**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding the utilization of the Poshan Tracker under Mission Poshan 2.0, specifically in Tamil Nadu. The response, dated February 13, 2026, highlights the improvements in reducing child malnutrition through the program. It also mentions Tamil Nadu’s adoption of schemes for severely and moderately malnourished children.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Poshan Tracker & Data Collection:**
* The Poshan Tracker application is a governance tool used to monitor malnutrition indicators (stunting, wasting, underweight) of children attending Anganwadi centers or receiving Anganwadi services at home.
* It facilitates near real-time data collection for Anganwadi Services, including attendance, ECCE activities, growth monitoring, and provision of meals.
* **Improvements in Tamil Nadu:**
* Data shows consistent improvement in reducing child malnutrition in Tamil Nadu.
* Measurable improvements due to nutrition interventions for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) have been observed. Details can be found at: https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics.
* As per National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21), the prevalence of anaemia in children (0-5 years) in the state of Tamil Nadu is 57.4 percent.
* **Mission Poshan 2.0 Strategy:**
* A new strategy focuses on community engagement, outreach, behavioral change, and advocacy.
* Focus on Maternal Nutrition, Infant and Young Child Feeding Norms, and treatment of SAM/MAM through AYUSH practices to reduce malnutrition.
* Supplementary Nutrition is provided to Children (6 months to 6 years), Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers, and Adolescent Girls (14-18 years).
* Fortified rice is supplied to Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) to meet micronutrient requirements and control anaemia.
* Millets are emphasized for use at least once a week for Hot Cooked Meals (HCM) and Take-Home Rations (THR).
* Poshan Vatikas are developed at AWCs to encourage diet-diversity and consumption of wholesome local produce.
* **Additional Nutrition & Schemes:**
* Additional nutrition via Take-Home Ration (THR) is provided to SAM children.
* Tamil Nadu implements the “Uttachathai Uruthi Sei” scheme, providing Nutri Kits to mothers of malnourished children under six months.
* Mothers of severely malnourished children receive two Nutri Kits.
* Mothers of moderately malnourished children receive one Nutri Kit.
**Impact Analysis**
**Ministry of Women and Child Development**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing and monitoring the Poshan Tracker and Mission Poshan 2.0.
* **Action Required:** Continue to collect and analyze data to improve program effectiveness.
**State Government of Tamil Nadu**
* **Impact:** Achieving improvements in reducing child malnutrition. Required to implement the Mission Poshan 2.0 strategy and the "Uttachathai Uruthi Sei" scheme.
* **Action Required:** Maintain and enhance current efforts to reduce malnutrition and ensure effective implementation of the Poshan Tracker.
**Anganwadi Centers**
* **Impact:** Implementing programs, collecting data, providing services and support to beneficiaries
* **Action Required:** Ensure accurate data entry in Poshan Tracker, provision of supplementary nutrition, and effective implementation of the government schemes.
**Mothers of Malnourished Children**
* **Impact:** Receiving Nutri Kits, education, support to improve their child’s nutritional status.
* **Action Required:** Adhere to guidance on proper nutrition practices, use of Nutri Kits, and engage with Anganwadi services.
Key Entities Referenced
Mission Poshan 2.0: A program aimed at reducing malnutrition and improving health, wellness and immunity, focusing on maternal nutrition, infant and young child feeding norms, treatment of severe and moderate acute malnutrition, and wellness through AYUSH practices.
Poshan Tracker: An application used for real-time monitoring of beneficiaries and service delivery under Mission Poshan 2.0, tracking stunting, wasting, and underweight among children.
Tamil Nadu: The State where improvements in child malnutrition have been observed under Poshan 2.0 and whose best practices are being considered for replication.
National Food Security Act, 2013: The Act under which nutrition norms are followed for providing supplementary nutrition to children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls.
