Shimla: the state government has decided to constitute a high-level committee under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary to look into a better coordination between the Women and Child Development Department and Elementary Education Department for imparting pre-school education and child care to the children between the age group of 3-6 years.

Presently 3740 primary schools of the state are running pre-primary classes.

In a meeting on ‘Early Child Care Education in Himachal Pradesh’, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that it was mandate of the Women and Child Development Department to cater to nutrition and health needs of children below 6 years.

The CM said that about 18925 Anganwadi Centres in different parts of the State were acting as hub of convergence. He said that 3134 Anganwadi Centres were functioning in government primary schools in the State.

Jai Ram Thakur said that supplementary nutrition to the children in form of hot cooked meal was being provided in Anganwadi Centres under Integrated Child Development Services and early child care education.

The early child care education programme was aimed at holistic development of the children and has been integrated with the Poshan Abhiyan. And under early child care education, children are taught basic concepts through simple, interesting play way methods, sound, colour, fruits, vegetables, number etc.