**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Ministry of Women and Child Development's response to questions regarding the progress and challenges of Poshan Abhiyaan, aiming to reduce malnutrition in India. It highlights the implementation of Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 and outlines key objectives and interventions for improving nutritional status, with data from the Poshan Tracker up to January 2026. The document details various steps taken by the government, as of November 2025, to improve nutritional status, including supplementary nutrition provisions, cross-ministry convergence, technology leveraging, and community mobilization.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Mission Implementation & Objectives:**
* Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is being implemented to address malnutrition, subsuming Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls (14-18 years) in specific regions.
* The mission aims to cover children under 6 years, pregnant women, lactating mothers (up to 6 months postpartum), and adolescent girls (14-18 years) nationwide.
* The objectives are to contribute to human capital development, address malnutrition, and promote nutrition awareness.
* **Malnutrition Data and Trends:**
* Data from NFHS surveys and the Poshan Tracker indicate improvement in malnutrition indicators (stunting, wasting, underweight) over the years.
* State-wise malnutrition data is available on the Poshan Tracker.
* **Government Interventions:**
* Cross-cutting convergence is ensured among 18+ Ministries/Departments to adopt a multi-sectoral approach including food, health, water, sanitation, and education.
* Supplementary nutrition is provided to target groups according to revised norms (January 2023) based on diet diversity principles.
* Fortified rice is supplied to Anganwadi Centres to address micro-nutrient deficiencies and anaemia.
* Greater emphasis is placed on the use of millets for Hot Cooked Meals and Take-Home Rations.
* The Poshan Tracker is leveraged to identify and monitor stunting, wasting, and underweight.
* Guidelines for Quality Assurance and Data Management are issued for transparency and accountability.
* Rules were issued on 12th September 2022 to regulate entitlements under the National Food Security Act, 2013.
* Community Mobilization and Awareness Advocacy is conducted.
* **Special Initiatives:**
* The PM JANMAN Mission focuses on the targeted development of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
* 2500 AWCs have been approved for construction across the country and 178 in Maharashtra as of 30th November 2025.
* The Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Unnat Abhiyan (DAJGUA) to improve the socio-economic condition of tribal communities.
**Impact Analysis**
**Children (Under 6 years of age)**
*Impact:* Improved nutritional status through supplementary nutrition, monitoring via Poshan Tracker, and targeted interventions in specific areas.
*Action Required:* N/A
**Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers**
*Impact:* Improved nutritional status through supplementary nutrition and regulated entitlements.
*Action Required:* N/A
**Adolescent Girls (14-18 years)**
*Impact:* Improved nutritional status through supplementary nutrition and targeted interventions in specific areas.
*Action Required:* N/A
**States/UTs and Anganwadi Workers**
*Impact:* Responsible for implementing mission activities and monitoring nutritional status. Anganwadi workers required to conduct two community-based events every month.
*Action Required:* Implement and monitor mission activities, conduct awareness programs, and leverage the Poshan Tracker.
**Ministries and Departments (involved in convergence)**
*Impact:* Enhanced coordination and integration of efforts to address malnutrition.
*Action Required:* Collaborate effectively to implement multi-sectoral interventions.
**Tribal Communities (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups)**
*Impact:* Targeted development through the PM JANMAN Mission and improved socio-economic conditions through DAJGUA.
*Action Required:* N/A
Key Entities Referenced
Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: Umbrella mission to address malnutrition, incorporating Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan, and Scheme for Adolescent girls.
Poshan Abhiyaan: A key component subsumed under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, aimed at reducing malnutrition.
Ministry of Women and Child Development: The central ministry responsible for implementing Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 to combat malnutrition.
National Food Security Act, 2013: Act under which entitlements are specified for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children, and regulated by the Integrated Nutrition Support Programme- Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan (2.0), Rules 2022.
Poshan Tracker: Technology being leveraged for dynamic identification of stunting, wasting, underweight prevalence among children.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2363
TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.02.2026
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS UNDER POSHAN ABHIYAAN
2363. SHRI NILESH DNYANDEV LANKE:
Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:
(a) whether any significant progress has been made in reducing the number of
malnourished children in the country under the Poshan Abhiyaan;
(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the major outcomes and the key achievements made
under the said campaign till date;
(c) whether the situation of child malnutrition remains most critical in several States;
(d) if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Maharashtra; and
(e) the details of the steps being taken by the Government to improve the nutritional status
in those States, State-wise?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)
(a) to (e): To address the challenge of malnutrition, the Ministry is implementing Mission
Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. Under the umbrella Mission Saksham Anganwadi and
Poshan 2.0 which is also known as Mission Poshan 2.0, various component of Anganwadi
services, Poshan Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent girls (14-18 years, in Aspirational
Districts and North-Eastern region) have been subsumed. It is a Centrally Sponsored Mission,
where the responsibility for implementation of various activities lies with the States and UTs.
