Lok Sabha Question No. 913 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-07
Subject: Scheme for Adolescent Girls
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Rachna Banerjee

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 913

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2025

## SCHEME FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS

913.    SMT. RACHNA BANERJEE:

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

- (a) the number of beneficiaries under the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) in West Bengal;
- (b) whether the Government has made any strategy for skill training and expansion of health functionaries for assistance under the SAG scheme, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the number of Anganwadi Centres which were digitally empowered and Poshan Vatikas being set up along with the details of fortified rice and millets provided under the said scheme in West Bengal;
- (d) whether  Government  has  made  any  nutrition  provision  to  extend  scheme  for women and children in West Bengal; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e) In the 15 th  Finance Commission, components of nutritional support for children below the age of 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers and Adolescent Girls; Early Childhood Care and Education [3-6 years] and Anganwadi infrastructure including modern and upgraded Saksham Anganwadi have been reorganised under the umbrella Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0  (Mission  Poshan  2.0)  for  effective implementation of the scheme.

Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) under Mission Poshan 2.0 aims to provide nutritional support to Adolescent Girls (AGs) [14-18 years] for improving their health and nutritional status in Aspirational Districts of all States and all districts of North Eastern States. There are two main components  under  the scheme.  Under  the nutrition component, supplementary nutrition containing 600 calories, 18-20 grams of protein and micronutrients is provided to adolescent girls in the age group of 14-18 years for 300 days in a year. The non-nutrition component is based on convergence with different ministries for  IFA  supplementation,  health  check-up  and  referral  services,  nutrition  &  health education, skilling etc.

As on 31.12.2024, a total of 24,08,074 adolescent girls have been registered on Poshan Tracker. Scheme for Adolescent Girls is not being implemented by the Government of West Bengal.

Supplementary Nutrition under the Scheme is served for a minimum of 300 days in a calendar year, i.e., on an average 25 days in a month in the form of Hot Cooked Meals (HCM) and Take Home Ration.

Local dietary inputs and fresh produce (green vegetables, fruits, medicinal plants and herbs), fortified rice and millets, nuts and oilseeds like groundnut and sesame seeds are actively  incorporated  in  meals  which  is  served  to  different  categories  of  beneficiaries under the Scheme to promote health, wellness and immunity and to manage anaemia. The food items for Take Home Ration (not raw ration) and Hot Cooked Meals (HCM) are specific  to  the  States  and  include  locally  grown/available  wholesome  fruits  and vegetables.

As Scheme for Adolescent Girls is not being implemented in the State of West Bengal hence no foodgrain has been allocated under the said scheme in FY 2024-25. Further, under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, a total of 252336.17 MTs of Fortified Rice has been allocated to West Bengal during the year 2024 - 25

Under  Mission  Poshan  2.0,  Anganwadi  workers  (AWWs)  have  been  technologically empowered with the provision of smartphones for efficient monitoring and service delivery through the Poshan Tracker app. This online system digitizes physical registers used by Anganwadi workers. This improves the quality of their work while simultaneously allowing them more time for monitoring of the all activities in the Anganwadi.

In addition to AWWs, Smartphones are provided to Supervisors and Block Coordinators also.  Similarly,  data  recharge  support  is  provided  to  AWWs,  Supervisors  and  Block Coordinators. Ministry has advised States/UTs to procure 'high-quality devices/smartphones'  with  4G/5G  support.  Government  of  West  Bengal  has  not  yet procured any smartphones.

Regular monitoring of growth parameters is essential for identifying children who may be malnourished and to make timely interventions. Therefore, Anganwadi centres have been equipped with Growth Monitoring Devices like infantometer, stadiometer, weighing scale infant, weighing scale - Mother & Child. As on date, 1,19,481 GMDs have been procured by the Government of West Bengal.

During the 15 th  Finance Commission cycle, 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) @ 40,000 AWCs per  year  are  to  be  upgraded  as  Saksham  Anganwadis  for  improved  nutrition delivery  and  for  early  childhood  care  and  development  under  Mission  Saksham Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0.  Saksham  Anganwadis  are  equipped  with  infrastructure better  than  the  conventional  Anganwadi  Centres  by  providing  LED  screens,  water purifier/installation of RO Machine, Poshan Vatika, ECCE and BALA Paintings. As on date,  all  2  Lakh  AWCs  have  been  approved  for  upgradation  as  Saksham  AWCs throughout the country out of which 5,359 AWCs are in the State of West Bengal.

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