Bhubaneswar, Feb 16: The Anganwadi Centre at Nuagaon village in Kendrapara district reopened on Monday after remaining shut for nearly three months following a caste-related dispute over the appointment of a Scheduled Caste woman as an Anganwadi helper.

Reports said the centre was closed after a section of villagers objected to the helper’s appointment in November. Several families withdrew their children and boycotted supplementary nutrition services meant for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and young children, disrupting welfare delivery.

On February 14, a joint delegation comprising members of the Women and Child Protection Commission, the State Women Commission, and local administration visited the village. They held community meetings, conducted door-to-door awareness campaigns, and organised cultural programmes to promote social harmony and encourage families to resume Anganwadi services.

As per prior plans, Dhruba Charan Sahoo, MLA of Rajnagar, visited the village and interacted with local leaders. He announced ₹5 lakh from his MLA-LAD fund for construction of the centre and laid the foundation stone. Officials and staff welcomed children back, distributed sweets, narrated stories, and served meals.

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