**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has implemented the ‘Poshan Tracker’ digital application and a Facial Recognition System (FRS) to facilitate near real-time data collection and ensure the transparent delivery of Anganwadi Services. Following a pilot in August 2024, FRS was rolled out pan-India in December 2024 to eliminate benefit leakage and duplication. As of February 2026, 97.01% of the 4.78 crore identified beneficiaries successfully completed e-KYC and face matching.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**System Implementation and Purpose**
* The ‘Poshan Tracker’ serves as an ICT-based governance tool to monitor Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), workers (AWWs), and beneficiaries.
* The Facial Recognition System (FRS) was introduced to ensure Take Home Ration (THR) reaches intended beneficiaries.
* FRS is a software feature within the existing application and does not require additional hardware or equipment for Anganwadi Workers.
**Beneficiary Requirements**
* Children up to six years of age are exempt from undergoing e-KYC or FRS personally.
* Parents or guardians must undergo e-KYC/FRS on behalf of the children to receive benefits.
* Aadhaar-based tracking is utilized alongside FRS to improve beneficiary identification and prevent leakages.
**Data Privacy and Security Measures**
* **Consent:** Specific consent is mandatory before collecting biometric details for face enrolment.
* **Encryption:** All data requests, responses, and the internal mobile database are encrypted to prevent unauthorized access or tampering.
* **Handling:** Images are processed in base64 encoded format; AWWs can view images for matching but cannot copy them.
* **Storage:** No data or images are stored permanently on the mobile device; temporary cached data is wiped automatically upon logout.
* **Audits:** Annual security audits are conducted by Cert-In empanelled agencies, with the most recent audit completed in October 2025.
**Training and Support**
* The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) provides regular training and instructional videos to AWWs.
* Under ‘Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi,’ the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD) trains State Level Master Trainers (SLMTs).
* As of March 18, 2026, over 45,000 SLMTs have been trained across two rounds to support field-level workers.
* Block and District coordinators provide on-ground technical support and glitch resolution.
**Impact Analysis**
**Beneficiaries (Parents and Guardians)**
**Impact**
They are now required to provide biometric consent and undergo e-KYC/FRS to ensure the transparent receipt of Take Home Rations for their children.
**Action Required**
Complete the e-KYC and FRS onboarding process through their local Anganwadi Worker.
**Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)**
**Impact**
AWWs must use the Poshan Tracker app for near real-time tracking and facilitate the face-matching process for beneficiaries without the need for new hardware.
**Action Required**
Participate in regular training sessions, utilize training videos, and perform on-ground beneficiary verification and data entry.
**State Level Master Trainers (SLMTs)**
**Impact**
They serve as the primary educational link between the Ministry and field workers, ensuring the proper dissemination of technical knowledge.
**Action Required**
Undergo specialized training rounds provided by SPNIWCD and subsequently train Anganwadi Workers in their respective regions.
**Ministry/Department Personnel**
**Impact**
Authorized personnel gain role-based, monitored access to data for verification purposes while being subject to strict security audits.
**Action Required**
Monitor system logs, oversee the annual security audit process, and provide on-ground handholding through coordinators.
Key Entities Referenced
Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: The central scheme under which nutritional benefits and services are provided to children up to 6 years of age and other registered beneficiaries.
Face Recognition System (FRS): A biometric technology feature introduced within the Poshan Tracker to ensure transparent benefit distribution and prevent leakage in the Take Home Ration (THR) program.
Ministry of Women and Child Development: The primary government ministry responsible for the rollout and oversight of the Poshan Tracker and associated digital governance initiatives.
Poshan Tracker: An ICT-based governance tool used for real-time data collection, monitoring, and tracking of activities at Anganwadi Centres.
Ministry of Women and Child Development
Near real time data collection for Anganwadi
Services facilitated through ‘Poshan Tracker’
digital application
Posted On: 01 APR 2026 12:32PM by PIB Delhi
The ‘Poshan Tracker’ digital application has been rolled out as an ICT based governance tool for
monitoring and tracking of all activities in the Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)
and beneficiaries on defined indicators. It has facilitated near real time data collection for Anganwadi
Services. In order to ensure that the benefits (Supplementary Nutrition) provided under the scheme are
reaching the actual/intended beneficiary; to remove duplication and risk of leakage of benefits and to
make the scheme more transparent, the Ministry has introduced Face Recognition System (FRS) in August
2024. FRS was rolled out as a pilot in 6 States and UTs viz. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Odisha,
Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh. Further, FRS was rolled out on Pan India basis in December 2024 with an
option to distribute THR without FRS. The entire process of onboarding beneficiaries for FRS is being
taken up in a gradual manner. Facial Recognition System (FRS) is ensuring that benefit is given only to
the intended beneficiaries registered in the application.
Further, Children (up to 6 years of age) registered under the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0
are not required to undergo e-KYC/FRS. On behalf of children, mother, father or any guardian can
undergo e-KYC/ FRS and receive the THR. FRS, as a technology, doesn't demand any additional
equipment/device to be given to AWW. It has been introduced as one of the features in the existing Poshan
Tracker Application. Further, Aadhaar based tracking has enabled proper identification of beneficiaries
and prevention of leakages.
Considering the sensitivity of the collection of bio-metric details for beneficiaries, a specific consent is
taken before face enrolment through Anganwadi Worker (AWW). The private data is not publicly
accessible; it is only available to authorized personnel solely for verification purposes. Access is role-
based, logged and monitored to prevent misuse. Additional Measures taken for ensuring data privacy
before introducing FRS are as follows:
1. All requests and responses related to Face Verification are encrypted during transit, ensuring
data is protected from interception or tampering.
2. The internal database of mobile application is encrypted, preventing access to sensitive
information outside the app environment.
3. Face images are handled in base64 encoded format within the app to ensure safe processing
and transmission.
4. Individual images made available to Anganwadi Worker (AWW) for face matching purposes
cannot be copied.
5. No images or data are stored permanently on the device. As a precautionary measure, all cached
or temporary data is wiped automatically when the AWW logs out of the application.6. Annual Security Audit is complied with on every year basis, security audit for 2025 has been
completed by October 2025 through Cert-In empanelled agency.
As per Poshan Tracker Application data on FRS, a total of 4,77,88,108 eligible beneficiaries were
identified for THR distribution through FRS in February 2026. Out of these, e-KYC and face matching
have been successfully completed for 97.01% beneficiaries.
Regular training is being provided to AWWs by National e-Governance Division (NeGD) through state
coordinators on FRS. Training videos are also shared with AWWs to support their learning. Further, under
Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (PBPB), training is being conducted by the Savitribai Phule National Institute of
Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD, MoWCD) to State Level Master Trainers (SLMTs) who in
turn train Anganwadi Workers in the field. As of 18.03.2026, 41645 State Level Master Trainers (SLMTs)
have been trained under Round 1 and 3901 SLMTs under Round 2. Block and District coordinators
provide on-ground handholding support to AWWs and supervisors for effective usage of the Poshan
Tracker and resolution of technical glitches.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri
Thakur in Rajya Sabha in reply to a question.
****
SS
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