29-Jul-2022: Fortified Rice under ICDS

Under Wheat based Nutrition Programme of Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (erstwhile Integrated Child Development scheme), fortified rice is allocated to all States/UTs across the country.

Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) (erstwhile Mid-Day Meal) is an on-going Centrally-Sponsored Scheme which covers all school children studying in Balvatika and classes I-VIII of Government and Government-aided schools. Government of India has approved Centrally sponsored pilot scheme on “Fortification of Rice & its Distribution under Public Distribution System on 14.02.2019 for a period of three years beginning 2019-20. M/o Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution is the Nodal Ministry in the matter. DoSE&L issued instructions to all the States/UTs to use fortified rice wherever supplied by Food Corporation of India (FCI). As per information received, fortified rice is distributed/consumed in all districts across the country subject to availability of fortified rice.

A robust ICT enabled platform named as “Poshan Tracker” management application has been launched which provides a view of the activities at the Anganwadi Centre (AWC), service deliveries of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and beneficiary management for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children. The application aims to improve governance with regard to real time monitoring and provisioning of supplementary nutrition for prompt supervisions and management of services. Further, for the first time, Anganwadi workers have been provided with 11.30 lakh smart phones. Besides, to promote regular growth monitoring, 11.94 lakh Growth Monitoring Devices (Infantometer, Stadiometer, Weighing Scale for Infants and Weighing Scale for Mother and Child) have been procured by States/UTs under the Abhiyaan.

Under Wheat based Nutrition Programme of Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (erstwhile Integrated Child Development scheme), from the third quarter onwards of FY 2021-22, 100 percent fortified Rice is being distributed to all the States/UTs across the country which also includes aspirational and heavy burdened districts as well.

22-Dec-2021: Aims and Objectives of ICDS Scheme

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.

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 Swachhta 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.

1-Dec-2021: Status of ICDS

Presently, the Anganwadi Services Scheme is implemented through 7075 Projects and 1389110 operational Anganwadi Centres (as on 30.6.2021) across the country covering 9.06 crore beneficiaries.

In order to improve nutritional outcomes in children to address the issue of malnutrition across the country the Government is taking the following measures:

1. Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is implementing several schemes like Anganwadi Services, Scheme for Adolescent Girls and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) under the Umbrella Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme as direct targeted interventions; Supplementary Nutrition is provided under the Anganwadi Services Scheme in the form of Hot Cooked Meal, Morning Snack and Take Home Ration;
2. POSHAN Abhiyaan launched on 8th March 2018, aims to reduce malnutrition in the country in a phased manner, through a synergised and result oriented approach;
3. Government has taken measures to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcomes with focus on developing practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition under Poshan 2.0 announced in Budget 2021-22. Steps have also been taken to improve nutritional quality and testing, strengthen delivery and leverage technology under Poshan Tracker, a robust ICT platform to improve governance. Government has advised States/UTs to ensure that the quality of supplementary nutrition conforms to prescribed standards laid down under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and regulations made thereunder. States/UTs have also been advised to promote use of AYUSH systems for prevention of malnutrition and related diseases. A programme to support development of Poshan Vatikas at Anganwadi centers to meet dietary diversity gap leveraging traditional knowledge in nutritional practices has also been taken up;
4. Streamlined Guidelines were issued for transparency and accountability in delivery of supplementary nutrition and to track nutritional outcomes on 13.01.2021;
5. Government of India under the Universal Immunization Program (UIP), is providing immunization services through outreach and facility based immunization sessions. Periodic intensification of routine immunization activities – Mission Indradhanush and Intensified Mission Indradhanush are undertaken from time to time to vaccinate the partially vaccinated and unvaccinated children. Further, various activities for demand generation are undertaken through electronic and print media like radio, television, posters, hoardings, social media platforms etc. and Inter personal communication by front line health workers and other community workers like Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs).

5-Aug-2021: Supplementary Nutrition Under ICDS

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) have been engaged in COVID-19 awareness drive in the community as per the directions of this Ministry. To ensure continuous support to Anganwadi beneficiaries, this Ministry, vide letters dated 16.04.2020 and 26.04.2021, requested the States/UTs to distribute Take Home Ration (THR) once in 15 days at the doorsteps of the beneficiaries through AWWs/AWHs and also medicines as per requirement and special attention be given to timely medical interventions for SAM children. Further, weekly monitoring reports are also obtained from States/UTs with regard to distribution of Take Home Ration to the beneficiaries. A robust ICT enabled platform named Poshan Tracker has been designed to capture real time data on implementation and monitoring of Anganwadi Services across the country. The POSHAN Tracker management application provides a 360-degree view of the activities of the Anganwadi Centres, Service delivery of Anganwadi Workers and complete beneficiary management.