Ministry of Women and Child Development: The ministry responsible for implementing Mission Poshan 2.0 and the Poshan Tracker application.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2377
TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.02.2026
UTILISATION OF POSHAN TRACKER
2377. SHRI C N ANNADURAI:
SHRI SELVAM G:
Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:
(a) whether consistent improvement has been achieved by Tamil Nadu in reducing child
malnutrition under Poshan 2.0, with regards to indicators such as stunting, wasting and
anaemia;
(b) if so, the details of nutrition outcomes recorded in the State during the last five years;
(c) whether the effective utilisation of the Poshan Tracker in Tamil Nadu for real-time
monitoring of beneficiaries has strengthened service delivery and accountability, if so,
the details thereof,
(d) whether the intensive nutrition interventions undertaken to address Severe Acute
Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) have resulted in
measurable improvements, if so, the details thereof; and
(e) whether the Government is considering to replicate Tamil Nadu's best practices in
reducing stunting/wasting levels in other States to improve national nutrition indicators,
if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)
(a) to (e): Poshan Tracker application of the Ministry provides data of the children who attend
Anganwadi centers or who receive Anganwadi services at home including information of their
malnutrition indicators (stunting, wasting and underweight) under Mission Poshan 2.0. The
data of Poshan tracker shows consistent improvement achieved by Tamil Nadu in reducing
child malnutrition. Details of the nutritional outcomes, strengthened service delivery and other
components of the Mission Poshan 2.0 for the State of Tamil Nadu are available at:
https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics. As per National Family Health Survey-5 (2019-21),
the prevalence of anaemia in children (0-5 years) in the state of Tamil Nadu is 57.4 percent.The ‘Poshan Tracker’ application was rolled out by the Ministry as an important governance
tool. Technology under the application 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. The effective utilization of the Poshan Tracker
has strengthened real-time monitoring of beneficiaries, service delivery and accountability
under Mission Poshan 2.0 across the country. The measurable improvements due to nutrition
interventions undertaken to address Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute
Malnutrition (MAM) may be seen at: https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics.
Under Mission Poshan 2.0, a new strategy has been made for reduction in malnutrition and for
improved health, wellness and immunity through activities like community engagement,
outreach, behavioural change and advocacy. It focuses on Maternal Nutrition, Infant and
Young Child Feeding Norms, treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM)/ Moderate Acute
Malnutrition (MAM) and wellness through AYUSH practices to reduce prevalence of wasting,
stunting, anaemia and being underweight. Supplementary Nutrition is provided to Children (6
months to 6 years), Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls (14-18 years)
in accordance with the nutrition norms contained in Schedule-II of the National Food Security
Act, 2013. Further, Fortified rice is being supplied to AWCs to meet the requirement of micro-
nutrients and to control anaemia among women and children. Greater emphasis is being laid
on the use of millets at least once a week for preparation of Hot Cooked Meal (HCM) and
Take-Home Ration (THR) at Anganwadi Centers. Further, Ministries of Women & Child
Development and Health & Family Welfare have jointly released the ‘Protocol for
Management of Malnutrition in Children’ for management of malnourished children and for
reducing associated morbidity and mortality." Poshan Vatikas have been developed at AWCs
to encourage diet-diversity and consumption of wholesome local produce. Major activities
under the Mission are Community Mobilization and Awareness Advocacy to educate people
on nutritional aspects as adoption of good nutrition habit requires sustained efforts for
behavioural change. This awareness advocacy is being ensured through Jan Andolans during
Poshan Maah, Poshan Pakhwada and monthly Community Based Events (CBEs).
Under the Mission Poshan 2.0, additional nutrition is being provided in the form of Take-Home
Ration (THR) to the SAM Children. The State Government of Tamil Nadu has implemented
“Uttachathai Uruthi Sei” scheme to reduce malnutrition among children. Under this scheme,
mothers of malnourished children below six months of age are provided with Nutri Kits to help
improve the child’s nutritional status.
• Mothers of severely malnourished children receive two Nutri Kits.
• Mothers of moderately malnourished children receive one Nutri Kit.
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