Anganwadi Services (Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services Scheme) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by States/UTs with the following objectives:-

1. To improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age-group of 0-6 years;
2. To lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of the child;
3. To reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropouts;
4. To achieve effective co-ordination of policy and implementation amongst the various departments to promote child development; and
5. To enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutrition and health education.

Under Anganwadi Services, a package of six services, namely, (i) Supplementary Nutrition; (ii) Pre-school Non-formal Education; (iii) Nutrition & Health Education; (iv) Immunization; (v) Health Check-up; and (vi) Referral Services has been provided to all eligible beneficiaries, namely, children in the age group of 0-6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers through the platform of Anganwadi Centres across the country. Three of the services viz. Immunization, Health Check-up and Referral Services are related to health and are provided through NRHM & Public Health Infrastructure.

Details of funds released and utilized for the last three years and current year by States/UT's is at Annexure-I. Details of the number of beneficiaries covered under the Scheme during last three years and current year are given below:

    (*As on 30.06.2021)

From time to time Government has taken many steps for strengthening Anganwadi Services. These include revision of cost norms of supplementary nutrition, provision of construction of Anganwadi Centres under Convergence with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), provision of drinking water and sanitation facilities under Swacchta Action Plan (SAP) etc. There have been sustained engagements with State Governments for review and improvement including recent interactions to discuss different implementation related issues to strengthen services. Further, streamlined guidelines were issued on 13.01.2021, covering several aspects such as quality assurance, roles and responsibilities of duty holders, procedure for procurement, integrating AYUSH concepts and Data management and monitoring through “Poshan Tracker” for transparency, efficiency and accountability in delivery of Supplementary Nutrition has been issued.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

Click here to see Annexure

*****

AS