Lok Sabha Question No. 995 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-25
Subject: Integrated Child Development Scheme
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Khalilur Rahaman

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 995

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2025

## INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT SCHEME

995. SHRI KHALILUR RAHAMAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken any initiatives to assess/reassess the approaches and strategies employed by the Integrated Child Development Scheme programme 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  Centres,  such  as  lack  of  functional  sanitation  facilities, access to potable water and pucca buildings and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof alongwith the timeline and allocation of resources to address the same?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  & (b) During the 15th Finance Commission (FC) period, various components such as nutritional support for children from 6 months to the age of 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers and Adolescent Girls; Early Childhood Care and Education of children (36 years) and Anganwadi infrastructure including modern, upgraded Saksham Anganwadi have been reorganised under an umbrella Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0). The package of following six services is provided under the Mission Poshan 2.0 scheme through a network of Anganwadi centres across the country:

- i. Supplementary Nutrition (SNP),
- ii. Pre-school Non-formal Education,
- iii. Nutrition & Health Education,
- iv. Immunization,
- v. Health Check-up,
- vi. Referral Services

Three of the six services, viz., Immunization, Health Check-up and Referral Services are related to health and are provided through National Health Mission (NHM) & Public Health Infrastructure.

Mission  Poshan  2.0  seeks  to  address  the  challenge  of  malnutrition  through  improved nutrition content and delivery. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, where the responsibility of implementation lies with the States/UTs.

Under this Mission, a new strategy has been made for reduction in malnutrition and for improved health,  wellness  and  immunity  through  activities  like  community  engagement, outreach, behavioral change, and advocacy. It focuses on Maternal Nutrition, Infant and Young  Child  Feeding  Norms,  treatment  of  Severe  Acute  Malnutrition  (SAM)/  Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and wellness through AYUSH practices.

To improve infrastructure at the existing AWCs across the country various efforts have been made. In order to rationalise the number of AWCs across the country vis-à-vis the registered beneficiaries, Government of India has, directed States/UTs to co-locate AWCs, which are running on rent without sufficient infrastructure, at nearby Primary Schools, where space is available Further, the Government has decided to upgrade all Mini AWCs with one worker to a full- fledged AWCs with one worker and one helper.

(c) & (d) Under Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, for the 15th Finance Commission cycle, two lakh AWCs located in Government buildings @ 40,000 AWCs per year are to be strengthened and upgraded for improved nutrition delivery to beneficiaries and for delivery of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) to stimulate the creative, social, emotional, cognitive and intellectual development of children under 6 years of age. Till date, 2,00,000 AWCs have been sanctioned for upgradation to Saksham Anganwadi.

Under MGNREGS component, beginning from FY 2021-22, 50000 AWCs building are to be constructed over a period of five years @10000 AWCs per year. The cost norms for construction of AWCs in convergence with MGNREGS have been revised to Rs.12 Lakh per AWC wherein Rs.8.00 Lakh would be provided under MGNREGS, Rs.2.00 Lakh under 15th FC (or any other untied funds) and Rs.2.00 Lakh by MWCD per AWC to be shared between  Centre  and  States/UTs  in  the  prescribed  cost  sharing  ratio.  Till  date,  40,000 AWCs have been sanctioned for construction under MGNREGS .

Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, there is a provision of funds for providing  drinking  water  facilities  and  construction  of  toilets.  In  order  to  improve  the infrastructure facility of AWCs, the Ministry has enhanced the cost for providing drinking water facility at Anganwadi Centre to Rs.17,000/- from Rs.10,000/- and for construction of toilet to Rs.36,000/ from Rs.12,000/- under Swachhta Action Plan.

Under  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0,  in  convergence  with  Pradhan Mantri Janjati Aadivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) scheme, construction of 2500 AWCs have been sanctioned.

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