Lok Sabha Question No. 3184 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-13
Subject: Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Dhaval Laxmanbhai Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 3184

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2024

## POSHAN BHI PADHAI BHI

†3184.  SHRI DHAVAL LAXMANBHAI PATEL:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of beneficiaries of Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi programme in Gujarat particularly in Valsad, Navsari and Dang Parliamentary Constituency;
- (b) the number of Anganwadi Centres in the said constituency of Gujarat where skill development facility under the said programme is proposed to be made available;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  formulating  any  special  scheme  to  initiate  an special drive for the differently abled children under the said programme;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the overall impact made by the said scheme?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a) to (e) Government of India launched Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (PBPB) initiative on 10 th    May,  2023  for  upgrading  skills  of  all  anganwadi  workers  to  strengthen  their capacity to provide early childhood care and education and nutrition service to children below six years of age, including divyang children.

Capacity Building of Anganwadi Workers is envisioned as the first step in transforming the Anganwadi into a Learning Centre which should have quality infrastructure, play equipment  and  well  trained  Anganwadi  workers.  Under  this  programme,  MWCD focuses on a Two Tier Training Implementation Model.

National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) is entrusted with  Capacity  Building  of  Anganwadi  functionaries  under  Poshan  Bhi  Padhai  Bhi through its Headquarters at New Delhi and five Regional Centres located across the country.

Tier I involves training of State Level Master Trainers (SLMTs), comprising CDPOs, Supervisors  &  State-Nominated  Additional  Resource  Persons,  through  NIPCCD Headquarters and its five Regional Centres. They are trained for 2 days, in a hybrid model comprising both online and offline (in person) trainings. Further, Tier II involves 3-day  training  workshop  in  physical  mode  for  the  Anganwadi  workers  across  the country.

As on date, total of 25,183 SLMTs and 54,029 AWWs have been trained under PBPB programme which includes 916 SLMTs trained out of the total 2044 in Gujarat.

To  empower  the  Anganwadi  workers  and  ensure  optimal  learning  for  all  children including Divyang children, this Ministry has developed two curriculum frameworks 'Navchetana- National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation for Children from Birth to 3 Years' and 'Aadharshila- National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education for Children from 3 to 6 Years' under Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi programme.

The National framework - 'Navchetna' guides engagement inside the home as well as at Anganwadi centres, assisting caregivers in conducting stimulation activities to support and measure a child's growth and development in the first three years of life. It  provides detailed information on the importance of brain development in the first three  years,  and  step  by  step  instructions  for  caregivers  and  frontline  workers  on conducting early stimulation activities. It also focuses on the screening, inclusion and referrals of children with disabilities.

The  National  Curriculum  -  'Adharshila'  improves  the  quality  of  early  childhood education transacted at the Anganwadi Centre to all the children of age 3-6 years attending Anganwadi Centres and by prioritising competency based lesson plans and activities, covering all learning domains. The document enables easy planning with age appropriate activities and assessments, emphasising the use of indigenous toys and low-cost, no-cost materials. The annual plan is divided into 4+36+8 weeks, that is, 36 weeks of active learning, 4 weeks of initiation, and 8 weeks of reinforcement. Each week is divided into 5+1 days, that is, 5 for introduction and practice of activities and one day for weekly reinforcement. Each day comprises 3 blocks, one for welcome and free play, one for learning and play through activities and one for reflection and closing.

Ministry of Women & Child Development launched 'Anganwadi Protocol for Divyang Children' on 28 th  November, 2023 with inputs from Department of Empowerment of Persons  with Disabilities (DePwD)  and  Ministry  of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW). The protocol embodies a Social Model for Divyang inclusive care under the POSHAN Abhiyan, with a step-by-step approach. The protocol provides guidance to district administration for addressing special needs of Divyang Children relating to education and nutrition. The protocol adopts a social model of disability, as against a purely medical model. It has been simplified for ease of communication, to be more effective  on  the  ground  for  providing  better  quality  care  and  service  to  Divyang children.

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