**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Ministry of Women & Child Development's response to an unstarred question regarding the Saksham Anganwadi Scheme. The plan is to develop Anganwadi centres into Smart Model Centres. The key initiative involves upgrading 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) across the country under the 15th Finance Commission cycle by December 5, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Saksham Anganwadi Scheme:**
* 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) will be strengthened and upgraded as Saksham Anganwadis.
* 40,000 AWCs per year will be upgraded.
* The goal is to improve nutrition delivery and early childhood care and development.
* These upgrades are under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.
* **Infrastructure Upgrades:**
* Saksham Anganwadis will have better infrastructure than conventional centers.
* Improvements include LED screens, water purifiers/RO machines, Poshan Vatika, ECCE, and BALA paintings.
* **Anganwadi Workers and Helpers:**
* Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) are honorary workers from the local community.
* States and UTs determine their service conditions.
* They receive a monthly honorarium.
* The Central Government contributes its share of the honorarium; the remaining is paid by State Governments and UTs.
* States/UTs may also provide additional monetary incentives.
**Impact Analysis**
**Impact**
* This initiative aims to improve infrastructure, nutrition delivery, and early childhood care at Anganwadi Centres.
**Action Required**
* Ensure the centers meet the upgraded specifications.
**Impact**
* They need to manage the upgraded AWCs and possibly provide additional monetary incentives from their resources.
**Action Required**
* Implement the infrastructure upgrades and manage the centers.
* Determine and provide additional monetary incentives.
**Impact**
* Improved working environment at the centers.
* They will deliver services at the upgraded Anganwadi Centres.
**Action Required**
* To adapt to the new facilities and continue delivering services.
Key Entities Referenced
Saksham Anganwadi Scheme: A scheme focused on developing Anganwadi centres into Smart Model Centres, aimed at improved nutrition delivery and early childhood care.
Anganwadi Centres (AWCs): Community-based child care and mother support centres, a primary focus of the Saksham Anganwadi Scheme.
Ministry of Women & Child Development: The government ministry responsible for administering the Saksham Anganwadi Scheme.
Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: A broader mission under which Saksham Anganwadi is implemented, focused on nutrition and early childhood development.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1083
TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2025
SMART MODEL CENTRES UNDER SAKSHAM ANGANWADI SCHEME
†1083. SHRI MANISH JAISWAL:
Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to develop Anganwadi centres as Smart Model Centres
under the Saksham Anganwadi Scheme, if so, the details thereof; and
(b) whether there is any plan to provide more regular and respectable employment to local
Anganwadi workers and women workers through this initiative, if so, the details thereof
and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)
(a) and (b) During the 15th Finance Commission cycle, 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) @
40,000 AWCs per year are strengthened and upgraded as Saksham Anganwadis for improved
nutrition delivery and for early childhood care and development under Mission Saksham
Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. Saksham Anganwadis are equipped with infrastructure better than the
conventional Anganwadi Centres by providing LED screens, water purifier/installation of RO
Machine, Poshan Vatika, ECCE and BALA Paintings. As on date, a total of 2 Lakh AWCs have
been approved for upgradation as Saksham AWCs across the country.
Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers are honorary workers drawn from local community
who come forward to render their services voluntarily in the areas of nutrition and child
development. States and UTs are the primary authorities to decide the service conditions of
Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers. Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi
Helpers (AWHs) are paid a monthly honorarium as decided by the Government from time to time.
The Central Government gives its due share of the Honorarium. The rest of the honorarium is paid
by State Governments and UTs administration. In addition to the honorarium paid by the
Government of India, most of the States/UTs are also giving different additional monetary
incentives/top-ups to these workers from their own resources.
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