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.