Latest news with #PoshanTracker
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
OTP, face recognition must for take-home ration
Lucknow: The state govt will integrate the face recognition system (FRS) into the Poshan Tracker to check corruption and ensure that nutritious food provided to pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescents and children aged 6 months to 6 years reaches the targeted beneficiaries. Poshan Tracker is a mobile application-based nutrition monitoring system. This tool has been developed to identify the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight among children and track the last-mile delivery of nutrition services. A deadline of July 1, 2025, has been set to ensure 100% FRS coverage for the Take Home Ration (THR) scheme for which an awareness and registration campaign will be launched across the state soon. An official said FRS operates as a dual-authentication mechanism, combining facial recognition with one-time password (OTP) verification. Photographs of beneficiaries are matched with Aadhaar-linked e-KYC data, and OTPs are sent to their registered mobile numbers, which are then verified at anganwadi centres. This helps prevent fraud and ensures that rations reach the intended recipients. The pilot project was launched in 2024 in Kanpur Nagar's Bidhanu and Sarsaul. As of June 13, 2025, e-KYC for 1.18 crore eligible beneficiaries is underway, with Kanpur Nagar leading at 45.34% progress. Districts like Badaun and Bahraich, which have shown slow progress, are being given focused attention. Among the key directions issued to make this project a success are instructions to release funds for THR only to FRS-registered beneficiaries. FRS will be mandatory for new beneficiaries from Aug 1 and district magistrates have been instructed to hold registration camps at the block and panchayat levels, monitor progress daily, and raise awareness. Chief development officers have been mandated to carry out regular reviews to ensure timely implementation of the scheme.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
OTP, face recognition for take-home ration to be rolled out across Uttar Pradesh by July
To strengthen the fight against malnutrition , the Uttar Pradesh government has integrated the Face Recognition System (FRS) into the Poshan Tracker , ensuring the targeted and transparent delivery of Take-Home Ration (THR) to pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescents and children aged six months to six years, an official statement issued on Thursday said. According to it, a statewide awareness and registration campaign will be conducted with a directive to achieve 100 per cent FRS coverage across the state by July 1. FRS operates as a dual-authentication mechanism, combining facial recognition with one-time password (OTP) verification. Beneficiaries' photographs are matched with Aadhaar-linked e-KYC data, and OTPs sent to their registered mobile numbers are verified at Anganwadi centres. This robust system helps prevent fraud and ensures that rations reach the intended recipients, it said. Launched in 2024, the FRS pilot began in Bidhanu and Sarsaul (Kanpur Nagar) and was scaled up across the state by November 14 last year, the statement said. Live Events As of June 13, e-KYC for 1.18 crore eligible beneficiaries is underway, with Kanpur Nagar leading at 45.34 per cent progress. Meanwhile, districts like Badaun and Bahraich have shown slow progress and will receive focused attention, it said. State funds for THR will be released only to FRS-registered beneficiaries; FRS will be mandatory for new beneficiaries from August 1. District magistrates have been instructed to hold registration camps at the block and panchayat levels, monitor progress daily and raise awareness, and chief development officers are to conduct regular reviews to ensure timely implementation. Poshan Tracker is a mobile application-based nutrition monitoring system. This tool has been developed to identify the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight among children and track the last-mile delivery of nutrition services.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Govt mandates facial recognition for mid-day meal, Poshan beneficaries
The government has mandated compulsory facial recognition technology across India's vast Anganwadi network to expand biometric verification for the country's flagship nutrition and childcare programme. A directive from the ministry of women and child development, dated May 30 and seen by Hindustan Times, outlines a strict phased implementation affecting take-home rations distribution, child attendance tracking, and beneficiary registration through the Poshan Tracker application. The Face Authentication feature, previously available only at take-home rations distribution points, became accessible within beneficiary profiles on the Poshan Tracker app as of May 30 2025. Beneficiaries can now perform their own onboarding, including photo capture and electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) verification, directly through the app's citizen module. State authorities have been directed to ensure field functionaries 'complete the face authentication of all the registered beneficiaries' using these tools, while also encouraging beneficiaries to 'update the photo/mobile number in Aadhaar for completing the e-KYC seamlessly.' At present, beneficiaries are verified through Aadhaar based authentication in the Poshan Tracker app. The initiative faces resistance from ground-level workers. Shivani Kaul, president of the Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers' Union, told HT: 'This is yet another move by the centre to make the lives of Anganwadi workers miserable, we are already receiving several calls by workers that the app is not functioning properly. Another issue with this provision is that the privacy of the children gets compromised as thousands of pictures will be uploaded to the app and to the government's database. If the government cares so much about the corruption then why do they not fix app issues and increase the honorarium of the workers?' Poshan, or Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN), which was earlier known as the mid-day meal scheme, has an outlay of ₹85,794crore, comprising ₹54,061 crore from the Centre, from 2021-22 to 2025-26. Two major mandates take effect on July 1. Firstly, Anganwadi workers will be required to digitally record the attendance of children aged 3-6 years and confirm their consumption of the daily Hot Cooked Meal (HCM) provided at the centres. Secondly, to 'ensure last mile delivery of THR to intended beneficiaries,' the ministry said it 'has been decided that FRS will be made mandatory for THR distribution.' This means beneficiaries collecting their monthly nutritional rations must now verify their identity using facial recognition at the point of distribution. A further significant shift arrives on August 1, when facial recognition becomes a prerequisite for registration itself. For Pregnant Women (PW), Lactating Mothers (LM), and Adolescent Girls (AG), the 'precondition for registration will be self Aadhaar using eKYC and face recognition feature.' For children aged 0-6 years, registration will require the 'Aadhaar of Mother Father Guardian along with Face recognition,' with the ministry explicitly noting that 'Self-Aadhar for a child is not considered.' Additionally, for children aged 3-6 years, 'a child's picture with liveliness detection will also be captured' during registration, separate from the guardian's facial recognition system, with the ministry intending 'to leverage these images during service delivery for children.' Parents of children currently registered in the 0-3 year category must update their photo with liveliness detection when they move into the 3-6 year group. The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) has been formally tasked with implementing 'necessary modifications/updation in Poshan Tracker application' to support these new requirements.
