Anganwadis are not able to maintain proper digital records as they do not have the funds to
acquire smartphones for their employees.
Anganwadis were instructed to maintain digital records to track children with malnutrition under
the Poshan Abhiyan scheme. However, the workers have not been given smartphones to record
the status of newborns’ immunization, etc and their mothers.
Mamta, Anganwadi worker stated, " Presently the child’s and mothers records are entered in the
registers or in the file records, our work would be much easier if we were given smartphones
and the required training.”
The scheme is being installed in several districts and executed by the Women and Child Welfare
department, in different phases of the country, to monitor the activities of Anganwadis. Each
Anganwadi must have 4 growth-monitoring devices – that is smart-phones and tablets loaded
with Integrated Child Development Services-common application software to record details of
children and lactating mothers.
Dr. V Usha, Deputy Director of Women and Child Welfare Dept said, The scheme will surely
be implemented in the city in the coming days. Our Anganwadi workers are well trained as they
have been working for years. The vacancies will be filled to ensure efficiency.”
Poshan Abhiyan was launched by the NITI Ayog to identify the districts with the highest
malnutrition and diminish it by improving the quality of key Anganwadi services that are
delivered. It will also include the social audits of Anganwadi.
Dr. Shiv Shankar, a researcher at Karnataka Nutrition Mission said, “It is really important for the
Anganwadis to track activities including the immunization and status of mothers. Malnutrition is
like a termite to the nation it can be cured best when it is mapped throughout.”
The program will strive to reduce the levels of malnutrition, anemia and low birth weight in
infants. Until the Anganwadis are equipped with the Common Application Software (CAS) they
cannot be mapped by the center which is important to track malnutrition. The vision of the
scheme is to ensure the attainment of a malnutrition-free India by 2022.
