Abhinesh Pandey 
*Anganwadi timings revised, centres to run from 7 am to 11 am*
Raipur, April 24, 2026/ In view of the ongoing heatwave and rising temperatures, the Women and Child Development Department has revised the operating hours of anganwadi centres to ensure children’s safety. Acting on the directions of Women and Child Development Minister Smt. Laxmi Rajwade, the duration of operations has been reduced from six hours to four hours during the summer period.
As per the order, Anganwadi centres will function daily from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. until June 30, 2026, and children’s attendance will be limited to 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. to minimise exposure to heat. During this period, early childhood care and education (ECCE) activities will continue as per the prescribed schedule, along with regular distribution of supplementary nutrition. The department has made it clear that there will be no compromise in the quality of education and nutrition services.
Other essential services at the centres will continue till 11:00 am. During this time, anganwadi workers and helpers will carry out their assigned duties as per the job chart. Instructions have also been issued to strengthen home visits, under which workers will visit households after centre hours to provide nutrition counselling to mothers.
The department has directed strict measures to ensure children are safely escorted home in high temperatures. Accountability will be fixed in case of any lapse. District officials have been instructed to monitor implementation closely and review progress regularly at the district level. Normal timings of 9:30 am to 3:30 pm will resume from July 1 after the summer period.
