No electricity in Anganwadis, yet TVs installed:Of 24,662 ‘Saksham’ centres, 3,740 lack power despite ₹69 crore equipment purchase

A major contradiction has emerged in the state in the name of empowering Anganwadis. There are 3,740 such centres without electricity, but LED TVs and ROs have been installed there. In Bhopal and Indore alone, TV-ROs were sent to 1,030 centres without electricity. Not only this, at many centres, their installation has been shown, but in reality, these devices have not even reached the Anganwadis. The urgency to make the payment was such that ₹69 crore were paid without verifying the equipment. Payments made before equipment installation The center has provided ₹200 crore to empower Anganwadis. Out of 95,000 Anganwadis, 24,662 are being called Saksham, whereas information sought by the Women and Child Development Department revealed that even among these ‘competent’ Anganwadis, more than 4,000 do not have TVs installed, and more than 3,000 do not have RO facilities. Instructions were that payment would not be made without installation verification, but in many districts, including Sehore and Raisen, these TVs-ROs are kept in warehouses, but payment has already been made. To provide electricity connection soon Nirmala Bhuria, Minister of Women and Child Development, says, Anganwadi centers that do not have electricity will soon be provided with connections. Also, water tanks will be installed in centers where there are no water tanks. As far as payment is concerned, the process was completed with the objective of utilizing the amount before the end of the financial year. – Complaint reached CS, allegations of tender fixing According to the data sheet information, in Alirajpur and Jhabua, the installation of TVs and ROs is 100 per cent recorded in centres where there are no electricity connections. A complaint has also been lodged with Chief Secretary Anurag Jain regarding the purchase of these TVs and ROs. He has marked it for the department’s secretary for investigation. Questions have been raised about the role of officers in the complaint. The tender conditions were set in such a way that only two or three companies could qualify. Allegations of tender fixing and cartelization have also been made.