This Mission covers Children under 6 years of age, pregnant women, lactating mothers till 6
months after childbirth and adolescent girls (14-18 years of age) in Northeastern States and
Aspirational Districts of the country. The Mission is being implemented in all States/UTs in
the country.
The objectives of the Mission are as follows:• To contribute to development of human capital in the country;
• Address challenge of malnutrition;
• Promote nutrition awareness and good eating habits for sustainable health and
wellbeing.
Data of malnutrition indicators (stunting, wasting and underweight in the children under 5 years
of age) from various rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare and of Poshan Tracker have shown improvement over the years.
The details are given below:
NFHS Survey (Maharashtra) Stunting % Underweight % Wasting %
NFHS-1 (1992-93)* 47 32.7 27.6
NFHS-2 (1998-99)** 47.1 44.8 23.6
NFHS-3 (2005-06)*** 44.0 47.3 17.2
NFHS-4 (2015-16)*** 34.4 36 25.6
NFHS-5 (2019-20)*** 35.2 36.1 25.6
Maharashtra (Poshan Tracker, January 2026) 26.85 10.51 2.57
India (Poshan Tracker, January 2026) *** 31.38 13.12 4.36
*Under 4 years, ** Under 3 years, *** Under 5 years
Poshan Tracker has district and state wise data of all States/UTs including Maharashtra at:
https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics.
Some of the steps being taken by the Government to improve the nutritional status in
States/UTs are listed below:
• To effectively address the issue of malnutrition, cross cutting convergence has been
ensured amongst more than 18 Ministries/Departments to adopt a multi-sectoral
approach involving dimensions of food, health, water, sanitation and education.
• Under Mission Poshan 2.0, Supplementary Nutrition is provided to Children (6 months
to 6 years), Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls. Supplementary
nutrition is provided in accordance with the nutrition norms contained in Schedule-II
of the National Food Security Act. These norms have been revised and upgraded in
January 2023. The old norms were largely calorie-specific; however, the revised norms
are more comprehensive and balanced in terms of both quantity and quality of
supplementary nutrition based on the principles of diet diversity that provides for
quality protein, healthy fats and 7 essential micronutrients (Calcium, Zinc, Iron, Dietary
Folate, Vitamin-A, Vitamin-B6 and Vitamin B-12).
• Further, fortified rice is supplied to Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) to meet the
requirement of micro-nutrients and to control anaemia among women and children.
Greater emphasis is laid on the use of millets at least once a week for preparation of
Hot Cooked Meal and Take-Home Ration at AWCs.• Technology under Poshan Tracker is being leveraged for dynamic identification of
stunting, wasting, underweight prevalence among children. It has facilitated near real
time data collection for Anganwadi Services such as, opening of AWCs, daily
attendance of children, ECCE activities, Growth Monitoring of children, Provision of
Hot Cooked Meal (HCM)/Take Home Ration (THR), Growth Measurement etc.
• Streamlining Guidelines have been issued by MWCD on Quality Assurance, Roles and
Responsibilities of Duty Holders, procedure for procurement, integrating AYUSH
concepts and Data Management and Monitoring through Poshan Tracker for
transparency, efficiency and accountability in delivery of Supplementary Nutrition.
Nutritional Status and Quality Standards of food items under Supplementary Nutrition
are being monitored at State, District and Village Level.
• Ministry vide notification dated 12th September 2022 issued Integrated Nutrition
Support Programme- Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan (2.0), Rules 2022 to regulate
the entitlements specified under the provisions of National Food Security Act, 2013 for
every pregnant woman and lactating mother, till six months after childbirth and every
child in the age group of six months to six years.
• One of the major activities undertaken is Community Mobilization and Awareness
Advocacy to educate people on nutritional aspects as adoption of good nutrition habit
requires sustained efforts for behavioural change. State and UTs are conducting and
reporting regular sensitisation activities under Jan Andolans during Poshan Maah and
Poshan Pakhwada celebrated in the months of September and March-April
respectively. Community Based Events (CBEs) have served as a significant strategy in
changing nutritional practices and all Anganwadi workers are required to conduct two
Community Based Events every month.
• The PM JANMAN Mission launched by Ministry of Tribal Affairs aims for targeted
development of 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) residing in 18
States and a UT. This Mission focuses on 11 critical interventions related to 9 key
Ministries including Ministry of Women and Child Development. As on 30th November
2025, a total of 2500 AWCs have been approved for construction across the country
and 178 AWCs have been approved for construction in the State of Maharashtra.
• Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Unnat Abhiyan
(DAJGUA) aimed at improving the socio-economic condition of tribal communities by
adopting saturation coverage of tribal families in tribal majority areas and Aspirational
Block ST villages.
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