During the pandemic, as per MHA guidelines, all Anganwadi Centres across the country were closed to limit the impact of COVID-19 and no survey has been planned on ground, as human interaction has been minimised to control the spread of virus.

To address Nutritional Gap for women and Children, funds are provided to all States/UTs under Supplementary Nutrition Programme. Additional funds, if required, would be sought at R.E stage from Ministry of Finance.

30-Jul-2021: Supplementary Nutrition Under ICDS

The Ministry of Women and Child Development, video communication dated 13.01.2021 to all States/Union Territories, have issued Streamlining Guidelines on 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.

As per the above guidelines, States/UTs must introduce transparent processes for procurement as per GFR and vigilance guidelines and ensure that Take Home Ration (THR) procured conforms to technical and nutritional standards set by Ministry of Women and Child Development. All the States/Union Territories are required to adhere to these guidelines scrupulously.

11-Feb-2021: Plan to grow vegetables in Anganwadi Centres

A programme to support development of Poshan Vatikas at Anganwadi centers to meet dietary diversity gap by leveraging traditional knowledge in nutritional practices has been put in place to encourage community members to cultivate local food crops for regular supply of fresh fruits, vegetables and important herbs and medicinal plants that are basic to good nutrition. As part of an outreach plan, seasonal and topical vegetable seeds were distributed to Anganwadi Centres.

5-Feb-2021: Assessment of Integrated Child Development Schemes

Anganwadi Services Scheme has an in-built monitoring system to track progress under the scheme through a standardized Management Information System (MIS).

In order to improve nutritional status in the country, sustained engagements have taken place with State Governments over the last one year. Steps have been taken to improve nutritional quality and testing in accredited labs, strengthen delivery and leverage technology under the Poshan Tracker to improve governance. Government has advised States/UTs to ensure that the quality of supplementary nutrition conforms to prescribed standards laid down under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and regulations made thereunder. A programme to support development of Poshan Vatikas at Anganwadi centers to meet dietary diversity gap leveraging traditional wisdom in nutritional practices has also been taken up.

4-Feb-2020: Only 7 in 100 anganwadi beneficiaries are in cities

According to the government’s response to a Right to Information (RTI) query, for every 100 anganwadi beneficiaries in the country, only seven are in urban areas. The disparity is primarily because of a severe lack of anganwadis in cities, leading to poor coverage of the government’s flagship programme in early childhood development.

Anganwadis or day-care centres are set up under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) by the Women and Child Development Ministry to provide a package of six services. The services include supplementary nutrition; pre-school non-formal education; immunisation, nutrition and health education; as well as referral services. The aim of the scheme is to reduce infant mortality and child malnutrition. Beneficiaries include children in the age group of six months to six years, and pregnant women and lactating mothers.

While there were a total 7.95 crore beneficiaries of the anganwadi scheme in the country as on September 30, 2019, only 55 lakh were registered at urban anganwadis. This is primarily because of an acute paucity of anganwadi centres in urban areas.

There are as many as 13.79 lakh anganwadis operational across the country, out of which 9.31 lakh centres are linked to the government’s web-enabled data entry system called Rapid Reporting System. Of those anganwadis that can be monitored online, 1.09 lakh centres are in urban areas and the remaining 8.22 lakh were in rural areas of the country.

As per Census 2011, 32% of India’s 1.2 billion population live in cities, though experts have said that if the definition of an urban settlement was broadened, the share of urban population will be much higher. A recent first-of-its-kind pan-India study on nutrition status, the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2016-18, found that 35% of children under five were stunted and 17% were wasted. It also said 22% of children in the age group of 5-9 years were stunted and 23% were thin for their age. Also, 20% of those in the 10-19 years age group were thin for their age.

At the same time, 2% of under four-year-olds, 8% of children in the 5-9 years age group, and 6% of adolescents, were overweight. Data also showed that children in urban areas showed two to three times higher prevalence of obesity as compared to their peers in rural areas.

With these facts before it, the NITI Aayog has prepared a draft working paper to strengthen the ICDS programme in urban areas, keeping in mind challenges such as migration, population density and the long commute involved for workers and beneficiaries.