Milestones 2023

Ministry of Women and Child Development

The protection of women and children is integral to good governance as it reflects a commitment to ensuring the well-being, safety and empower-ment of vulnerable sections of society. Safeguarding women and children from exploitation, abuse and discrimination contributes to the overall social development and stability of a nation. India has recognised the significance of this responsibility and has prioritised the welfare of women and children through various legislative measures, welfare schemes and initiatives. The government's focus on gender-sensitive policies, stringent laws against crimes affecting women and children and targeted programmes for their health, education and protection underscore India's dedication to creating an inclusive and secure society. By addressing the specific needs and vulnerabilities of women and children, India aims to foster a more equitable and just society, aligning with the principles of good governance.

In 2023, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) achieved significant milestones by integrating Anganwadi Services, POSHAN Abhiyaan and the Scheme for Adolescent Girls. This approach aimed to address malnutrition comprehensively, emphasising not only calorific sufficiency but also improved health, wellness and immunity through micro-nutrient sufficiency. The ministry established institutional mecha-nisms to enhance accountability, streamlining guidelines that clearly defined the roles of key stakeholders, including District Magistrates, District Project Officers (DPOs) and Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs).

Poshan 2.0: Focus on Dietary Diversity

Mission Poshan 2.0 places a distinct focus on micronutrients and dietary diversity. Under this mission, supplementary nutrition is provided to beneficiaries 300 days a year through a network of 13.97 lakh Anganwadi Centers (AWCs) across the country to bridge the nutritional gap. Fortified rice is exclusively supplied to AWCs, aimed at addressing micronutrient defi-ciencies and combating anemia among women and children. Numerous studies have highlighted the effectiveness of fortified rice in reducing anemia prevalence and improving cognitive scores. Emphasising millet usage for Hot Cooked Meals and Take Home Rations at AWCs, over 5 crore activities promoting millets have been reported during Poshan Pakhwada and Poshan Maah 2023. Additionally, 6.42 lakh Poshan Vatikas, or nutri-gardens, have been planted at AWCs, providing access to local, fresh produce and promoting diet diversity. These initiatives not only address malnutrition but also foster 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat' and 'Vocal for Local.' The Ministry's approach includes the development of region-specific diet charts for pregnant women, reinforcing the importance of collective responsibility and community cooperation across operational AWCs nationwide.

Poshan Tracker

The Poshan Tracker application, a robust governance tool, has significantly enhanced the efficiency and transparency of the nutrition delivery system in 2023-24. With real-time monitoring and the inclusion of the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) functionality for pregnant women and lactating mothers, the app has registered an impressive 10.01 crore bene-ficiaries. Aadhaar verification for 95.39% of beneficiaries ensures accurate tracking and delivery of services, complemented by innovative measures like SMS alerts and mandatory QR coding for Take Home Ration (THR) packets. The app also facilitates migration between Anganwadi Centers and beneficiary categories, while the introduction of a redressal mechanism and the operational Poshan Helpline (14408) enhance accountability. Geo-mapping of approximately 12 lakh Anganwadi Centers further strengthens the app's capabilities, making it a vital tool for successful nutritional pro-gramme implementation.

Saksham Anganwadis

The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has made significant strides in improving infrastructure for essential services at household and Anganwadi Center (AWC) levels. Collaborating with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the construction cost for AWC buildings has been raised from Rs. 7 lakh to Rs. 12 lakh, providing not only rural employment but also durable assets for village-level infrastructure. MWCD is upgrading 2 lakh AWCs to Saksham Anganwadis, allocating Rs. 40,000 annually until 2025-26, featuring advanced amenities in aspira-tional districts. Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) now have smartphones, streamlining data management with over 11 lakh distributed nationwide. Growth Monitoring Devices (GMDs) have been distributed in 12.5 lakh AWCs. 12th Standard minimum educational require-ment for AWWs/Anganwadi Helpers and a uniform retirement date of April 30th aim to enhance efficiency in human resource recruitment at AWCs.

Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi

The Ministry has launched the Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi (PBPB) training programme, aiming to develop the world's largest, high-quality preschool network at AWCs, aligning with the National Education Policy 2020. This programme includes the upgrade of 1.16 lakh mini AWCs to main AWCs, emphasising early childhood care and education.

