Laying emphasis on the improvement of service delivery systems at anganwadi centres, the Chittoor district administration has launched a diploma programme in the State, aimed at capacity building of anganwadi workers.
The six-month course — ‘Yashoda’ (Yardstick for Self-Empowerment, Holistic and Overall Development of Anganwadi personnel) — will not only focus on updating the personnel on the latest developments in education, health and nutrition, but also introduce them to the basics of English language, computer skills, personality development alongside best practices in community mobilisation.
The programme was envisaged by District Collector P.S. Pradyumna, who said that it would accord immense value to the experiences of the anganwadi personnel.
It was developed and designed by the district’s Women Development and Child Welfare wing and Sri Padmavati Mahila Viswa Vidyalayam (SPMVV). Cabinet Ministers Paritala Sunitha (Women and Child Welfare) and N. Amarnath Reddy (Industries), accompanied by Women’s Commission Chairperson Nannapaneni Rajakumari, Chittoor MP N. Sivaprasad and others, formally launched the programme at SPMVV, here on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, the Ministers termed the course as a novel initiative and urged the anganwadi personnel to make the best use of the programme. “It would benefit the poorer sections and help anganwadi personnel to improve their skills, besides enabling them in better implementation of the welfare schemes. We urge everyone to utilise the opportunity and focus on grassroot-level issues in rural areas. Also ensure that the quality/quantity of food is delivered properly or do not hesitate to report it to the higher authorities,” they added.
They spoke on developmental activities planned by the government in rural areas, including the State’s focus on declaring itself as Open Defecation Free by March 2018.
In addition to their regular duties, Ms. Rajakumari called upon the anganwadi personnel to keep a watch on crimes against women (in their respective areas) and take steps to tackle them.
‘Inspired from mythology’
Mr. Sivaprasad and Zilla Parishad Chairperson Geervani Chandraprakash said that this programme would change the outlook of anganwadi centres and remarked that the initiative would be quite inspirational for other districts across the State.
“The name of the course has been inspired from mythology, after Yashoda, Lord Krishna’s foster mother, and their relationship. The personnel are similar to her, or even more than that, and their hard work has to be recognised. Not only Anganwadi personnel, the experience of farmers, artisans etc., has to be considered and we urge the varsities to develop similar courses for acknowledging their efforts and enable them to upgrade their skills,” Mr. Pradyumna said.
About 1,400 personnel have registered for the course (₹5,000 per person to be paid in two instalments) under the first batch, followed by subsequent batches and the diplomas would be awarded to them after clearing the final exam.
SPMVV Vice-Chancellor V. Durga Bhavani, Municipal Commissioner C. Hari Kiran, legislators M. Suguna (Tirupati), Tallari Aditya (Satyavedu) and several others took part.
