Ponnani: The Women & Child Development Department under Kerala government has initiated procedures to provide Wi-Fi connection across anganwadis (rural child care centres) in the state. In this regard Rs 30,75,000 has been allocated. The cost for ensuring connectivity at a single anganwadi is estimated as Rs 2,500. In the first phase 1,230 centres will get connections.

The rationale behind providing Wi-Fi connectivity is to enhance the functioning of Kumari Clubs or Varnakoott project devised for ensuring academic excellence, knowledge upgradation, equipping candidates for public exams and skill training in co-scholastic areas among girls. It may be noted that those centres where Varnakkoott has better track records are given priority. Similarly, those centres in tribal-coastal areas and regions having colonies of people from economically weaker sections will be given priority.

The connectivity will be ensured with the support of BSNL. In the centres where BSNL optical fibres are passing at a radius of 100 m may get connectivity at the earliest.

At present, Malappuram district has been allocated with most number of connections (135), followed by Thrissur (111) and Ernakulam(110).