Policy Update
Tanushree Bora
Introduction
Anganwadi Services, which have been running under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, constitute one of India’s largest and most influential public welfare systems. The ICDS was launched on October 2, 1975, and was designed with the vision of providing integrated services to children up to six years and pregnant and lactating mothers. The major goals were to enhance the nutritional status, decrease infant and maternal mortality, and facilitate early childhood education. Over the years, Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) have developed into grassroots institutions that link rural and underprivileged communities with critical health, education, and nutrition services. These services are crucial in India’s push for the development of a solid human capital base.
Objectives and Scope of Services
The ICDS framework aims to deliver six key services through Anganwadi Centres. These include supplementary nutrition, non-formal preschool education, immunization, health check-ups, referral services, and nutrition and health education. Each AWC is managed by an Anganwadi Worker (AWW) and a Helper, women chosen from the local community who act as the primary link between beneficiaries and government schemes. Through daily contact with children and mothers, AWWs not only implement health and education programs but also foster trust and awareness in the community. According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, over 13.9 lakh AWCs are operational across the country, making it one of the largest outreach systems of its kind in the world.
Infrastructure and Delivery Challenges
Despite the program’s wide reach, Anganwadi Services face serious challenges related to infrastructure and service delivery. A considerable number of AWCs lack basic amenities such as proper buildings, toilets, clean drinking water, and functional kitchens. A recent report by the Times of India highlighted how many centres in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat continue to operate from makeshift or rented spaces without safe facilities for children. Such deficiencies not only reduce the effectiveness of services but also compromise child safety and hygiene.
The issue of staffing is also significant. There is a persistent shortfall in both the number of sanctioned centres and the personnel needed to run them efficiently. Moreover, Anganwadi Workers are burdened with responsibilities that extend beyond their core duties, such as conducting population surveys, implementing new digital tools, and coordinating with multiple government departments. These tasks are often performed without adequate compensation or recognition, leading to widespread discontent. In May 2025, AWWs in Tamil Nadu held a multi-day protest, demanding regular salaries, improved working conditions, and recognition as formal government employees.
Training and Digital Literacy
One of the most pressing issues affecting the quality of Anganwadi Services is the lack of consistent and structured training. While initial induction training is provided to AWWs, ongoing capacity-building opportunities are limited and uneven across states. As a result, many workers lack sufficient knowledge in early childhood care, nutritional counselling, and data entry. This training gap has become more pronounced with the introduction of digital tools like the Poshan Tracker, which require AWWs to record data electronically. While these digital tools are designed to improve transparency and monitoring, their success has been undermined by a digital divide, especially in rural and tribal regions where electricity, connectivity, and digital literacy are limited.
Recent Government Reforms and Budgetary Support
In response to these challenges, the Government of India has introduced several reforms aimed at modernizing Anganwadi Services. Under the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 initiative, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has proposed infrastructure upgrades, digitization of services, and enhanced nutritional support. The Union Budget 2024–25 allocated ₹20,554 crore to this integrated mission, reflecting the government’s continued commitment to child and maternal health. The Poshan Tracker app and other digital dashboards are being scaled up to monitor service delivery. At the same time, new guidelines have been issued for the construction and upgradation of AWCs through schemes like MGNREGA.
State-Specific Innovations
Several states have launched innovative programs tailored to their demographic needs. In Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Sampoorna Poshana scheme provides fortified meals to pregnant women, lactating mothers, and young children through the Anganwadi network, helping to combat anaemia and stunting. Telangana’s Aarogya Lakshmi scheme offers a full daily meal at AWCs for pregnant and lactating women, contributing to maternal nutrition and reducing the incidence of low birth weight. These examples demonstrate how states are localizing the ICDS framework to meet region-specific nutritional challenges and ensure better community participation.
Public-Private Partnerships and Community Engagement
Recognizing the limitations of state resources, several private initiatives have emerged to support Anganwadi infrastructure and operations. One prominent example is the Nand Ghar project by the Anil Agarwal Foundation, which aims to modernize traditional AWCs by providing solar-powered classrooms, clean drinking water, and digital learning tools. These centres also serve as hubs for women’s entrepreneurship and vocational training, linking health and education services with empowerment goals. When implemented transparently, such public-private partnerships can significantly enhance service quality while maintaining the state’s central role in welfare delivery.
Impact and Future Outlook
Over the years, Anganwadi Services have significantly improved child health, preschool enrollment, and maternal awareness in India. According to government and UN reports, programs under the ICDS have helped reduce under-five mortality rates and improve immunization coverage. However, the persistence of malnutrition and gender disparities indicates that much work remains to be done. The future of Anganwadi Services lies in transitioning from quantity to quality, ensuring that every child accesses and benefits meaningfully from these services.
For this to happen, systemic changes are essential. These include timely fund disbursal, recognition and training of AWWs as professionals, infrastructure modernization, and community-level oversight. In an era where child development is recognized as foundational to economic progress, India’s Anganwadi network must be treated as a strategic investment in the country’s future.
In an era where child development is recognized as foundational to economic progress, India’s Anganwadi network must be treated as a strategic investment in the country’s future. Drawing from both on-ground insights and critical review, it becomes evident that India’s Anganwadi Services, while far-reaching, are weighed down by systemic inconsistencies. As a well-informed observer scanning government budgets, news reports, and official portals, the disconnect between policy ambition and grassroots reality becomes stark. Though over ₹20,000 crore was allocated under Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 in 2024–25, field reports still show AWCs functioning without toilets, Anganwadi Workers without pay, and children in crumbling spaces. This contradiction highlights a key issue: allocation does not equate to absorption.
At a programmatic level, Anganwadi Services combine elements of nutrition, health, education, and care, making them among the most holistic in the world. Yet, their impact is muted by a lack of professional recognition for Anganwadi Workers, poor infrastructure, and fragmented training. Despite the push for digital transformation through tools like the Poshan Tracker, frontline workers are often ill-equipped to engage with these platforms, especially in regions with limited internet access. These challenges are not rooted in intent but in administrative design and neglect.
On the other hand, state-led models like Andhra Pradesh’s YSR Sampoorna Poshana and Telangana’s Aarogya Lakshmi show that when political commitment aligns with community engagement, the outcomes are impressive. Public-private partnerships, like the Nand Ghar initiative, further reveal that with investment in infrastructure and learning tools, AWCs can transform into empowerment hubs. However, scaling these examples equitably remains a challenge.
In conclusion, Anganwadi Services are not simply welfare outposts—they are the first institutions a child interacts with and the first systems a mother depends on. Strengthening them requires more than funds—it requires vision, respect for frontline workers, and accountability at every level. As India moves toward becoming a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047, the nation cannot afford to treat Anganwadis as auxiliary. They are essential—not just for women and children, but for the future of India’s demographic dividend.
References
Contributor
Tanushree Bora is a Research Intern at IMPRI and a student from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi. She is passionate about International Relations, Conflict Transformation, and Gender Studies. She aims to contribute to meaningful dialogue and policy frameworks that promote sustainable and inclusive peace.
Acknowledgment
The author extends sincere gratitude to Dr Arjun Kumar and Aasthaba Jadeja for their invaluable guidance and support.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
Read More at IMPRI
Gram Panchayat Development Plans (2015): The Road to Inclusive Development in Villages
NHB Refinance Scheme (2016): Boosting Affordable Housing Construction in India
