Tripura has received approval for 55 new anganwadi centres under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, taking the total number of such centres in the state to 10,534 once they become operational, Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Tinku Roy said on Thursday.
There are currently 10,479 anganwadi centres functioning in the state, Roy said at a press conference at the state secretariat.
“The new centres would help improve the delivery of nutrition and other services to children and mothers in tribal-dominated and remote areas. The government was also focusing on improving the infrastructure of existing centres,” he said.
Under the PM-JANMAN scheme of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, Rs 2.40 crore has been sanctioned as the first installment for constructing permanent buildings for 83 anganwadi centres, Roy said.
He said under the National Family Benefit Scheme, families living below the poverty line are provided a one-time assistance of Rs 20,000 in case of the sudden death of their primary breadwinner aged between 18 and 60 years.
“In 2026-27, 504 families have so far been identified and the assistance has been transferred directly to their bank accounts, involving an expenditure of Rs 1.008 crore,” he informed the media persons.
The government has also decided to provide additional financial support to anganwadi workers and helpers, the minister said.
For community-based events at each anganwadi centre during Poshan Maah, Rs 500 per centre is being provided. The payment process through the concerned Child Development Project Officers is underway and the workers are expected to receive the money before Durga Puja. The total expenditure for 10,479 centres is Rs 52.395 lakh.
Roy said incentives were also being provided to eligible anganwadi workers and helpers. Workers meeting the prescribed targets of 80 per cent height and weight measurements and 60 per cent home visits on the Poshan Tracker would receive Rs 500 per month, while eligible helpers who keep centres open for at least 21 days a month would receive Rs 250 per month.
The payment process for seven months, from January to July this year, is underway, involving Rs 4.7083 crore, he said.
The department has also paid mobile phone recharge costs for anganwadi workers for April to August. Payments for September, October and November are being processed, involving Rs 56.5866 lakh.
For 2026-27, Rs 1.0479 crore has been allocated as contingency expenditure for the 10,479 centres, while Rs 2.0958 crore has been earmarked at Rs 1,000 per worker and helper for uniforms or traditional attire. Another Rs 1.57185 crore has been allocated at Rs 1,500 per centre for medicine kits.
Each anganwadi worker and helper will also receive Rs 2,610 as a festival grant and Rs 5,000 as festival advance for Durga Puja, Roy said.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, eligible anganwadi workers assisting pregnant and lactating mothers with benefits will receive incentives of Rs 150 for the first installment, Rs 100 for the second and Rs 250 for the second girl child, with a total expenditure of Rs 13 lakh.
Roy said pending Supplementary Nutrition Programme feeding bills up to July 2026 had been paid using funds received from the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, involving Rs 23.3908 crore. The department received the third installment from the ministry on September 30 and would use the funds to clear pending feeding bills for August and September, he said.
Special Secretary Tapan Das and Director Lalphaktlinga Ranchel of the Social Welfare and Social Education Department were also present at the press conference.