Hans India
09-06-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Poshan Abhiyaan made significant strides in improving nutrition outcomes in India: Minister
Poshan Abhiyaan has made significant strides in improving nutrition outcomes in India, said Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Road, Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra on Monday. Addressing an event in the national capital, Malhotra said that Poshan Abhiyaan is 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's effort and commitment to addressing India's malnutrition challenges'. 'Poshan Abhiyan has made significant strides in improving nutrition outcomes in India, particularly among children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers,' Malhotra added. Launched in 2018, the campaign to fight malnutrition has promoted healthy growth and development in the country. 'The programme has enabled a nationwide Jan Andolan, catalysing nutrition-related behavioural change and promoting positive feeding and healthcare practices,' the Minister said. He also applauded the Poshan Tracker App which enables real-time monitoring of nutrition services, ensuring timely interventions and better tracking of progress. Mission Poshan 2.0 is a Rs 1.81 lakh crore initiative (2021-26) that targets children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. It not only integrates nutrition, health, and community efforts but also uses digital tools like the Poshan Tracker -- winner of the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024 -- to drive real-time monitoring and behavioural change. As of March 2025, a total of 99.02 per cent of beneficiaries are Aadhaar-verified, and a face authentication module ensures transparency in distributing take-home rations, according to the government. Malhotra also advocated ensuring adequate nutrition for pregnant women and lactating mothers -- crucial for healthy child development. Maternal nutrition plays a vital role in preventing health complications during childbirth and ensuring healthy birth outcomes, the MoS added. 'By prioritising nutrition, India can build a healthier, more productive, and prosperous nation, achieving its vision of a Viksit Bharat,' the Minister said.
Deccan Herald
26-05-2025
- Health
- Deccan Herald
1,579 kids identified as malnourished in Tumakuru in three years
Tumakuru: The number of severely malnourished children in Tumakuru district is steadily increasing, with 1,579 such cases identified over the past three district has 4,199 anganwadis, where thousands of children receive early education and basic nutrition. Monthly health check-ups are conducted at these anganwadis, including monitoring of height and weight. Children who are found underweight or with stunted growth are identified and provided with the necessary care to improve their 2023–24, health check-ups were conducted for 1,27,660 children, out of which 899 children were found to be suffering from severe malnutrition. In 2024–25, as many as 235 malnourished children have been identified so far. Among them, 32 are from Koratagere taluk and 24 from Madhugiri taluk. Health inspections revealed that a majority of cases are concentrated in backward areas such as Koratagere, Madhugiri, and Pavagada.'To address malnutrition, the government has launched several programmes. Nutritional food, including eggs and other fortified items, is being distributed through anganwadis. But children eat one proper meal at the anganwadis. At home, they often do not receive the necessary nutritious food. This is largely attributed to a lack of awareness among parents, which continues to affect the children's health,' he Tracker appInformation about children's health is shared by anganwadi staff through the Poshan Tracker app, developed by the central government. This app enables authorities to access real-time data on children. Currently, around 70% of anganwadis in Tumakuru district are using the app, officers app also logs attendance of children and staff, food distribution details, and information on the basic facilities being provided by the Centre. Preparations are underway to include food quality tracking in the near future, the officers hurdleAccording to a senior official from Women and Child Development Department, 'All government programmes are being implemented properly, and anganwadi workers are making sincere efforts to protect children's health. However, lack of parental co-operation is a major hurdle. The situation is especially difficult in rural areas. Despite continuous awareness campaigns, completely eliminating malnutrition remains a challenge.'Little interest to take kids to NRCA Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) has been set up within the district hospital premises to treat underweight and malnourished children in an in-patient facility. However, parents are showing little interest in taking their children to the per the guidelines, a parent (mother or father) must stay with the child at the centre for a minimum of 15 days. But most parents are unwilling to comply and are returning home after just four days, said District Child Protection Officer support them, the government provides daily wages under the MGNREGA scheme to the accompanying parent. Meals and accommodation are also arranged at the centre. Despite these facilities, parents are not willing to stay at the centre for the entire treatment period, he noted.
