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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 3481
TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2026
DIGITISATION OF ANGANWADI CENTRES
3481. SHRI VISHWESHWAR HEGDE KAGERI:
SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY:
SHRI SHANKAR LALWANI:
SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:
Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has undertaken a comprehensive programme for the digital
upgradation of Anganwadi Centres, pursuant to the restructured Integrated Child
Development Services (ICDS)/Mission Poshan framework across the country;
(b) if so, the number of Anganwadi Centres that have been provisioned with digital
hardware and software infrastructure, including but not limited to smartphones, tablets
and computerised data-entry systems, State/UT-wise; and
(c) whether any outcome-based assessment has been undertaken to quantify the impact of
such digitalisation on nutrition surveillance, Early Childhood Care and Education
(ECCE), beneficiary authentication and service-delivery efficiencies if so, the details
thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)
(a) & (b): Saksham Anganwadi Centre refers to an upgraded and modern version of the
traditional Anganwadi Centre, introduced under the Saksham Anganwadi and Mission Poshan
2.0. These Centers are equipped with modern digital software and hardware infrastructure
including internet/Wi-Fi connectivity, LED screens, water purifier/installation of RO machines
and smart learning aids, audio-visual aids, child-friendly learning equipment and artwork
(educational painting, practice board for children, information board). Such centers are aimed
at ensuring improved nutrition delivery and stimulating the creative, social, emotional,
cognitive and intellectual development of children (3- 6 years of age) under Early Childhood
Care and Education. 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) have been approved for five years
under Mission Poshan 2.0 for upgradation as Saksham Anganwadi Centres.
The ‘Poshan Tracker’ digital application has also been rolled out as an important ICT based
governance tool for monitoring and tracking of all AWCs, AWWs and beneficiaries on
defined indicators.Further, the Ministry releases funds to all States and UTs for procurement of Smart Phones to
Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), Lady Supervisors and Block Coordinators for registration, data
entry, tracking and monitoring of all beneficiaries, in the Poshan Tracker application. Funds
for Growth Monitoring Devices (Infantometer and Stadiometer for length and height
measurement, Weighing Scale-Infant and Weighing Scale-Mother & Child for weight
measurement of the beneficiaries) are also released to all the States and UTs. An amount of
₹10,000+ GST per Smart phone and ₹8,000/- for a set of 4 GMDs is provided by the Central
Government on cost-sharing basis.
State and UT wise number of Anganwadi Centres upgraded to Saksham Anganwadi as on 9th
March 2026 is placed at Annexure.
(c) An outcome-based evaluation study of Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 was
conducted by Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog (2025).
As per the study, evidence from institutional assessments and household surveys indicates that
digitalization through Poshan Tracker Application has a multi-dimensional impact on nutrition
monitoring, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), beneficiary authentication, and
service delivery efficiency. The Report also highlighted Poshan Tracker as a significant shift
from manual, paper-based systems to a technology-enabled governance framework under the
Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP). As per the report Poshan Tracker, introduced by
MoWCD, has become the cornerstone for digital monitoring of beneficiaries, inventory, and
service delivery at Anganwadi Centres (AWCs).Annexure
THE STATE AND UTS WISE NUMBER OF AWCS UPGRADED INTO SAKSHAM
ANGANWADI AS ON 09.03.2026
S. No. State name Total sanctioned AWCs upgraded into Saksham Anganwadi
1 Arunachal Pradesh 152 152
2 Andhra Pradesh 9,958 9,958
3 Assam 5,407 5,407
4 Chandigarh 69 69
5 Ladakh 14 14
6 Manipur 30 30
7 Nagaland 149 149
8 Sikkim 435 435
9 Mizoram 1,600 1,600
10 Meghalaya 121 121
11 Karnataka 17,732 17,732
12 Tripura 474 474
13 Maharashtra 14,745 14,745
14 Goa 24 24
15 Jammu & Kashmir 338 338
16 Andaman & Nicobar 140 140
17 Lakshadweep 18 16
18 Uttar Pradesh 23,697 18,798
19 Tamil Nadu 11,972 6,390
20 Puducherry 135 63
21 Kerala 4,152 1,826
22 Uttarakhand 827 350
23 Chhattisgarh 11,490 4,750
24 West Bengal 5,359 2,122
25 Madhya Pradesh 24,662 8,038
26 Bihar 11,529 3,414
27 Odisha 12,140 3,627
28 Telangana 5,008 500
29 Gujarat 13,147 1,250
30 Jharkhand 16,775 1,118
31 Rajasthan 3,514 213
32 Himachal Pradesh 1,030 35
33 Haryana 2,804 30
34 Punjab 353 12