Ministry of Women and Child Development launched Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 to improve nutritional outcomes among children from 0-6 years

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, a centrally‑sponsored mission that subsumes Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls in aspirational districts and the North‑Eastern region. It targets children (0‑6 years), pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls (14‑18 years). The ‘Poshan Tracker’ app, introduced in March 2021, monitors Anganwadi centres, workers and beneficiaries in near‑real‑time and now incorporates a facial‑recognition system for take‑home rations. Nutrition norms under the National Food Security Act were revised in January 2023 to include balanced calories, protein, fats and micronutrients. A joint protocol with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare addresses severe acute malnutrition, emphasizing community‑based detection and treatment. Community mobilisation activities such as Jan Andolans, Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada are mandated, with each Anganwadi worker required to hold two community‑based events per month.