Lok Sabha Question No. 987 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-05
Subject: Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Neeraj Maurya, Shri Devesh Shakya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 987

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2025

## SAKSHAM ANGANWADI AND POSHAN 2.0

†987. SHRI NEERAJ MAURYA:

## SHRI DEVESH SHAKYA:

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

- (a) the key objectives of the 'Saksham Anganwadi and poshan 2.0' scheme and status of its State-wise implementation as on November 2025, along with  details  of  the  present  progress  made  in  Etah,  Kasganj,  Aonla, Budaun, Shahjhanpur, Mainpuri, Kannauj, Etawah and Auraiya districts of Uttar Pradesh;
- (b) the details of beneficiaries covered under the Saksham Anganwadi and poshan  2.0  initiative,  so  far,  State-  wise  and  district -wise  for  Uttar Pradesh;
- (c) the details of implementation of said scheme till date in Uttar Pradesh;
- (d) whether any special provisions have been made or additional resources have been provided for the effective implementation of the said scheme in the said districts of Uttar Pradesh; and
- (e) the details of funds allocated and released and utilized so far under the said scheme in Uttar Pradesh?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (d) Under the 15th Finance Commission, Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0) is being implemented to address the challenge

of malnutrition. This mission is a universal self-selecting umbrella scheme where there are no entry barriers for any beneficiary to register and receive services.

The objectives of Mission are as follows:

- To contribute to development of human capital in the country;
- Address challenge of malnutrition;
- Promote nutrition awareness and good eating habits for sustainable health and wellbeing

Under  Mission  Poshan  2.0  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 reduce prevalence of wasting, stunting, anaemia and being underweight.

Under this mission, Supplementary Nutrition is provided to Children (6 months to 6 years), Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls to beat the intergenerational  cycle  of  malnutrition  by  adopting  a  life  cycle  approach. Supplementary nutrition  is  provided  in  accordance  with  the  nutrition  norms contained in Schedule-II of the National Food Security Act. These norms have been revised in January 2023.

Fortified  rice  is  being  supplied  to  AWCs  to  meet  the  requirement  of  micronutrients and to control anaemia among women and children. Greater emphasis is being laid on the use of millets at least once a week for preparation of Hot Cooked Meal and Take Home ration at Anganwadi centers.

Ministries of Women & Child Development and Health & Family Welfare have jointly released the protocol for Community Management of Malnutrition (CMAM) to  prevent and treat severely acute malnutrition in children and for reducing associated morbidity and mortality.

Under  this  Mission,  one  of  the  major  activities  undertaken  is  Community Mobilization and Awareness Advocacy to educate people on nutritional aspects as adoption of good nutrition habit requires sustained efforts for behavioural change.  State  and  UTs  are  conducting  and  reporting  regular  sensitisation activities  under  Jan  Andolans during Poshan Maahs and Poshan Pakhwadas celebrated in the months of September and March-April respectively. Community Based Events (CBEs) have served as a significant strategy in changing nutritional practices and all Anganwadi workers are required to conduct two Community Based Events every month.

Under Mission Poshan 2.0, two lakh Anganwadi Centres located in Government buildings  @  40,000  AWCs  per  year  are  to  be  strengthened  and  upgraded  as Saksham Anganwadis for delivery of improved nutrition and for Early Childhood Care and Education in the 15 th Finance Commission cycle.  Saksham Anganwadis are to be provided with better infrastructure than the conventional Anganwadi centres with LED screens, water filtration system, Poshan Vatika, ECCE material and BALA paintings. As on 30.11.2025, a total of 2 lakh AWCs has been approved for upgradation for which an amount of Rs. 123265.30 lakhs have been allocated to all States/UTs across the country.

Under PM JANMAN for the targeted development of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), a total of 2,500 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) has been sanctioned to 17 States for construction of AWCs as per the target set by the Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  for  the  years  2023-24,  2024-25,  and  2025-26.  The Ministry  has  allocated ₹ 300.0  Crore  for  the  construction  of  AWCs,  and  an amount of ₹ 171.90 Crore has been released.

Under  Dharti  Abha  Janjati  Gram  Unnat  Abhiyan,  efforts  are  being  made  to improve the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities through saturation-based coverage across about 63,843 tribal-majority and aspirational ST villages. The Cabinet-approved interventions for FY 2024 -25 to FY 2028 -29 include establishing 2,000 new Saksham AWCs and upgrading 6,000 existing ones. Under the Abhiyan, 875 AWCs have been sanctioned for construction, of which 435 are already operational, serving 26,835 beneficiaries.

The State/UT and district wise data on beneficiaries and on stunting, wasting and underweight is available on Poshan Tracker at the link: https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics.

- (e)  The details of funds released and utilized so far under the said scheme in Uttar Pradesh is as under:

(Rs in crores)

| 2021-22        | 2021-22       | 2022-23        | 2022-23       | 2023-24        | 2023-24       | 2024-25        | 2025-26                                 |
|----------------|---------------|----------------|---------------|----------------|---------------|----------------|-----------------------------------------|
| Funds released | Fund utilised | Funds released | Fund utilised | Funds released | Fund utilised | Funds released | Funds released as on 31 st October 2025 |
| 2407.55        | 2341.91       | 2721.87        | 2622.64       | 2668.69        | 2510.27       | 2694.62        | 1802.49.                                |