**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1080 regarding the 'Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi' Scheme, answered on December 5, 2025. It details fund allocation, training initiatives for Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), and the monitoring mechanism for the scheme. The scheme is sanctioned for FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Funding and Training:**
* Rs. 476.05 Crore sanctioned for training State Level Master Trainers and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) under the Anganwadi Services Scheme for FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-2026.
* Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) are trained on addressing malnutrition (SAM, MAM, micronutrient deficiencies).
* Training emphasizes a balanced diet, hygiene, and involving parents and the community.
* **Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Training:**
* Training is imparted through a Three-Day Programme Schedule (18 hours).
* Special training sessions include "Navchetana" and "Aadharshila" for early childhood stimulation and education (2024).
* Emphasis on Play Based Activities in ECCE.
* In West Bengal 2,303 SLMTs and 102,130 AWWs have been trained under PBPB.
* **Monitoring and Digital Support:**
* Poshan Tracker is used to monitor nutrition and ECCE service delivery.
* It's available in 24 languages and monitors nutritional delivery in real-time.
* MWCD leverages Poshan Tracker for continuous digital support to AWWs.
* Daily learning prompts, ECCE videos, and voice notes are sent to AWWs via the Poshan Tracker.
* Content focuses on foundational literacy, numeracy, and interactive activities.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: State Level Master Trainers (CDPOs, Supervisors, Additional Resource Persons)**
* **Impact:** Required to conduct training of AWWs under the PBPB Scheme.
* **Action Required:** Conduct and participate in the PBPB training sessions.
**Stakeholder: Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)**
* **Impact:** Enhanced capacity to deliver optimal early childhood care and education services.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the Poshan Tracker app and implement learned practices in Anganwadi Centers.
**Stakeholder: Children (0-6 years) attending Anganwadi Centres**
* **Impact:** Access to improved nutritional practices, hygiene, and ECCE.
* **Action Required:** Participate in the activities and training provided by AWWs at the Anganwadi Centers.
**Stakeholder: Parents and Community**
* **Impact:** Increased awareness of nutritional practices and involvement in children's development.
* **Action Required:** Support and reinforce the nutritional and hygiene practices taught at Anganwadi Centres.
Key Entities Referenced
Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi Scheme: A scheme focused on improving nutritional habits and early childhood education among children through Anganwadi Centres.
Anganwadi Workers (AWWs): Frontline workers responsible for implementing the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi Scheme at the Anganwadi Centres.
Anganwadi Centres: Community-based centres that are the primary delivery points for the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi Scheme.
Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD): The central ministry responsible for overseeing and implementing the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi Scheme.
Poshan Tracker: A governance tool used to monitor nutrition and early childhood education service delivery at Anganwadi Centres under the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi scheme.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No.1080
TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2025
‘POSHAN BHI PADHAI BHI’ SCHEME
1080. SHRI SAUMITRA KHAN:
Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the funds allocated and utilized and steps taken to inculcate healthy nutritional
habits among children in Anganwadi Centres under the ‘Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi’ Scheme;
(b) whether any special training sessions have been organized for Anganwadi Workers for this
scheme in various states including West Bengal, if so the details thereof; and
(c) whether any mechanism or body has been set up to monitor the process of overall
development of children under the said scheme, if so, the details thereof and if not, the
reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)
(a) Under Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (PBPB) initiative, a total of Rs. 476.05 Crore has been
sanctioned for Training of State Level Master Trainers (CDPOs, Supervisors and Additional
Resource Persons) and Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) under Anganwadi Services Scheme during
FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-2026. Under PBPB, Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) are imparted training
on addressing malnutrition: Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM), Moderately Acute
Malnourished (MAM) and micronutrient deficiencies among children. A facilitator guidebook has
been developed by Savitribhai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development
(SPNIWCD) for training of Anganwadi Workers under Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi. Special emphasis
on balanced diet and inculcating healthy practices among children with increased intake of fruits
& vegetables is given during the training. The training also includes sanitation and hygiene
practices imparted to the children at Anganwadi Centres (AWCs). Importance of including parents
and community in development of children for inculcation of good nutritional practices is also a
part of the programme.(b) Under Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)Training to
Anganwadi Workers is imparted through a Three-Day Programme Schedule (18 hours Duration).
Special Training sessions include - “Navchetana- National Framework for Early Childhood
Stimulation for Children from Birth to Three Years, 2024” and “Aadharshila- National Curriculum
for Early Childhood Care and Education for Children from Three to Six Years 2024”. Main
emphasis is given on Play Based Activities for ECCE in each AWC and Weekly Play Based
Calendar for ECCE. Poshan Component includes Protocol for Management of Malnutrition in
Children: SAM, MAM and Micronutrient Deficiencies among Children; Nutrition, Personal
Hygiene and Sanitation for Children (0-6 years) & Dietary Guidelines; Growth Monitoring and
Poshan Tracker and Parental Engagement and Community Mobilization for ECCE and Poshan.
Special efforts have been directed to include Divyang Children - Screening, Inclusion and
Referrals. As of 1st December, 2025 a total of 41,645 State Level Master Trainers (CDPOs,
Supervisors and Additional Resource Persons) and 8,99,523 Anganwadi Workers have been
trained across the country under Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi. In West Bengal 2,303 SLMTs and
102,130 AWWs have been trained under PBPB.
(c) To monitor the process of overall development of children under the said scheme, i.e. PBPB,
Poshan Tracker, an important governance tool to ensure transparency in nutrition and Early
Childhood Care and Education service delivery at Anganwadi Centres is used. It is available in 24
languages. For the first time in the Anganwadi eco system, baseline data on nutritional indicators
is available on Poshan Tracker with monitoring of nutritional delivery (Take Home Ration/Hot
Cooked Meal) and growth measurement on real time basis.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has leveraged the Poshan Tracker
application to empower Anganwadi Workers and provide them with continuous digital support
and coaching. This initiative aims to enhance their capacity to deliver optimal early childhood care
and education services to all children. As part of the digital training efforts, daily learning prompts
based on Aadharshila are sent to all AWWs through the Poshan Tracker app. These include two
ECCE activity videos and one voice note summarizing the day’s activities for children aged 3 to
6 years at Anganwadi Centres. The content follows a structured 44-week curriculum, with 36
weeks of active learning and 8 weeks for recap and reinforcement. Over 230 unique videos, 180+
voice notes, and 1,000+ activity PDFs have been uploaded in the Poshan Tracker. Content is
focused on 6 domains of development including foundational literacy, numeracy, and interactive
activities.
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