THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
JULY 21, 2026
In a significant step
towards strengthening community participation and improving the delivery of
child and maternal welfare services, the Odisha government has decided to
constitute Anganwadi Management Committees (AMCs) for every Anganwadi Centre
across the state under the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme.
The decision was
communicated through a letter issued by the Department of Women & Child
Development on July 13, directing all Collectors-cum-District Magistrates to
facilitate the formation of the committees in line with the guidelines of the
Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India.
The AMCs have been
envisaged as a community-based institutional mechanism aimed at enhancing
ownership, accountability, transparency and effective monitoring of Anganwadi
services at the grassroots level. The initiative is expected to ensure greater
public involvement in the functioning of Anganwadi Centres while improving the
quality and efficiency of service delivery.
The department has
entrusted the responsibility of constituting an AMC for each Anganwadi Centre
to the respective Child Development Project Officer (CDPO), who will form the
committees as per the composition and responsibilities prescribed by the
Centre.
To strengthen community representation, the Odisha government has expanded the committee structure by adding two members beyond those specified in the central guidelines. These include an adolescent girl from the local community pursuing Higher Secondary (+2) or college education and a beneficiary of the Subhadra Scheme who is not associated with any Self Help Group.
According to the initial composition notified by the department, the Supervisor attached to the respective Anganwadi Centre will serve as the Chairperson of the Anganwadi Management Committee. The move is expected to enhance local oversight and foster greater community ownership of Anganwadi services under the Poshan 2.0 framework.
