POSHAN App

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Context: According to sources, more than 57,000 migrant workers have registered on Poshan Tracker App for the special one nation one Anganwadi programme across the country. The sources said that each migrant worker who had registered in their original state could go to the nearest Anganwadi in their current place of residence and avail of the schemes and services offered.

Details

• Migrant workers in India face many challenges and hardships, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the major issues they face is the lack of access to basic health and nutrition services for themselves and their children. To address this problem, the government of India has launched a special programme called the One Nation One Anganwadi Programme.
• The programme aims to provide seamless delivery of benefits given by the government to children under six years of age and pregnant women and lactating mothers, even if they relocate to another state. The programme is implemented through the Poshan Tracker App, which is a mobile application that connects the beneficiaries with the nearest Anganwadi Centre (child care centre) in their current location.

One Nation One Anganwadi Programme

• The Government of India has launched the One Nation One Anganwadi Programme to strengthen the Anganwadi system and improve the quality of services provided to children and mothers. The programme aims to transform the Anganwadis into vibrant centres of early childhood care and education, nutrition, health and hygiene.

The programme has four key components:

Digitalization of Anganwadis

• The programme will provide smartphones and tablets to all Anganwadi workers and supervisors to enable real-time monitoring, data collection and reporting of various indicators related to child development, maternal health, immunization, etc.

Infrastructure upgradation

• The programme will ensure that all Anganwadis have adequate space, furniture, water supply, sanitation facilities, play materials and learning aids to create a conducive environment for children and mothers.

Capacity building

• The programme will enhance the skills and knowledge of Anganwadi workers and supervisors through regular training, mentoring and online courses on various aspects of child development, nutrition, health and hygiene.

Convergence and community participation

• The programme will foster convergence and coordination among various departments and stakeholders involved in the delivery of services to children and mothers. It will also encourage community participation and ownership of the Anganwadi system through awareness campaigns, social audits and feedback mechanisms.

The One Nation One Anganwadi Programme is expected to have a positive impact on the holistic development of children in terms of their physical, cognitive, social and emotional growth. It will also contribute to the reduction of malnutrition, morbidity and mortality among children and mothers.

Poshan Tracker App

About

• Poshan Tracker App is a mobile application developed by the National eGovernance Division, Government of India, to monitor and track the activities and services of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and beneficiaries under the POSHAN Abhiyaan.
• The app aims to provide a 360-degree view of the nutrition status and interventions for pregnant women, lactating mothers, children, adolescent girls and adolescent boys in India.
• It was launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD).

Background

• POSHAN Abhiyaan, also known as the National Nutrition Mission, was launched by the Prime Minister of India in March 2018 to improve the nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
  • The mission targets to reduce stunting, undernutrition, anaemia and low birth weight by 2022. One of the key components of the mission is the use of technology to ensure real-time monitoring and convergence of various schemes and programmes related to nutrition.
• Poshan Tracker App was launched in March 2021 as a part of the POSHAN Abhiyaan to replace the existing ICDS-CAS (Common Application Software) system. The app is designed to capture data on various indicators such as weight, height, immunization, supplementary nutrition, health check-ups, etc. of the beneficiaries at the AWC level.
• The app also enables the AWWs to register new beneficiaries, update their profiles, mark their attendance and deliver services through digital cards.

Poshan Tracker App has several features that make it a user-friendly and comprehensive tool for nutrition monitoring and tracking. Some of the main features are:

Dashboard

• The app provides a dashboard that displays the summary of key indicators such as the number of AWCs functional, the number of beneficiaries registered, the number of services delivered, etc.
• The dashboard also shows the progress and status of various schemes and programmes related to nutrition such as Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), etc.

Beneficiary Management

• The app allows the AWWs to register new beneficiaries, update their profiles, link them with RCH ID or Aadhaar number, issue digital cards and track their service delivery. The app also allows the beneficiaries to view their profiles, digital cards and service history.

Service Delivery

• The app enables the AWWs to deliver various services to the beneficiaries such as growth monitoring, immunization, supplementary nutrition, health check-ups, counselling, etc. The app also records the feedback and satisfaction level of the beneficiaries after receiving the services.

