Lok Sabha Question No. 2630 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-04
Subject: Infrastructural Deficiencies in Anganwadi Centers
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Abdul Khaleque

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2630

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2023

## INFRASTRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES IN ANGANWADI CENTERS

## 2630. SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken any initiatives to assess and reassess the approaches  and  strategies  employed  by  the  Integrated  Child  Development Scheme program to address the nutritional and health outcomes for children aged 0- 6 years;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any measures to address the infrastructural deficiencies  in  Anganwadi  Centers,  such  as  lack  of  functional  sanitation facilities, access to potable water and pucca buildings; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the timeline and allocation of resources to address the same?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) Government has evaluated the ICDS and Anganwadi Services in respect of programme  design,  implementation  process,  outcome  and  impact  and  for  reassessing the relevance of the programme in achieving its aims and goals. To address the challenge of child malnutrition and maternal under-nutrition, Saksham Anganwadi and  Mission  Poshan  2.0  (hereinafter  referred  to  as  Saksham  Anganwadi)  was launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. This is an integrated nutrition support programme which represents a strategic shift in nutrition content and delivery  and  seeks  to  create  conditions  and  a  convergent  eco-system  to  develop practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity. The Scheme seeks to address the challenging situation of malnutrition levels among children, adolescent girls and women as revealed  by  initial  National  Family  Heath  Survey  NFHS-5  findings  and optimize the quality and delivery of food under the Supplementary Nutrition Program. It  would  contribute  to  human  capital  development  of  the  country;  address  the challenges of malnutrition in children up to the age of 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers; and also adolescent girls (14-18 years of age) to promote nutrition awareness and good eating habits for sustainable health and wellbeing and address nutrition related deficiencies through key strategies.

Components under Saksham Anganwadi have been reorganized in 3 primary verticals:  Nutrition  Support  for  POSHAN  and for  Adolescent Girls;  Early  Childhood Care and Education; Anganwadi Infrastructure including modern, upgraded Saksham Anganwadis. Beneficiaries registered at AWCs are covered, viz., Children 6 months 6 years of age; Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PWLM); and Adolescent Girls (14-18 years) in Aspirational Districts and NER. Immunization, Health Check-up, and Referral Services under Anganwadi Services related to health will continue to be provided  through  National  Health  Mission  (NHM)  &  Public  Health  Infrastructure  by ASHA  worker  and  Auxiliary  Nurse  Midwife  (ANM)  for  all  beneficiaries  including adolescent girls (14-18 years).

(c) & (d) For development/upgradation  of  infrastructure  at  Anganwadi  Centres and for effective monitoring of AWCs, following measures have been taken:

- (i) Under the revised Scheme, there is a provision of upgradation of 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) as SakshamAnganwadis with improved/upgraded infrastructure in Aspirational Districts @ 40,000 AWCs per annum upto 2056-26.  In 2022-23, 41,192 AWCs have been identified for upgradation with inter alia LEDs and smart learning and teaching aids.
- (ii) Keeping in view the importance of nutrition and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) services delivery, it has been decided to upgrade all MiniAnganwadi Centres to main/regular Anganwadi Centres with the availability of an Anganwadi Helper.
- (iii) For  construction  of  AWC  buildings  across  the  country  under  Mahatma Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS)  in convergence with Anganwadi Services (now known Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 Scheme),  construction cost has been revised from Rs.7 lakh to Rs.12 lakh per unit under the revised Scheme - Poshan 2.0,.
- (iv) Under Swachhta Action Plan, Rs.10,000/- per AWC has been provided for drinking water facilities in  and Rs.12,000/-per AWC for toilet facilities, which has now been revised to Rs.17,000/- per AWC and Rs.36,000/- per AWC respectively.
- (v) Grants are sanctioned for purchase of water filter, furniture, equipment, etc.
- (vi) Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) have been provided with Smart Phones for efficient service delivery.
- (vii) Streamlined  guidelines  were  issued  on  13.01.2021,  covering  several aspects  such as  quality  assurance,  roles  and  responsibilities  of  duty holders, procedure for procurement, integrating AYUSH concepts.
- (viii) 'Poshan  Tracker',  a  robust  ICT  enabled  platform,  has  been  launched  in March 2021 to ensure real-time monitoring of provisioning of supplementary nutrition by use of data analytics for prompt supervision and management of services.  The system shall enable real time monitoring and tracking of all AWCs, AWWs and beneficiaries on defined indicators.

Further, time to time States/UTs are advised to utilise funds allocated under various  components  of  Anganwadi  Services  as  per  the  cost  norms  for  better implementation of the scheme.

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