Lok Sabha Question No. 3429 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-05
Subject: Digitisation of Anganwadi Centres
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, BHARATI DHIRUBHAI SHIYAL, SUDHEER GUPTA, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, SHER SINGH GHUBAYA, RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3429

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2016

## DIGITISATION OF ANGANWADI CENTRES

3429. SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN: DR. BHARATIBEN D. SHYAL: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA: KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH: SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR: DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD: SHRI SHER SINGH GHUBAYA: DR. RAVINDRA KUMAR RAY:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  proposes  the  digitisation  of  Anganwadi  Centres  (AWCs)  for  real  time monitoring of every child and every pregnant and lactating mother;
- (b) if so, the details and progress made thereof along with the time by which the work in this regard is likely to be completed;
- (c) the expenditure incurred/ to be incurred on the proposed work;
- (d) the benefits to be accrued therefrom in improving the functioning and service delivery of AWCs; and
- (e) the  further  steps  taken/  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  provide  clean  food  with  sufficient availability  of  micro  nutrients  given  to  the  women  and  children  through  a  standardised  process  of manufacturing and distribution through AWCs in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI KRISHNA RAJ)

(a) Ministry of Women  &  Child  Development is implementing the International  Development Association  (IDA)  assisted  ICDS  Systems  Strengthening  and  Nutrition  Improvement  Project  (ISSNIP)  in 162  high  malnutrition  Districts  spread  over  08  (eight)  States  viz.  Andhra  Pradesh,  Bihar,  Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra,  Rajasthan  and  Uttar  Pradesh.  The  Project  has  been restructured on 29th September, 2015. The restructured ISSNIP, to be concluded on 30.12.2017, includes Information  and  Communication  Technology  (ICT)  enabled  Real  Time  Monitoring  (ICT-RTM)  as  a  key activity. ICT-RTM is to be driven by a customized ICDS - Common Application Software (ICDS-CAS). It will operate through a mobile application at the level of Aanganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Sector Supervisors (SS) in the ISSNIP States. Besides it will also provide comprehensive dashboard. It would enable the ICDS System to track individual child beneficiaries. ICT-RTM is aimed at improving the Service Delivery System of  ICDS  thereby  is  expected  to  enhance  the  nutritional  outcomes  with  regard  to  ICDS  beneficiaries  viz. Children up to 6 years of age group, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.

(b) The Amended and Reinstated Financing Agreement between Department of Economic Affairs and International  Development  Association  (IDA)  has  been  signed  on  29.09.2015.  This  Ministry  has  issued Administrative  Approval  and  Guidelines  for  implementation  of  Restructured  ISSNIP  on  18.03.2016.  The ICDS-CAS has been developed and is ready to be deployed. Information and Communication Technology enabled  Real  Time  Monitoring  (ICT-  RTM)  has  been  launched  on  25.05.2016.  The  participating  States have prepared their roll-out  plans  and  training  plans.  They  have  also  selected  the  Master  Trainers  who would  impart  trainings  to  front  line  ICDS  functionaries.  Now,  States  are  in  the  process  of  procuring  the mobile devices.

(c) Total  project  cost  of  the  restructured  ISSNIP  is  Rs.78744.71  Lakh.  Out  of  this,  an  amount  of Rs.22521.62 Lakh is envisaged to be incurred on ICT-RTM.

(d) The  overall  goal  of  ISSNIP  is  to  strengthen  the  Integrated  Child  Development  Services  (ICDS) policy framework, systems and capacities, and facilitate community engagement, to ensure greater focus on children under three years of age; and to strengthen convergent actions for improved nutrition outcome. The benefits to be accrued from ICT-RTM in improving the functioning and service delivery of AWCs are envisaged to be as follows:

- i. Help improve service delivery by Aanganwadi workers (AWWs) by introduction of  mobile technology;
- ii. Provide real-time  information  on  service delivery  at  Aanganwadi  Centres  and  on  growth and nutrition status of children;
- iii. Individualised tracking of child beneficiaries;
- iv. Enable to employ timely interventions wherever and whenever required and to prioritize and direct the interventions needed  to improve the nutritional status in specific geographies;
- v. Auto  generation  of  ICDS  registers  that  are  currently  compiled  manually  by  Aanganwadi workers  and  help  ICDS  staff  save  time  in  data  entry  into  multiple  registers,  thereby enabling them to channelize more time on delivering ICDS services including increased focus on counselling;
- vi. Help in reaching out to all the beneficiaries in time;
- vii. Support  the  Aanganwadi  worker's  job  through  in-built  counselling  aids,  alerts  and  auto plotting of growth charts and due lists;
- viii. Aid collection of real-time data enabling supportive supervision and timely intervention by the department officials;

(e) The  Government  has  issued  the  'Revised  Nutritional  and  Feeding  Norms'  for  Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP) in ICDS Scheme which provide for the fortification of Take Home Ration (THR) with essential micronutrients meeting the norms as per the Recommended Dietary Allowance under SNP. The guidelines also provide that Hot Cooked Meal is prepared in proper kitchen sheds using safe drinking water  and  maintaining  hygienic  conditions.  Further,  the  Operational  Guidelines  for  Food  Safety  and Hygiene in ICDS have been issued by the Ministry to all the States/UTs on 24.12.2013.

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