganwadi facilities," Lyngdoh said.

The 1,266 mini-anganwadi centres will now be upgraded to full anganwadi centres, which will result in an increase in the number of workers and helpers in each of these centers, he said.

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Instead of one, each centre will now have two workers and helpers, he said, adding that the upgradation will also mean that the honorarium of the anganwadi workers will be increased from Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,500 per month and the appointment of 51 women supervisors.

"The total fund requirement comes to Rs 8.26 crore, of which 7.43 crore is the central share and Rs 82.46 lakh is the state share," the minister said.

"Some of the conditions put forward by the Centre will be met by the state government," he said.

Lyngdoh said that for the new anganwadi centres, 266 anganwadi workers and 266 helpers will be hired.

"Supplementary nutrition will be provided to beneficiaries for 300 days in a year as per guidelines issued by the Centre from time to time," he said.

The state will take immediate steps for recruitment and training of functionaries, and procurement of goods and equipment so as to ensure that all the centres become operational at the earliest, Lyngdoh said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)