The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 to improve nutritional outcomes among children below six years of age through a comprehensive approach that combines supplementary nutrition, digital monitoring, community participation and behavioural change.
The Centrally Sponsored Mission, launched by integrating Anganwadi Services, Poshan Abhiyaan and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls in Aspirational Districts and the North-Eastern region, covers children under six years, pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls aged 14 to 18 years in eligible areas. While the Centre provides policy and financial support, the implementation of various activities rests with the States and Union Territories.
To strengthen monitoring and service delivery, the Ministry introduced the Poshan Tracker application in March 2021 as a governance tool for tracking Anganwadi Centres, Anganwadi Workers and beneficiaries under Mission Poshan 2.0. The application facilitates near real-time monitoring of key services, including the functioning of Anganwadi Centres, children’s attendance, early childhood care and education activities, growth monitoring, and the distribution of Hot Cooked Meals and Take-Home Rations.
The Ministry said the digital platform has improved oversight of the scheme by enabling timely review of implementation and course correction wherever required. To ensure that benefits reach the intended beneficiaries, a Facial Recognition System (FRS) has also been integrated into the Poshan Tracker for the distribution of Take-Home Rations.
Mission Poshan 2.0 adopts a broader strategy to combat malnutrition by promoting improved health, wellness and immunity through community engagement, outreach activities, behavioural change campaigns and advocacy. The mission focuses on maternal nutrition, infant and young child feeding practices, management of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), and the promotion of wellness through AYUSH-based practices. These interventions are aimed at reducing the prevalence of wasting, stunting, anaemia and underweight among children.
Under the programme, supplementary nutrition is provided to children between six months and six years of age, pregnant women, lactating mothers and eligible adolescent girls in accordance with the nutrition norms prescribed under the National Food Security Act, 2013. The nutrition standards were revised in January 2023 to move beyond calorie-based norms and adopt a more balanced approach based on dietary diversity. The revised norms emphasise quality protein, healthy fats and essential micronutrients such as calcium, zinc, iron, dietary folate, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. Children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition are provided additional Take-Home Rations.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), has also issued a Protocol for Management of Malnutrition in Children to strengthen prevention and treatment of severe acute malnutrition while reducing associated illness and mortality. The protocol promotes community-based management through early identification and screening of malnourished children, treatment using wholesome locally available nutritious foods at home for uncomplicated cases, and appropriate medical care where necessary.
Community participation remains a key component of Mission Poshan 2.0. The government has been conducting extensive awareness and mobilisation activities under Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada, observed annually in September and March-April respectively, to encourage healthy nutritional practices. As part of these efforts, Anganwadi workers are required to organise two Community-Based Events every month to educate families and promote sustained behavioural change related to nutrition.
The information was shared by Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
