Make in India Smart Phones for Anganwadi Workers

New Delhi: Anganwadi workers are empowered with the provision of smart phones procured through Government e-Market (GeM) for efficient service delivery. Ministry has been pursuing with States to saturate access to smart phones for Anganwadi Workers and have recently, in States review meetings, taken up the issue again. A total of 8.66 lakh smart phones have been procured by 32 States/UTs. In addition, States/UTs are advised to introduce transparent processes for procurement of mobile phones as per GFR and vigilance guidelines. The mobile application of POSHAN Abhiyaan digitizes and automates physical registers used by Aanganwadi workers. This saves the time of AWWs and AWHs, and improves the quality of their work while simultaneously allowing them real-time monitoring. The details of the Smartphones procured by States/UTs including the state of Bihar under POSHAN Abhiyaan is at Annexure I.

Under POSHAN Abhiyaan, funds released to States/UTs for program implementation, including procurement of smartphones for FY 2019-20 and 2020-21 along with total central fund utilisation as on 31^st March 2021 is at Annexure II.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

*****

AS

Annexure-I

State/UT wise details of Smartphones Procured under POSHAN Abhiyaan

Annexure II

Details of funds allocated to the States/UTs and utilised for all components including for procurement of Smart Phones under POSHAN Abhiyaan for FYs 2019-20 and 2020-21

Rs. In lakhs

****