Anganwadi in Nuagaon village has been shuttered for over 80 days after parents allegedly refused to send children or collect free nutrition following the appointment of an educated Dalit woman as helper, triggering deep-seated caste tensions.
In Nuagaon village under the Ghadiamal gram panchayat of Rajnagar block in Odisha’s Kendrapara district, an anganwadi centre serving early childhood education and supplementary nutrition has remained non-functional for more than three months after families reportedly stopped sending their children.
The boycott began almost immediately after 23-year-old Sharmistha Sethi, a local graduate from a Scheduled Caste, was appointed as helper-cum-cook on 20 November 2025.
Sethi has alleged that villagers opposed her role on caste grounds, saying their children would not eat food prepared by her. Initially around 20 children between the ages of three and six attended the centre, but attendance has dropped to zero since late November.
Families have also reportedly stopped collecting free nutritional items like eggs and fortified cereal mixes (chhatua), which are provided to benefit children, pregnant women and lactating mothers under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.
The social boycott appears to go beyond sending children. Several reports note that pregnant women and mothers have also stopped visiting the centre, depriving them of health services and nutritional support designed to improve maternal and child health. Local officials say this has left around 60 children effectively cut off from anganwadi benefits.
Local Leaders and Officials Respond
Local authorities have intervened to resolve the impasse and restore services. Kendrapara district collector Raghuram R Iyer said he has directed the District Social Welfare Officer to prepare a detailed report on the incident and indicated that action would be taken against those “illegally preventing children and women from attending the anganwadi centre”.
He also stated that the administration was trying to resolve the matter amicably through discussion with villagers.
At the block level, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) Dipali Mishra confirmed that officials including the tehsildar have held multiple counselling sessions with residents to persuade them to send children back to the centre, but villagers have remained firm in their refusal.
She told reporters that while some families briefly collected eggs and chhatua soon after Sethi’s appointment, even they ultimately relented due to pressure from other villagers.
The anganwadi worker posted at the centre, Lizarani Pandav, has conveyed the situation to higher authorities and expressed distress at the prolonged closure. Meanwhile, a team of Dalit leaders visited Nuagaon to support Sethi and demand legal action against those obstructing access to the anganwadi.
One advocate cited a 2004 Supreme Court interim order that prioritises SC/ST candidates as cooks in mid-day meal schemes, underscoring constitutional protections against caste discrimination.
Caste Bias and Broader Implications
This incident has sparked wider attention and criticism, with rights activists and commentators describing it as a stark example of how deep-rooted caste prejudices can undermine public welfare initiatives.
An official quoted in a national wire report described it as “disconcerting to note that the impressionable minds of children are being poisoned by caste factors”, framing the boycott as a form of social bias that needs urgent redress.
Analysts note that the anganwadi post had remained vacant for a long period, with authorities issuing multiple notifications in 2024 and into 2025 before Sethi the sole applicant was appointed. Despite this, traditional attitudes among some village residents appear to have overshadowed the government’s efforts to fill the position and restore services.
Instances like this reflect broader challenges in implementing inclusive welfare programmes in rural India, where constitutional guarantees of equality and dignity often confront longstanding social hierarchies and community resistance.
The closure of an anganwadi centre a vital frontline institution designed to support nutrition, health and early learning not only affects children’s education but also has potential long-term effects on health outcomes in marginalised communities.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The prolonged closure of the Nuagaon anganwadi is a troubling reminder that legal rights and policy intentions must be actively defended in practice. Public welfare services, especially those targeted at children and mothers, are foundational to building an equitable society.
When access to these services is curtailed by discrimination whether overt or subtle it undermines not just individual wellbeing but community trust in public institutions.
Constructive dialogue and empathetic engagement are essential, but they must be paired with clear enforcement of constitutional protections so that prejudice does not become a barrier to basic rights.
True progress requires not only filling positions but fostering environments where every citizen is respected and supported.
