Parliament Question: Functioning of Anganwadi Centres in the Tribal Areas

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3427 ANSWERED ON 07.08.2026 FUNCTIONING OF ANGANWADI CENTRES IN THE TRIBAL AREAS 3427. SHRI BHASKAR MURLIDHAR BHAGARE: Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has undertaken any assessment of the prevalence of malnutrition, anaemia, stunting and wasting among tribal children, adolescent girls and pregnant and lactating women in the tribal districts of Maharashtra, if so, the details thereof; (b) the details of beneficiaries covered under nutrition and supplementary feeding programmes in the said areas of State during the last three years, district-wise; (c) whether the Government has identified gaps in the functioning of Anganwadi Centres and school nutrition programmes in the said areas, if so, the details thereof; (d) the details of funds allocated, released/utilised for tribal nutrition programmes in the State during the last three years, district-wise; and (e) the details of the measures being taken to strengthen nutrition services, improve food quality, address anaemia and reduce malnutrition among Scheduled Tribes in Maharashtra, particularly in aspirational and tribal districts? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR) (a) to (e): In 2021, the World Bank conducted a survey on Poshan Abhiyaan in 11 priority states including Maharashtra, with highest burden of stunting among children and anaemia among women. The findings demonstrated that the services delivered through the Poshan Abhiyaan i.e. the receipt of relevant messages, home visits by the Anganwadi Worker, and attendance at community-based events were associated with improved nutrition behaviors. The survey also found that the program's nutrition messages reached more than 80% of women, and that 81% of women practiced exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months.Mission Poshan 2.0 is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) for addressing the challenge of malnutrition in the country. The responsibility for implementation of various activities lies with the States and UTs. Regular reviews of the implementation of scheme are done by Ministry utilising the ‘Poshan Tracker’ digital application. The State-wise and year-wise details of beneficiaries covered under Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) in the country including State of Maharashtra are available at the Poshan Tracker public dashboard: https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics. The details of funds released under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 for the State of Maharashtra are placed below: Rupees in crores Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Funds released Funds released Funds released Poshan 2.0 for Maharashtra 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 1646.17 1699.52 1368.84 As informed by the State Government of Maharashtra, the following measures are implemented to reduce malnutrition in the State including aspirational and tribal districts: • Supplementary Nutrition Programme: Children aged 6 months to 6 years and mothers are provided with 'Take Home Ration' (THR) and hot, freshly cooked meals at the Anganwadi Centres. • Regular Health Check-ups: The nutritional status of children and mothers is regularly monitored by Anganwadi Workers by measuring their height and weight and regular health checkup is done with the help of Health Department. • Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Amrit Ahaar Yojana: In tribal districts, pregnant women and lactating mothers are provided with a balanced diet, consisting of one square meal per day for 25 days a month, while children receive eggs or bananas 16 days a month. • Initiatives for SAM Children: Energy Dense Nutritious Food and also as per need, medical treatment is provided to Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM) children provided through Village/Urban Child Development Centres (VCDC/UCDC) and Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs). • POSHAN Abhiyaan: Various public awareness initiatives are conducted through technology (ICT-RTM) and public participation to improve the nutritional status of children and women. • The First Golden 1,000 Days of Child: Public awareness is being created about the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from conception stage to two years of age. • Joint Screening: To ensure complete immunization and optimal healthcare for children, joint health screening are conducted with the Department of Health atleast twice a year to deliver comprehensive screening and essential services. *****