Lok Sabha Question No. 1372 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-09
Subject: Infrastructural Development of Anganwadi Centres
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Vinod Chavda

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1372

TO BE ANSWERED ON 9.2.2024

## INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT OF ANGANWADI CENTRES

- 1372    SHRI VINOD L. CHAVDA:

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

- (a) whether  improvements  have  been  made  in  infrastructure  and  outreach  of Anganwadi Centres, developing community-based solutions, interdepartmental convergence and revival of real- time data monitoring system under the POSHAN Abhiyaan;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) In the 15th Finance Commission, components of nutritional support for children below the age of 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mother, Adolescent Girls (14 - 18 years); Early Childhood Care and Education [3-6 years]; Anganwadi infrastructure including modern, upgraded Saksham Anganwadi, POSHAN Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent Girls have been reorganized under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0).

Mission Poshan 2.0 focuses on converting the agenda of improving nutrition into  a  Jan  Andolan  through  involvement  of  Panchayati  Raj  Institutions/Villages Organizations/SHGs/volunteers  etc.  and  ensuring  wide  public  participation.  The Mission overall intends to increase nutritional awareness and responsiveness among mothers of young children, adolescent girls,  pregnant  and  lactating  women,  family members including husbands, father, mothers-in-law and community members, health care providers (ANM, ASHA, Anganwadi worker) about vital nutrition behaviours. In order to create momentum towards nutrition at national, state, district, block and village levels, each of the State/UT plays a key role for implementing various activities during these events. Community Based Events (CBEs) conducted at the Anganwadi Centres have served as a significant strategy in changing nutrition practices. CBEs help to celebrate  critical  milestones  in  the  life  of  pregnant  women  and  children  below  two years of age and to disseminate critical information on inter alia, right time to ensure appropriate complementary feeding with diet diversity. Close to 3.70 crore Community Based Events have been held so far.

States/UTs are carrying out IEC activities on regular basis. One of the major activities undertaken is Community Mobilization and Awareness Advocacy leading to Jan Andolan to educate the people on nutritional aspects. IEC materials in the form of videos, pamphlets, flyers etc., in regional languages have also been developed around critical  themes. Social & Behavioral Changes  have  been  inculcated  through conducting  Community  Based  Events,  Poshan  Maah  and  Poshan  Pakhwada  in convergence  with  various  Ministries/  Departments  and  other  stakeholders.  So  far, more than 90 crore sensitization activities have been reported by States/ UTs under community  engagements  programmes  through  11  Poshan  Maahs  and  Poshan Pakhwadas celebrated in the months of September and March-April respectively.

IT systems have been leveraged to strengthen and bring about transparency in nutrition delivery support systems at the Anganwadi centres. The 'Poshan Tracker' application was rolled out on 1st March, 2021 as an important governance tool. The Poshan  Tracker  facilitates  monitoring  and  tracking  of  all  AWCs,  AWWs  and beneficiaries  on  defined  indicators.  Technology  under  Poshan  Tracker  is  being leveraged  for  dynamic  identification  of  stunting,  wasting,  under-weight  prevalence among children. Further, under Poshan 2.0, for the first time, a digital revolution was ushered in when the Anganwadi Centres were equipped with mobile devices.

Under the Mission, the high impact interventions of more than 18 Ministries/Departments have been mapped out, especially during the first 1000 days of  child-life  since  conception.  Each  converging  Ministry/Department  prepares  an action plan related to nutrition and integrates it with its ongoing activities. Moreover, MoU has also been signed with Ministry of Ayush, and joint guidelines issued with MoPR, MoE, MoH&FW, MoAyush etc. Besides, efforts are being made in convergence with  MoEF&CC  and  M/o  AYUSH  to  undertake  food  forestry  for  planting  nutritious trees.

During  the  15th  Finance  Commission  cycle,  2  lakh  Anganwadi  Centres  @ 40,000 AWCs per year are to be upgraded as Saksham Anganwadis for improved nutrition delivery and for early childhood care and development. Saksham Anganwadis are being provided with better infrastructure than the conventional Anganwadi Centres including, LED screens, water purifier/installation of RO Machine and equipped with smart  learning  equipment,  internet/Wi-Fi  connectivity  wherever  feasible.  A  total  of 41192  Anganwadi  Centres  have  been  approved  for  upgradation  as  Saksham Anganwadis in FY 2022-23 and in FY 2023-24, 40300 AWCs have been approved for upgradation.

The Government has also taken a decision to upgrade all Mini AWCs to a fullfledged Anganwadi Centre with one worker and one helper to help in carrying out the various  responsibilities  under  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0  including responsibilities  related  to  Early  Childhood  Care  &  Education.  Out  of  1,16,852 sanctioned Mini-AWCs for 23 States/UTs, sanction for upgradation of 56514 MiniAWCs in 14 States/UTs has been issued till date.

Further, there is a provision of construction of 50000 AWCs building over a period  of  five  years  @10000  AWCs  per  year.  The  cost  norms  for  construction  of Anganwadi Centres in convergence with MGNREGS have been revised from Rs.7 Lakh per AWC 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. Further, States/UTs have also been advised to continue to tap funds for  construction of AWC buildings from various schemes such as MPLADS, RIDF, Finance Commission Grants to Panchayati Raj Institutions, NREGA, MSDP of Ministry of Minority Affairs, etc.

To support WaSH practices and focus on accessibility of Drinking Water and Sanitation,  through  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  POSHAN  2.0,  the  unit  cost approved for Toilet has since been revised to Rs.36000 per AWC from Rs.12000. Cost for  providing  drinking  water  facilities  has  also  been  revised  to  Rs.17000  from Rs.10000.

*****.