Minister of State Savitri Thakur Highlights Poshan Tracker Role in Strengthening Anganwadi Services

New Delhi, April 1, 2026: Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur on Tuesday informed the Rajya Sabha that the Poshan Tracker has significantly enhanced monitoring of Anganwadi services by enabling near real time data collection and efficient tracking of beneficiaries.

The application has been introduced as a technology driven governance tool to oversee operations across Anganwadi Centres, workers, and beneficiaries using defined indicators. It has helped improve service delivery while ensuring that supplementary nutrition benefits reach the intended recipients without duplication or leakage.

To further strengthen the system, the ministry introduced a Face Recognition System in 2024, initially on a pilot basis in select states and later expanded nationwide. This feature helps verify beneficiaries and ensures that only registered individuals receive take home rations under the scheme. However, provisions remain in place to allow distribution even without facial verification where required.

The government clarified that young children registered under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 are exempt from direct verification, with parents or guardians authorised to complete the process on their behalf.

Emphasising data protection, the ministry stated that strict safeguards have been built into the system. Personal information is accessible only to authorised personnel, with encryption protocols, restricted access, and automatic data deletion ensuring privacy and security. Regular security audits are also conducted to maintain system integrity.

According to official data, over 4.77 crore eligible beneficiaries were identified for ration distribution through the system in February 2026, with verification successfully completed for more than 97 percent of them.

The ministry has also focused on capacity building, with training programmes conducted for Anganwadi workers through institutions such as the National e Governance Division and the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development. Thousands of master trainers have been prepared to support field level implementation and address technical challenges