Jan Andolan for Behavioral Change

Under Poshan 2.0, a significant initiative is the Jan Andolans for Behavioral Change, focusing on Community Mobilisation and Awareness Advocacy to educate people on nutritional aspects. IEC material, including videos, pamphlets and flyers in regional languages, has been developed. Social and behavioral changes are fostered through Community Based Events, Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada, in colla-boration with various Ministries/ Departments and stakeholders. Notably, over 3.7 crore Community Based Events targeting behavior change among women, husbands and families have been conducted. Additionally, Anganwadi Workers make regular home visits, with 2.14 crore home visits in October 2023 alone. Jan Andolans, as mass movements for behavior change, have been insti-tutionalised through annual Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada celebrations, accumulating over 90 crore activities since September 2018. The Jan Andolan Dashboard effectively maps these activities across States/UTs.

Mission Shakti

Mission Shakti comprises two sub-schemes, 'Sambal' and 'Samarthya.' 'Sambal' focuses on the safety and security of women, incorporating existing schemes like One Stop Centres, Women Helplines and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. On the other hand, 'Samarthya' is dedicated to women's empowerment, integrating schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Ujjwala, Swadhar Greh, Working Women Hostel and the National Creche Scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana: Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) provides cash incentives for wage loss compensation before and after a woman's first childbirth, offering a Rs. 5,000 maternity benefit through DBT linked to Aadhaar. The scheme aims to promote a positive behavioral change towards the girl child, providing additional incentives for the second child. The application process has been digitised with a mobile app and a dedicated portal, resulting in over 3.59 crore beneficiaries enrolled and a total disbursement exceeding Rs. 14,428.36 crore until December 2, 2023.

Hub for Empowerment of Women: The Hub for Empower-ment of Women (HEW) operates at the National, State and District levels to guide and empower women across various domains, ensuring equal access to healthcare, quality education, vocational training, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and social security. Currently functional in 31 states and 650 districts, HEW offers comprehensive support for women's empowerment and development.

Gender Inclusive Communication: The "Guide on Gender Inclusive Communication" was launched by the Ministry of Women & Child Development on November 28, 2023, in collaboration with National Gender and Child Centre, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and UN Women. This guide aims to promote gender equality by addressing gender bias through the appropriate use of language in English, Hindi and vernacular languages.

Anganwadi-cum-Crèche (Palna): The Anganwadi-cum-Crèche (Palna) scheme, launched on December 21, 2023, addresses childcare gaps in urban areas where family support is lacking. The National Level Programme introduced the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in New Delhi, outlining a comprehensive framework for the efficient administration of the scheme. The SOP includes administrative hierarchy, roles and responsibilities of workers and a monitoring checklist, ensuring the successful operation of Anganwadi-cum-Crèches and contributing to overall community well-being.

Mission Vatsalya

Mission Vatsalya, focusing on modernising adoption pro-cedures, has digitised the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System (CARINGS) for a seamless, paperless process. District Magistrates now have the authority to issue adoption orders, significantly reducing processing times. District Child Protection Units (DCPU) contribute to accountability by conducting Home Study Reports and post-adoption follow-ups. The initiative encourages non-institutional care through the registration of Prospective Foster Parents. The upper age limit for Prospective Adoptive Parents (PAPs) has been reduced and the term for adoption after a minimum of five years with a foster family has been reduced to two years. Non-Institutional Care support has increased from Rs. 2000 to

Rs. 4000 per child monthly, covering 62,675 children in FY 2022-23. The Child Helpline, operating in coordination with State and District authorities, is integrated with the Emergency Response Support System 112 (ERSS-112) and is operational in all 36 States/UTs.

POCSO Victim Care Scheme

The Ministry introduced the "Scheme for Care and Support to Victims under Section 4 & 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012" on November 30, 2023. This scheme focuses on the rehabilitation of girl child victims under the amended POCSO Act, 2012. The objectives include providing comprehensive sup-port to minor pregnant girl victims, offering immediate and long-term assistance such as education access, police support, medical care, psychological counseling, legal aid, Non-Institutional Care monthly support up to 18 years (extendable to 23 in exceptional cases), residence in CCI/ Aftercare facilities and health insurance coverage for both the girl child victim and her newborn. The scheme aims to ensure justice and empowerment for these victims by consolidating various services under one roof.

Saturation of Schemes

The Ministry of Women and Child Development actively participated in the nationwide Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY) to support the saturation of centrally sponsored schemes. On-spot registrations for eligible beneficiaries are conducted during the Yatra, with more than 92 thousand registrations reported under various WCD schemes. Emphasising a posi-tive orientation, the Swasth Balak Spardha (SBS) were conducted during the Yatras, felicitating over 80 thousand healthy children to highlight and celebrate their well-being.

(Source: Press Information Bureau)