Lok Sabha Question No. 761 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-29
Subject: Digitization of Anganwadi Centers
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Hanuman Beniwal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 761

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2024

## DIGITIZATION OF ANGANWADI CENTERS

## †761. SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL:

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

- (a) whether the Government has improved the basic facilities of toilets, drinking water, sanitation, power, in Anganwadis particularly in rural and remote areas;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reason therefor;
- (c) whether  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  provide  for  digitization  of  Anganwadi services centres; and
- (d) if so, whether required equipments have been provided for the purpose and if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d) In order to improve the infrastructure facility of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), the Ministry has enhanced the provision for construction of drinking water facility at Anganwadi Centre to Rs.17,000/- from Rs 10,000/- earlier and for construction of toilet to Rs.36,000/- from Rs 12,000/- earlier. During FY 2023-24, 61189 AWCs have been approved for construction of drinking water facilities and 65790 AWCs for construction of  toilet  facilities.  During  FY  2024-25  as  on  20.11.2024,  4768  AWCs  have  been approved for construction of drinking water facilities and 1437 AWCs for construction of toilet facilities. As per data from Poshan Tracker 11,47,213 AWCs have Drinking water facilities and 9,16,105 AWCs have toilet facilities as of October, 2024.

Under  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0,  there  is  a  provision  of construction of 50000 AWCs buildings over a period of five years @10000 AWCs per year.  The  cost  norms  for  construction  of  Anganwadi  Centres  in  convergence  with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (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 15 th  Finance Commission (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  Member  of  Parliament  Local  Area Development  Scheme  (MPLADS),  Rural  Infrastructure  Development  Fund  (RIDF), Finance Commission Grants to Panchayati Raj Institutions, National Rural Employment  Guarantee  Act  (NREGA),  Multi-  Sectoral  Development  Programme (MSDP) of Ministry of Minority Affairs, etc.

Directions have been issued to States/UTs to co-locate Anganwadi Centres, which are running on rent without basic facilities, at nearby Primary Schools, where space is available.

Further, the Government has also decided to upgrade all Mini AWCs with one worker to full-fledged Anganwadi Centres with one worker and one helper each.

During  the  15 th   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 imparting early childhood care  and  development.  Saksham Anganwadis  are  to  be  provided  with  better  infrastructure  than  the  conventional Anganwadi Centres which includes internet/Wi-Fi connectivity, LED screens, water purifier/installation of RO Machine and smart learning equipment. As on 25.11.2024, a total of 170337 AWCs has been approved for upgradation across the country.

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

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.

Regular monitoring of growth parameters is essential for identifying children who may be malnourished and for making timely interventions. Therefore, Anganwadi centres have been equipped with Growth Monitoring devices like infantometer, stadiometer, weighing scale-infant, weighing scale - Mother & Child.

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