In a nation as diverse and populous as India, addressing malnutrition and ensuring holistic child development remain critical challenges. The Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programme, often referred to simply as Poshan 2.0, stands as a flagship initiative by the Government of India to combat these issues head-on. Launched in 2021 under the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), this integrated nutrition support programme merges several existing schemes to create a unified, lifecycle approach to nutrition and early childhood care. It builds on the foundation of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), which has been operational since 1975, but introduces modern upgrades to make Anganwadi centres—community-based hubs for maternal and child health—more effective and resilient.
Poshan 2.0 targets vulnerable groups, including children under six years, adolescent girls aged 14-18 in select regions, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. By focusing on supplementary nutrition, health education, immunization, and behavioral change, the programme aims to reduce stunting, wasting, and undernutrition, which affect millions of Indian children. According to recent data, it leverages technology like the Poshan Tracker app for real-time monitoring and emphasizes community participation through events like Poshan Maah. As of 2025, with a budget allocation of ₹21,960 crore for the fiscal year 2025-26, Poshan 2.0 represents a significant investment in India's human capital, aligning with global sustainable development goals on health and nutrition. This article explores the programme's evolution, objectives, implementation, achievements, challenges, and future outlook, highlighting its role in building a healthier nation.
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Historical Background and Evolution
The roots of Poshan 2.0 trace back to the ICDS, India's largest community-based programme for early childhood development. Initiated in 1975, ICDS provided supplementary nutrition, pre-school education, and health services through Anganwadi centres (AWCs), which now number over 1.3 million across the country. However, persistent issues like high malnutrition rates— with stunting at around 35% and wasting at 19% as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5)—prompted reforms.
In 2018, the government launched POSHAN Abhiyaan (Prime Minister's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) to intensify efforts against malnutrition using technology and convergence between ministries. This set the stage for Poshan 2.0, which was introduced in the Union Budget 2021-22 as Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. It consolidated three umbrella schemes: Anganwadi Services, POSHAN Abhiyaan, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (SAG), streamlining operations and reducing redundancies.
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| Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 |
The "Saksham" (empowered) aspect focuses on upgrading AWCs into modern facilities with improved infrastructure, such as child-friendly buildings, safe drinking water, and digital tools. This evolution reflects a shift from mere service delivery to a holistic ecosystem that includes early childhood care and education (ECCE), maternal health, and community-driven behavioral changes. By 2023, progress included registering over 6.86 lakh beneficiaries on digital platforms and achieving high rates of growth monitoring (97.20%) and home visits (97.97%). The programme's design draws from global best practices, incorporating elements like millet-based nutrition to promote local, sustainable foods.
As India grapples with post-pandemic recovery and climate-induced food insecurities, Poshan 2.0 has adapted by emphasizing resilience, such as through the promotion of millets during the International Year of Millets in 2023, which continues into 2025 with recipe contests and awareness drives in AWCs.
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Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 Highlights
| Key Highlights | Details |
|---|---|
| Programme Name | Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 |
| Launched | 2021 (Union Budget 2021-22) |
| Duration | 2021-22 to 2025-26 |
| Ministry | Women and Child Development |
| Target Groups | Children (0–6 yrs), Adolescent Girls (14–18 in select areas), Pregnant & Lactating Mothers |
| Main Goals | Reduce stunting, wasting, underweight, and anemia |
| Key Services | Supplementary nutrition, ECCE, health check-ups, immunization |
| Infrastructure | Upgrading 2 lakh AWCs to Saksham Anganwadis |
| Digital Tool | Poshan Tracker app for real-time monitoring |
| Budget 2025-26 | ₹21,960 crore |
| Community Events | Poshan Maah & Poshan Pakhwada |
| Focus Areas | Nutrition gardens, millets, behavioural change |
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Objectives and Key Components
The primary objective of Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is to address malnutrition across the lifecycle, fostering health, wellness, and immunity. It seeks to reduce low birth weight, stunting, undernutrition, and anemia among its target beneficiaries: children aged 0-6 years, adolescent girls (14-18 years) in Aspirational Districts and the North Eastern Region, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.
Key components include:
- Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP): Provides hot cooked meals, take-home rations, and fortified foods to combat Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). For instance, children receive age-appropriate nutrition, while adolescent girls get support to improve their health status before motherhood.
- Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE): Targets cognitive, emotional, social, and motor development for children 3-6 years through pre-school activities. For 0-3 years, it includes early stimulation to build foundational skills.
- Anganwadi Infrastructure Upgradation: Transforming AWCs into "Saksham Anganwadis" with modern amenities like LED screens for educational content, rainwater harvesting, and play equipment. By 2025, over 11,000 such centres have been inaugurated, enhancing service quality.
- POSHAN Abhiyaan: Focuses on outreach, innovations, and governance. It promotes maternal nutrition, optimal infant and young child feeding practices, and treatment of MAM/SAM through referrals to Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs).
The programme also integrates health interventions like immunization, health check-ups, and deworming, ensuring convergence with schemes from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Implementation Strategies and Monitoring
Poshan 2.0 is implemented as a centrally sponsored scheme by state governments and Union Territories, with a 60:40 cost-sharing ratio (90:10 for North Eastern and Himalayan states). States handle day-to-day operations, while the MWCD provides guidelines and oversight.
A cornerstone of implementation is the Poshan Tracker app, rolled out to over 11.04 lakh Anganwadi workers via smartphones by March 2022. This ICT tool, available in 24 languages, uses biometric authentication and geotagging for real-time data on beneficiary registration, growth monitoring, and service delivery. It enables Aadhaar seeding (achieving 97.16% coverage) and generates analytics for targeted interventions.
