Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Annpurna Devi, presided over the meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Women and Child Development in New Delhi. The discussion focused on “Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.” The session witnessed the participation of Members of Parliament from various political parties across both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Key Discussions and Outcomes
Smt. Annpurna Devi highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to improving the lives of women and children through initiatives like Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, Mission Shakti, and Mission Vatsalya. These programs aim to enhance nutrition, empower women, and ensure holistic child development.
Mission Poshan 2.0: Enhancing Child Nutrition and Development
- Over 11,000 Saksham Anganwadis—upgraded centers designed to provide enhanced nutrition and early childhood care—were inaugurated as of September 30, 2024.
- Plans are underway to strengthen two lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) nationwide. These efforts focus on children under six years of age, targeting their cognitive, emotional, and social development.
- Special attention is being given to Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), with 2,139 Anganwadi Centres sanctioned under the PM JANMAN initiative, out of which 780 are operational, serving approximately 22,845 beneficiaries.
Technological Advancements and Governance
- The Poshan Tracker, available in 24 languages, has become instrumental in real-time monitoring of nutritional indicators and operational performance across all Anganwadi Centres.
- A two-factor authentication system using face recognition and OTP has been introduced to ensure the last-mile delivery of Take-Home Rations.
- Monthly fact sheets on key nutritional indicators and infrastructure status are provided to States/UTs to promote data-driven decision-making.
Mission Shakti: Empowering Women Across Life Stages
- This mission focuses on women’s safety, support, and empowerment through programs like One Stop Centres, Women Helpline (181), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
- The SANKALP Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW) and other initiatives aim to provide holistic support to women at different stages of their lives.
Mission Vatsalya: Safeguarding Child Welfare
- Mission Vatsalya integrates child protection services, offering care and support through kinship care, sponsorship, and foster care.
- Programs under the mission include PM CARES for Children and provisions for children orphaned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Feedback from Members of Parliament
Members of Parliament provided suggestions to improve the implementation of the schemes at the grassroots level. Smt. Annpurna Devi expressed her gratitude for their valuable inputs and directed officials to incorporate these suggestions into future strategies. She also encouraged MPs to raise awareness about these initiatives in their constituencies and report challenges faced at the ground level for better service delivery.
Additional Developments
- The Ministry announced that Anganwadi workers and helpers would be covered under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), providing annual health coverage of ₹5 lakh. Approximately 8.15 lakh Ayushman Cards have been created for these workers.
- The Ministry has also introduced self-registration options for beneficiaries to avail of Anganwadi services.
Smt. Annpurna Devi reiterated the Ministry’s dedication to building India’s human capital through a lifecycle approach. By integrating nutrition, health, and education services, the Ministry aims to foster the well-being of women and children while addressing key challenges like malnutrition and gender inequality.
This meeting underscored the collective commitment of the government and Parliament to uplift vulnerable sections of society through effective policy implementation and innovative initiatives.