In a major step toward digital transformation in nutrition services, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) announced on Wednesday that all Anganwadi Centres across India are now registered on the Poshan Tracker application. This milestone aims to enhance transparency and efficiency in service delivery at Anganwadi centres, benefiting children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.
As of February 28, the Poshan Tracker has registered over 10.12 crore beneficiaries, including 44.38 lakh in Karnataka, with 99.61% Aadhaar verification in the state. The app, launched on March 1, 2021, enables real-time tracking of attendance, growth monitoring, and nutrition services while replacing physical records with auto-generated monthly reports. Available in 24 languages, the platform has been praised by UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) for improving nutrition service delivery and accountability.
The initiative is part of Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, a centrally sponsored scheme unifying Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (14-18 years) to combat malnutrition nationwide. The mission covers children aged 0-6 years, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls in aspirational districts and the Northeast.
Empowering Anganwadi Workers through Digital Training
To strengthen early childhood education alongside nutrition services, the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (PBPB) Programme was launched on May 10, 2023. This initiative aims to train 13.9 lakh Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) to improve the quality of education at Anganwadi Centres. Over 4.2 lakh AWWs, including 35,174 from Maharashtra, have already received training under Round 1 of the program.
The training follows a two-tier model, covering play-based learning, child development, nutrition awareness, and community engagement. The government has also integrated Aadharshila (National Curriculum for Early Childhood Education) and Navchetana (Early Childhood Stimulation Framework) to promote mother tongue-based education. The curriculum spans 44 weeks, featuring interactive videos, voice notes, and activity PDFs to support Anganwadi Workers.
Global Recognition and Future Expansion
The G20 Ministerial Conference on Women Empowerment 2023 acknowledged Poshan Tracker as a pioneering model for technology-driven monitoring of nutrition and early childhood services. The WHO has recognized it as an exemplary data collection platform, while UNICEF has commended its role in simplifying the work of Anganwadi Workers and ensuring better tracking of beneficiaries.
