Minister for Mines and Geology, Women and Child Development Halappa Achar has said that the State government had taken all steps to provide requisite infrastructure and amenities at all anganwadi centres in the State.
Speaking to presspersons in Gadag on Friday after holding a review meeting, he said that the Platinum Jubilee of India’s independence was being made more meaningful by providing all requisite amenities to the centres and also ensuring additional benefits to the anganwadi workers.
He said that already steps had been taken to release the amount for purchase of saris to anganwadi workers and assistants directly to their bank accounts.
Similarly various schemes are being implemented for addressing the issues of malnutrition among the children. Already permission has been given to locally procure eggs for supply to pregnant woman and children at the taluk level, he said.
The Minister said that to address the issue of malnutrition, strict monitoring was being done and committees headed by Deputy Commissioners of respective districts had been constituted for the purpose. Steps had been taken to provide nutritious food items as per the food habits of respective districts, he said.
Mr. Halappa Achar said that under new Sand Policy, sand distribution was being allowed to be taken up by respective gram panchayats and consequently people were getting sand at less price. Against the demand of 35,000 MT of sand, 30,000 MT of M-sand had been produced and was being distributed. The rest would be procured from river banks, he said.
Replying to a query, he said that strict action was being taken against illegal sand mining. After rains subside, steps would be initiated to allow sand mining on river banks by Hatti Gold Mine Corporation. There would be more transparency in allowing sand mining, he said.
Earlier, the Minister chaired the progress review meeting and sought information on various issues by the officials. MLAs Kalakappa Bandi, Ramappa Lamani, president of Gadag-Betageri Urban Develpoment Authority Siddappa Palled, Deputy Commissioner M. Sundaresh Babu and others were present.
