Lok Sabha Question No. 1440 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-10
Subject: POSHAN Abhiyan 2.0
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Pradyut Bordoloi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1440

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2023

## 'POSHAN ABHIYAN 2.0'

## 1440 SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of targets set and achievements made under 'Poshan Abhiyan 2.0' during the current year;
- (b) the number of the women and children whose data has been updated on the Poshan Tracker App;
- (c) whether  it  is  mandatory  for  women  beneficiaries  to  link  Aadhaar  with  the POSHAN App and if so, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the benefits of the scheme are denied to those who do not possess or link the Aadhaar card;
- (e) if so, the action taken/to be taken against authority who deny benefits for want of Aadhaar; and
- (f) whether  the  Aadhaar  seeding  of  the  children  has  been  made  mandatory  on Poshan Tracker App for availing the benefits from the Anganwadi Centres, if so, the reasons therefor and legal sanctity in this regard

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a)   Mission Saksham Anganwadi and  Poshan 2.0 (hereinafter referred to as Mission Poshan 2.0) announced in the budget 2021-22 for all States/UTs was launched in mission mode, for the period of 15th Finance Commission, to address the challenge of child malnutrition and maternal under-nutrition through a strategic shift in nutrition content and delivery and create conditions and a convergent eco-system to develop practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity. The Mission aligns the schemes of  Anganwadi Services including Supplementary Nutrition Programme, Scheme for Adolescent Girls and Poshan Abhiyan.  The targets set under Mission Poshan 2.0 are as under:

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|   S. No | Objective                                                                           | Target   |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|
|       1 | Prevent and reduce Wasting in children (0- 6 years)                                 | @2%p.a.  |
|       2 | Prevent and reduce under-nutrition (underweight prevalence) in children (0-6 years) | @2%p.a.  |

The achievements under Mission Poshan 2.0 in the current year are as follows:

-  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0: Under  Saksham  Anganwadi  and Poshan 2.0, 2 lakh AWCs @40,000 AWCs per year in aspirational districts will be  identified  and  would  be  strengthened,  upgraded  and  rejuvenated  for improved nutrition and educational delivery. In FY 2022-23, all 40,000 Saksham Anganwadis have been identified in aspirational districts across the country.
-  The Ministry has issued advisory to all States/UTs to ensure mandatory food fortification of the relevant food articles used  in the administration of Supplementary Nutrition Programme to over-come micro nutrient deficiencies. In  FY  2022-23  1226115  MT  of  fortified  rice  has  been  allocated  under supplementary nutrition programme.
-  Under Poshan Abhiyan, the Anganwadi worker was empowered with mobile devices. So far, Anganwadi workers have been provided with 11.22 lakh smart phones.

Besides, to promote regular growth monitoring of children, 12.65 lakh Growth Monitoring  Devices,  such  as  Infantometer,  Stadiometer, Weighing  Scale  for Mother and Infant, Weighing Scale for Child, have been procured by States/UTs under the

Abhiyaan.

-  IT systems have been leveraged to strengthen and bring about transparency in nutrition delivery support systems. Beneficiaries are being Aadhar seeded to ensure last mile tracking and delivery of services. As on date, close to 88% of beneficiaries registered on the Poshan Tracker have been successfully Aadhar seeded.
-  A national Poshan Helpline has been made available for beneficiaries and the public.  Through  the  Helpline  a  beneficiary  can  raise  a  concern  about  the services offered under Mission Poshan 2.0
-  For the first time, Migration facility for pregnant women and lactating mothers from one AWC to another within and outside a State has been facilitated under the Poshan Tracker.
-  The Poshan Maah conducted during the month of September 2022 witnessed approximately 17 crore Jan Andolan based activities throughout the country.
-  Further, Ministry is in collaboration with BISAG to ensure Geo-Mapping of all Anganwadi Centres, and mapping of the data with Gati Shakti Portal. So far, geo- location of 7.89 lakh AWCs have been captured on Poshan Tracker for further integration with BISAG.
-  Best Practices which won the PM's Award for Excellence for promotion of Jan Bhagidari  in  Poshan  Abhiyaan  on  21st  April  2022  were  shared  with  all States/UTs. These included Mission Sampurna Poshan in Asifabad, Telangana, Mera Bachccha Abhiyaan Model in Datia, Madhya Pradesh and Project Sampoorna in Bongaigaon, Assam.

## (b) Category wise beneficiaries registered on Poshan Tracker as on 31.12.2022

| Total Beneficiaries   | Lactating Mothers   | Pregnant Women   | Children 0- 6M   | Children 6M-3Y   | Children 3-6Y   |
|-----------------------|---------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|-----------------|
| 10,10,50,463          | 52,41,440           | 80,40,215        | 45,95,834        | 4,06,33,040      | 4,25,39,934     |

(c) In Poshan Tracker, while registering the Pregnant Women & Lactating Mothers, Aadhaar  was  made  mandatory  to  avoid  multiple  duplicate  entries  of  the  same beneficiary and ensure proper last mile tracking of services to the beneficiary. Further, funds  for  Aadhaar  enrolment  kits  have  been  placed  with  the  States/UTs  and  the scheme guidelines provide that it shall be the duty and responsibility of Anganwadi Worker, Supervisor, Child Development Project Officer (CDPO)  and District Programme  Officer  (DPO)  concerned,  to  ensure  that  Supplementary  Nutrition  is provided to beneficiaries without any disruption. Assistance shall be extended by them to a beneficiary in obtaining Aadhaar Card, in case the beneficiary does not possess Aadhaar identification. As per the Scheme Guidelines of Mission Poshan 2.0, a child's Aadhaar card shall not be mandatory for availing the benefits under the Scheme. The benefits under the scheme can be accessed using the mother's Aadhaar card.

(d) to (f)         Supplementary Nutrition Programme which is part of Mission Poshan 2.0, offered at the Anganwadi Centres involves recurring expenditure incurred from the Consolidated Fund of India. Therefore, in pursuance of the provisions of Section7 of the Aadhar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, the Ministry has notified the Supplementary Nutrition Programme. As per the Scheme Guidelines of Mission Poshan 2.0, a child's Aadhaar card shall not be mandatory for availing  the  benefits  under  the  Scheme.  The  benefits  under  the scheme can be accessed using the mother's Aadhaar card.

Aadhar seeding of the beneficiaries on Poshan Tracker has been done to identify the beneficiaries as part of the programme as a whole and to ensure uninterrupted supply of nutrition to the children, pregnant women and lactating mothers and adolescent girl beneficiaries, who move within and/or outside the State due to any reason. A migration module has been facilitated  on  Poshan  Tracker  to  ensure  that  services  under  the Scheme are accessible to the beneficiaries. So far close to 10.10 crore beneficiaries have  been  registered  on  Poshan  Tracker  ,  out  of  which  close  to  88%  have  been Aadhar-seeded

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