Community mobilization is key, with Community Based Events (CBEs) like Annaprasan Diwas (for introducing complementary feeding) and Suposan Diwas (for nutrition education). Jan Andolan initiatives, including Poshan Maah in September and Poshan Pakhwada in March, engage stakeholders through awareness campaigns, recipe demos, and public health messages.
Capacity building involves training Anganwadi workers (AWWs) on SAM management, with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for referrals and follow-ups. Incentives and awards recognize high-performing workers, boosting motivation.
The Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan, launched recently, incentivizes over 1,000 Gram Panchayats with financial rewards for excellence in child growth monitoring, immunization, and infrastructure. Coordination with health departments ensures integrated services, such as Village Health Sanitation & Nutrition Days (VHSNDs) at 88.57% coverage.
Achievements and Impacts
Since its inception, Poshan 2.0 has shown promising results. In targeted districts of states like Rajasthan, Odisha, Telangana, and Maharashtra, stunting and wasting have declined by 4-5%, attributed to community participation, timely funding, and technology. High-performing states like Sikkim and Meghalaya report over 90% fund utilization, leading to better nutritional outcomes.
The programme has registered millions on digital platforms, with 95.6% of planned CBEs conducted and intensified referrals for malnourished children. Promotion of millets has enhanced dietary diversity, while ECCE components have improved school readiness among children.
Economically, the 2025-26 budget increase reflects commitment, with enhanced cost norms for nutritional support enabling better quality rations. Overall, Poshan 2.0 has empowered AWWs and communities, fostering a culture of nutrition awareness.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Despite successes, challenges persist. Disparities in implementation are evident in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, where bureaucratic delays lead to low fund utilization (below 55%). Infrastructure gaps affect 40% of AWCs lacking toilets, 35% without clean water, and 25% missing educational materials. Workforce shortages and training gaps hinder progress.
Future prospects involve scaling up Saksham AWCs, integrating AI for predictive analytics, and strengthening public-private partnerships. Expanding to more adolescent girls nationwide and addressing climate impacts on food security will be crucial.
Conclusion
Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 epitomize India's resolve to eradicate malnutrition and nurture its young population. Through integrated strategies, technology, and community engagement, it paves the way for a healthier, more productive future. Sustained efforts and equitable implementation will ensure its lasting impact, turning the vision of a malnutrition-free India into reality.
FAQs on Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 Programme
Q. What is Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0?
Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, also known as Mission Poshan 2.0, is an integrated nutrition support programme launched by the Government of India in 2021. It consolidates earlier schemes like Anganwadi Services, POSHAN Abhiyaan, and Scheme for Adolescent Girls to provide a holistic approach to malnutrition reduction and early childhood development.
Q. When was the programme launched and how long will it run?
The programme was announced in the Union Budget 2021-22 and is approved for implementation during the 15th Finance Commission period, from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Q. Who are the target beneficiaries of this programme?
It targets children under 6 years, adolescent girls (14-18 years) in Aspirational Districts and North Eastern Region, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, focusing on the critical first 1,000 days of life.
Q. What are the key components of Poshan 2.0?
The main components include Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) with hot cooked meals and take-home rations, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for ages 3-6, early stimulation for 0-3 years, upgradation of Anganwadi centres into Saksham Anganwadis with modern infrastructure, and community outreach under POSHAN Abhiyaan.
Q. How many Anganwadi centres are being upgraded to Saksham Anganwadis?
A total of 2 lakh Anganwadi centres are planned to be upgraded at the rate of 40,000 per year until 2025-26, featuring amenities like LED screens, RO systems, audio-visual aids, and Poshan Vatikas (nutrition gardens).
Q. What is the role of the Poshan Tracker app?
The Poshan Tracker is a digital tool for real-time monitoring of Anganwadi activities, beneficiary registration, growth tracking, and service delivery. As of late 2025, it has registered over 14 lakh Anganwadi centres and more than 9 crore beneficiaries.
Q. What is the budget allocation for 2025-26?
The Union Budget 2025-26 has allocated ₹21,960 crore for Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, reflecting an increase to support enhanced nutrition norms and infrastructure.
Q. What services are provided at Anganwadi centres under this programme?
Anganwadi centres offer six core services: supplementary nutrition, pre-school education, nutrition and health education, immunization, health check-ups, and referral services, with convergence from health and other ministries.
Q. How does the programme promote community participation?
Through Jan Andolan initiatives like Poshan Maah (September) and Poshan Pakhwada (March-April), community-based events, awareness campaigns, and activities involving SHGs, mothers' groups, and local panchayats to drive behavioural change.
Q. What progress has been made in reducing malnutrition as of 2025?
Recent data from Poshan Tracker (June 2025) shows 5.46% wasting and 15.93% underweight among children under five. Over 20 crore awareness activities were conducted during Poshan Maah 2025, contributing to gradual improvements in stunting, wasting, and anemia.
Q. What are some ongoing challenges?
Challenges include uneven implementation across states, infrastructure gaps in some centres, workforce vacancies, and persistent high malnutrition in central and eastern regions, though digital tools and increased funding are addressing these.
Q. How can one get more information or report issues?
Visit the official website wcd.nic.in or use the Poshan Tracker app. Helplines include 1800-11-1311 for POSHAN 2.0 queries. States/UTs handle local implementation with central oversight.