Two Lakh Anganwadi Centres Approved for Saksham Upgradation

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has approved the upgradation of two lakh Anganwadi Centres across India into Saksham Anganwadis for improved nutrition and Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) activities. The upgradation is part of Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, which combines Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls.

Anganwadi Centres and Saksham Anganwadis

Anganwadi Centres are village-level childcare and nutrition centres under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) framework. Saksham Anganwadis are upgraded centres with improved infrastructure and learning facilities for children and mothers.

Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0

Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is a centrally sponsored scheme for nutrition support, ECCE, and service delivery through Anganwadi Centres. The scheme covers children under six years of age, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls aged 14-18 years in Aspirational Districts and the North-Eastern region.

Infrastructure and Digital Features

Saksham Anganwadis include LED screens, water filtration systems, Poshan Vatikas, ECCE materials, and Building as Learning Aid paintings. The Poshan Tracker application is used for real-time monitoring of centres, workers, and beneficiaries, along with Aadhaar-based verification and Facial Recognition System-based Take-Home Ration distribution.

Important Facts for Exams

• As of 25 March 2026, 1,04,403 Anganwadi Centres had been upgraded as Saksham Anganwadi Centres.
• For Financial Year 2025-26, Mission Poshan 2.0 received an allocation of Rs. 21,960 crores.
• Over 10 lakh Anganwadi Workers were trained under the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi initiative by 16 March 2026.
• NITI Aayog conducted third-party evaluations and impact assessments of the scheme in 2020 and 2025.

State-wise Upgradation Approvals

State-wise approvals include 24,662 Anganwadi Centres in Madhya Pradesh, 23,697 in Uttar Pradesh, 17,732 in Karnataka, 16,775 in Jharkhand, and 12,140 in Odisha. Jammu and Kashmir received approval for 338 Anganwadi Centres.

Scheme Components

Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 subsumes Anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyaan, and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls. The scheme uses ICT-based governance tools for monitoring nutrition delivery and child development services.