In response to the intensifying heatwave conditions across the state, the Women and Child Development Department has revised the working hours of Anganwadi centres to safeguard children’s health. Acting on directions from Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Rajwade, the daily operational duration has been reduced from six hours to four hours during the summer period.
As per the new guidelines, Anganwadi centres will function from 7:00 am to 11:00 am between April 1 and June 30, 2026. Additionally, from April 23 onwards, children will attend centres only between 7:00 am and 9:00 am, minimizing their exposure to extreme heat and hot winds.
Despite the reduced hours, officials have assured that essential services will continue without disruption. Activities related to Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), along with the distribution of supplementary nutrition, will be carried out as per schedule to maintain both learning and nutritional support for children.
Other administrative and service-related tasks at the centres will continue until 11:00 am. Anganwadi workers and सहायिकाएँ will complete their remaining responsibilities as per their assigned duties. The department has also emphasized strengthening home visits, with workers instructed to provide nutrition counselling to mothers at their residences after centre hours.
Strict measures have been outlined to ensure children’s safety, particularly during peak heat conditions. Authorities have directed staff to ensure that children return home safely, warning that any negligence in this regard will lead to accountability.
District officials have been instructed to closely monitor the implementation of these measures and review progress regularly through district-level meetings, ensuring that the revised व्यवस्था is effectively followed on the ground.
Normal timings for Anganwadi centres—9:30 am to 3:30 pm—will resume from July 1, once the summer season concludes.
