Parliament Question: Assessment of Schemes for Women and Children

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4765 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2026 ASSESSMENT OF SCHEMES FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN 4765. SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR: Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has conducted any assessment regarding accessibility and effectiveness of schemes in respect of women and children including schemes for nutritional support, Early Childhood Care and Education, protection services, women empowerment initiatives and assistance programmes for adolescent girls in Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh; (b) if so, the details of the progress made regarding Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Anganwadi infrastructure and staffing, nutritional supplement coverage, capacity building of frontline workers and the monitoring of scheme outcomes in the said district during the last three years; and (c) if not, the reasons therefor? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR) (a) to (c) NITI Aayog has got conducted third-party evaluations of the schemes of the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2020 and again in 2025. The studies have found that the schemes of the Ministry are highly relevant. Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, the following steps have been undertaken to improve the infrastructure facilities and staffing at Anganwadi Centres (AWCs): • During 15th Finance Commission cycle, 50,000 Anganwadi Centres are being constructed @10000 AWCs per year in convergence with MGNREGS wherein Rs.8.00 Lakh is provided under MGNREGS, Rs.2.00 Lakh under 15th Finance Commission (FC) (or anyother untied funds) and Rs.2.00 Lakh by MWCD per AWC shared between Centre and States and UTs in the prescribed cost sharing ratio. • Further, States and UTs have also been advised to continue to tap funds for construction of AWC buildings from various schemes such as Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), Finance Commission Grants to Panchayati Raj Institutions, Multi- Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) of Ministry of Minority Affairs, etc. • Various other initiatives have been undertaken for construction of AWCs under PM JANMAN and Dharti Abha Janjatiye Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan for the targeted development of Tribal population and VVP (Vibrant Village Programme) - Phase I, focusing on Northern border areas. • In order to improve the infrastructure facilities at AWCs various steps have been undertaken by the Ministry that, inter alia, include increasing the funding for drinking water facilities and toilets at Anganwadi Centres from Rs.10,000/- to Rs.17,000/- and Rs.12,000/- to Rs.36,000/- respectively. • Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) are honorary workers drawn from the local community who voluntarily come forward to render their services in the area of child care and development to help the local community for which they are paid honorarium. This honorarium is increased from time to time. From 1st October, 2018, Government of India has enhanced the honorarium of AWWs at Anganwadi centres (AWCs) from Rs.3,000/- to Rs.4,500/- per month and AWHs from Rs.1,500/- to Rs.2,250/- per month as per the defined cost sharing ratio between the Centre and States and UTs. In addition, States and UTs are also paying additional monetary incentives and top ups to these functionaries from their own resources which vary from State to State. • Besides, performance linked incentive of Rs.500/- per month is provided to AWWs and Rs.250/- per month to AWHs. Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is a Centrally Sponsored scheme. The Central Government is responsible for policy and planning and the State Governments and UT Administrations are responsible for day-to-day program implementation. Additionally, the Ministry also monitors the implementation of scheme through sustained engagements and video conferences with the States and UTs so as to ensure uninterrupted delivery of services to the beneficiaries. The implementation of schemes including scheme outcomes is monitored on regular basis at various high levels through physical meetings, video conferences and field visits. *****