Lok Sabha Question No. 298 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-08
Subject: Anganwadi Centres under ICDS
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Joba Majhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *298

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2025

## ANGANWADI CENTRES UNDER ICDS

†*298. SMT. JOBA MAJHI:

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

- (a) whether several eligible children and lactating mothers are not getting the benefit of Anganwadi centres run under the Integrated Child Development Project (ICD) due to lack of adequate number of such centres in the Naxal-affected hilly areas of Jharkhand; and
- (b) if so, whether the Government is likely to take cognizance of the same and approve setting up of 2000 additional Anganwadi Centres in Jharkhand.

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)

- (a) and  (b).  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) AND (B) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 298 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2025 REGARDING 'ANGANWADI CENTRES UNDER ICDS'

(a) & (b) Under the 15th Finance Commission, various components like Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent girls (of 14-18 years in Aspirational Districts and  North-Eastern  region)  have  been  subsumed  under  the  umbrella  Mission  Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0) to address the challenge of malnutrition. It is a  Centrally  Sponsored  mission,  where  the  responsibility  for  implementation  of  various activities lies with the States and UTs. This mission is a universal self-selecting umbrella where there are no entry barriers for any beneficiary to register and receive services. This mission is being implemented across the country including the State of Jharkhand.

Under this Mission, services are provided to Children (6 months to 6 years), Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls registered at Anganwadi Centres across the country including State of Jharkhand. Government of India has sanctioned 14 Lakh Anganwadi Centres across the country out of which 38,957 Anganwadi Centres are sanctioned to State of Jharkhand wherein 31,68,971 beneficiaries are registered as per the Poshan Tracker data in July 2025. The registered beneficiaries include 26,65,054 children and 1,20,148 lactating mothers.

Also, the PM JANMAN Mission launched by Ministry of Tribal Affairs, is aimed at targeted development of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) residing in 18 States and a UT. This Mission focuses on 11 critical interventions related to 9 Ministries including Ministry of  Women  and  Child  Development.  As  on  date,  a  total  of  2500  Anganwadi  Centres  are sanctioned  for  construction  @  Rs  12  lakh  per  AWC  across  the  country  including  495 Anganwadi Centres in the State of Jharkhand.

Further,  the  Dharti  Abha  Janjatiye  Gram  Utkarsh  Abhiyan  aims  at  improving  the  socioeconomic condition of tribal communities by adopting saturation coverage of tribal families in tribal majority areas and aspirational block ST villages. The mission focuses on convergence, outreach and saturation in approximately 63,843 tribal majority villages with populations of 500 or more, where at least 50% are tribal and villages in Aspirational districts, with at least 50 tribal population. Intervention of the Ministry of Women & Child Development includes establishment  of  2000  new  Saksham  AWCs  and  upgradation  of  6000  existing  AWCs  to Saksham AWCs. As on date, the Ministry has sanctioned 875 Anganwadi centres across the country including 50 AWCs in the State of Jharkhand.

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