Lok Sabha Question No. 4178 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-20
Subject: Scheme for Adolescent Girls
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Kota Srinivasa Poojary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 4178

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2024

## SCHEME FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS

## 4178.  SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY:

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

- (a) the  details  of  objectives  and  the  number  of  beneficiaries  benefitted  under Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) in Karnataka;
- (b) whether Government has made any proposal for skill training, and to expand 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 in these centres along with the details of fortified rice and millets provided under the said scheme in the said State; and
- (d) whether Government has made any 'nutrition provision' to extend scheme for women and children in the said State, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (d):  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, 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  and  for  better nutritional delivery to end beneficiaries.

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. 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.

In the State of Karnataka, a total of 66,331 Adolescent Girls are registered under the Scheme for Adolescent Girls as per data on the Poshan Tracker as on 15.12.2024. Supplementary Nutrition is provided at AWC to registered beneficiaries.

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 (THR -Not Raw 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.

A  total  of  35.19  Metric  Tons  of  Fortified  Rice  has  been  allocated  to  the  State  of Karnataka under Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG) during FY 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,  State  Government  of  Karnataka  has procured 72,049 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, 65,911 GMDs have been procured by Karnataka.

During the 15th 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,  total  AWCs  approved  for  upgradation  as  Saksham  AWCs throughout  the  country  are  1,70,337,  out  of  which  17,732  AWCs  are  of  State  of Karnataka.

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