All sanctioned Anganwadis to be made functional : SC

New Delhi, Aug 30 (UNI) The Supreme Court today declined to discharge the contempt of court notices issued earlier to the chief secretaries of five states for not complying with its directions and directed them that all sanctioned anganwadis should be functional in their states.

Chief secretaries of Bihar, Rajasthan, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh appeared personally as per the direction of the Supreme Court and informed the bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and S H Kapadia that the orders of the court had been complied with.

Chief secretary of Orissa, who could not appear today gave an undertaking through the state council to appear in the next hearing, informed the court that the 97 per cent aganwadis had been made functional in the state.

The court had earlier directed that all anganwadis which had been sanctioned till September 2006 should be made functional.

It was annoyed with the casual attitude of these five states governments and issued contempt of court notices to the chief secretaries directing them to be present personally in the court to explain the reasons for non-complaince of its directions.

The court adjourned the hearing for six weeks but refused to withdraw the contempt of court notices till it was satisfied.

Anganwadis are meant for providing nutritious food to the pregnant women belonging to the weaker sections and their children. These are also supposed to ensure proper medical facilities and education for children.

UNI