Reports

• The app generates various reports based on the data captured by the app such as monthly progress reports, quarterly progress reports, annual progress reports, etc. The reports can be viewed by different levels of users such as supervisors, district officials, state officials and national officials.

Notifications

• The app sends notifications and reminders to the AWWs and beneficiaries about various events and activities such as due dates for services, upcoming events, alerts, etc.

Offline Mode

• The app works in offline mode as well as online mode. The data entered in offline mode is automatically synced with the server when internet connectivity is available.

Poshan Tracker App has several significant for improving the nutrition scenario in India. Some of them are:

Real-time Monitoring

• The app enables real-time monitoring and tracking of the nutrition status and interventions for the beneficiaries at the AWC level. This helps in identifying gaps and issues in service delivery and taking corrective actions.

Data Quality

• The app ensures data quality by using Aadhaar or RCH ID for beneficiary identification, capturing data through digital devices and validating data through a feedback mechanism. This helps in reducing errors and duplication in data entry and reporting.

Convergence

• The app facilitates the convergence of various schemes and programmes related to nutrition by linking them with Poshan Tracker App. This helps in ensuring holistic and integrated service delivery to the beneficiaries.

Accountability

• The app enhances accountability by providing transparency and visibility of data and performance to different levels of users. This helps in ensuring compliance and accountability of AWWs and supervisors.

Empowerment

• The app empowers the beneficiaries by providing them with digital identity and access to information and services through digital cards. This helps in increasing their awareness and participation in nutrition interventions.

Poshan Tracker App also faces some challenges that need to be addressed for its effective implementation and utilization. Some of them are:

Infrastructure

• The app requires adequate infrastructure such as smartphones, tablets, internet connectivity, power supply, etc. for its smooth functioning. However, these are not available or accessible in many AWCs, especially in remote and rural areas.

Capacity Building

• The app requires proper training and orientation of the AWWs and supervisors on how to use the app and its features. However, there is a lack of adequate training and support mechanisms for the AWWs and supervisors.

Data Security

• The app involves the collection and transmission of sensitive and personal data of the beneficiaries such as Aadhaar number, RCH ID, health records, etc. However, there is a risk of data breach and misuse of data by unauthorized persons or entities.

Behaviour Change

• The app requires behaviour change of the AWWs, supervisors and beneficiaries to adopt and use the app for nutrition monitoring and tracking. However, there is a lack of awareness and motivation among them to use the app.

Poshan Tracker App has the potential to transform the nutrition landscape in India by providing real-time monitoring and tracking of nutrition status and interventions. However, there is a need to address the challenges and gaps in its implementation and utilization. Some of the possible ways forward are:

Strengthening Infrastructure

• There is a need to strengthen the infrastructure such as smartphones, tablets, internet connectivity, power supply, etc. for the AWCs by providing adequate funds, devices and maintenance support.

Enhancing Capacity Building

• There is a need to enhance the capacity building of the AWWs and supervisors on how to use the app and its features by conducting regular training, refresher courses and mentoring sessions.

Ensuring Data Security

• There is a need to ensure data security by using encryption, authentication and authorization techniques for data collection and transmission. There is also a need to create awareness and sensitization among the AWWs, supervisors and beneficiaries about data privacy and protection.

Promoting Behaviour Change

• There is a need to promote behaviour change for the AWWs, supervisors and beneficiaries to adopt and use the app for nutrition monitoring and tracking by conducting advocacy, communication and social mobilization campaigns.

Conclusion

• Poshan Tracker App is a mobile application developed by the National eGovernance Division, Government of India, to monitor and track the activities and services of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and beneficiaries under the POSHAN Abhiyaan. The app has several features, significances, challenges and ways forward for improving the nutrition scenario in India. The app can be a game-changer for achieving the goals of POSHAN Abhiyaan if implemented effectively and efficiently.

Must Read Articles:

PM POSHAN: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/pm-poshan-scheme

National Food Security Act: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/national-food-security-act-nfsa

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. What are the main objectives and components of Poshan Abhiyan? How does it address the multi-dimensional aspects of malnutrition? What are the major challenges and opportunities for its effective implementation and monitoring? How can the programme be further strengthened and scaled up to achieve its desired outcomes? Discuss.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/app-allows-migrant-workers-to-access-nurseries-wherever-they-live/article66961644.ece