POSHAN Abhiyaan, India’s flagship National Nutrition Mission has completed 8 years since its launch on 8 March 2018. The mission now tracks nearly 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres and approximately 8.95 crore beneficiaries through the Poshan Tracker digital platform.
About POSHAN Abhiyaan
- POSHAN stands for Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment
- Anchored in Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD)
- Brings together 26+ ministries under a unified nutrition framework
- Focuses on the first 1,000 days (conception to 2 years) as most critical for development
Background: Policy Evolution
- ICDS (1975): It is a foundational platform through Anganwadi Centres
- PMMVY (2017): To offer maternity benefits through direct cash transfers
- POSHAN Abhiyaan (2018): It is a mission-mode unified approach
- Mission Poshan 2.0 (announced in Budget 2021-22): It has consolidated Anganwadi Services, Scheme for Adolescent Girls and POSHAN Abhiyaan into a single integrated framework
Three Primary Verticals of Mission Poshan 2.0
| Component | Initiative / Feature | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nutrition Support | Supplementary Nutrition | • For children (6 months–6 years), pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls • Under NFSA Schedule-II (Revised Jan 2023) • Focus on diet diversity, quality protein & micronutrients |
| Poshan Vatikas (Nutri-gardens) | • Established at Anganwadi Centres, schools, Gram Panchayats • Promotes diet diversity & local nutritious food • Provides fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants at low cost | |
| Joint Protocol on Malnutrition | • Issued by MoWCD & Ministry of Health and Family Welfare • Focus on community-level management of SAM & MAM children | |
| 2. Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) | Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (PBPB) | • Improves ECCE quality via Anganwadi system • (As of 31 March 2026): 41,645 Master Trainers & 10,58,317 AWWs trained |
| Navchetana (March 2024) | • Framework for 0–3 years early stimulation • 140 activities in 36-month calendar • Available in 12 Indian languages | |
| Aadharshila (March 2024) | • National ECCE curriculum for 3–6 years • 130+ activities • Aligned with NEP 2020 & NCF-FS | |
| Vidyarambh Certificate | • Introduced August 2025 • 22 lakh+ certificates issued (till March 2026) | |
| Co-location of AWCs | • 2.9 lakh Anganwadi Centres co-located with government primary schools | |
| Home Visit Scheduler | • Integrated with Poshan Tracker (April 2026) • Covers 23 structured visits for pregnant women & children (0–3 years) | |
| 3. Saksham Anganwadi Upgradation | Infrastructure Upgrade | • 2 lakh Anganwadi Centres sanctioned • Facilities include LED screens, water purifiers, smart learning aids, Poshan Vatikas |
Poshan Tracker: Digital Governance Tool
- Launched in 2021
- Monitors 14,03,170 Anganwadi Centres and ~8.95 crore beneficiaries (as of March 2026)
- Features Facial Recognition System (FRS) and Aadhaar-based tracking for last-mile delivery and eliminating ghost entries
- Delivers 249 videos, 190 voice notes and 159 ECCE activity PDFs to AWWs
- MoWCD received PM’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024 for Poshan Tracker
Jan Andolan Impact
- Over 150 crore sensitisation activities and 9.8 crore community-based events conducted nationwide
- Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada serve as key community mobilisation platforms
- Poshan Maah is celebrated every September as a nationwide Jan Andolan.
- Poshan Pakhwada: Observed annually since 2018, it is a two-week intensive outreach campaign conducted in April to strengthen community mobilisation and reinforce key nutrition behaviours under POSHAN Abhiyaan.
Grievance Redressal
- Poshan Helpline: number 1515 (active from November 2025); available in 17 languages for POSHAN Abhiyaan and PMMVY grievances