Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0

✦Key Features

• Subsumes: Anganwadi Services (ICDS) + POSHAN Abhiyaan + Scheme for Adolescent Girls
• 9.88 crore beneficiaries through 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres
• POSHAN Tracker: all 14 lakh AWWs use mobile app for real-time monitoring of 9.88 crore beneficiaries
• POSHAN Maah: September month-long nutrition campaign (annual since 2018)
• Saksham Anganwadi: upgraded centres with better infrastructure, ECCE, nutrition
• Budget FY2025-26: ₹21,200 crore; key component under WCD
• Targets: reduce stunting by 2%/year; wasting 2%/year; anaemia 3%/year; low birth weight 2%/year

✓Eligibility Criteria

• Children in the age group of six months to six years who are residents in the catchment area of an Anganwadi Centre.
• Pregnant women and lactating mothers (PW&LM) who are registered with the local health and nutrition authorities.
• Adolescent girls in the age group of 14-18 years, specifically in Aspirational Districts and the North Eastern Region.
• Vulnerable families identified as malnourished or underweight through regular community health screenings.

★Benefits

• Provision of Supplementary Nutrition in the form of Take-Home Ration (THR) or Hot Cooked Meals at the centre.
• Access to Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) through upgraded 'Saksham' Anganwadis featuring modern learning tools.
• Regular health check-ups, immunizations, and referral services for Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM) children.
• Counseling and educational support for mothers on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices.

▶Application Process

• Beneficiaries must visit their nearest Anganwadi Centre to register their personal and health details with the Anganwadi Worker.
• The Anganwadi Worker records the registration data on the 'Poshan Tracker' mobile application for real-time monitoring.
• Children undergo monthly growth monitoring sessions where their height and weight are recorded in the digital system.
• Mothers participate in community-based events and counseling sessions to remain active in the beneficiary list.

₹ Budget Allocation

21200

Funding Ratio (Centre:State): 60:40 (General States), 90:10 (NE/Himalayan), 100:0 (UTs)

Historical Context

Launched in 1975 as ICDS, it was rebranded and restructured into POSHAN 2.0 in 2021 to improve synergy and outcomes following the National Nutrition Strategy by NITI Aayog.

Sub-Schemes

Challenges

• Low honorarium and high workload for Anganwadi Workers.
• Network connectivity issues for the Poshan Tracker app in remote areas.
• Social taboos and dietary habits hindering the adoption of fortified foods.
• Variability in food quality provided by Take-Home Ration (THR) vendors.

Reforms & Recommendations

• Regularizing Anganwadi Workers as permanent employees to boost morale.
• Third-party social audits of THR (Take-Home Ration) quality.
• Increased focus on 'bio-fortification' of local crops.

Performance Statistics

SDG Linkages

Constitutional Backing

Technology Used

Success Stories

Key Takeaways

• Umbrella scheme for nutrition including ICDS and Poshan Abhiyaan.
• Focus on 'Saksham' (Capable) Anganwadis with smart learning aids.
• Real-time monitoring via the Poshan Tracker app.
• Special emphasis on Adolescent Girls in the 14-18 age group.

Convergence Schemes

• MGNREGS (for building AWC infrastructure)
• Jal Jeevan Mission (for clean water in AWCs)
• PM Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

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