SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir utilised Rs 1,229.99 crore under the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme during 2023-24 and 2024-25, according to data presented by the Union Government in the Lok Sabha.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development said JK utilised Rs 595.21 crore against Rs 530.88 crore released in 2023-24, while it utilised Rs 634.78 crore against Rs 662.79 crore released in 2024-25. The figures include expenditure from previous years’ balances.
During 2025-26, the Centre released Rs 401.62 crore to JK under the scheme, according to the data placed before the House.
The figures were provided in a written reply by Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur to a Lok Sabha question on the implementation of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.
The Union Government said Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 provides six services through Anganwadi Centres: supplementary nutrition, pre-school non-formal education, nutrition and health education, immunisation, health check-ups and referral services.
While immunisation, health check-ups and referral services are delivered through the National Health Mission and public health infrastructure, the scheme covers registered children up to six years of age, pregnant women and lactating mothers across the country. Adolescent girls aged 14 to 18 are also covered in aspirational districts and all districts of the North Eastern Region.
The Government said two lakh Anganwadi Centres located in government buildings have been sanctioned as Saksham Anganwadis during the 15th Finance Commission cycle. These centres are to be equipped with facilities including LED screens, water filtration systems, Poshan Vatikas, Early Childhood Care and Education material and Building as Learning Aid (BALA) paintings.
The Ministry said the Poshan Tracker digital application, rolled out in March 2021, enables real-time monitoring of Anganwadi Centres, Anganwadi Workers and beneficiaries. The system is also used to monitor health and nutrition indicators and facilitate corrective measures.
The Government further said a Face Recognition System was introduced in August 2024 to improve beneficiary identification, prevent duplication and reduce leakage of supplementary nutrition benefits. It was initially piloted in six States and Union Territories before being rolled out across the country in December 2024, with an option to distribute Take-Home Ration without FRS.
A Nominee Module has also been introduced to ensure uninterrupted delivery of Take-Home Ration to pregnant women, lactating mothers and adolescent girls when registered beneficiaries are unable to visit Anganwadi Centres themselves.
The Ministry said infrastructure gaps are being addressed through convergence with schemes including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, MPLADS, the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund and Finance Commission grants to Panchayati Raj Institutions.
It said Rs 17,000 is provided for drinking water facilities and Rs 36,000 for construction of toilets at Anganwadi Centres. Across the country, 1,58,966 centres have been approved for drinking water facilities, including 11,665 in Rajasthan, while 1,42,522 centres have been approved for toilet construction.
