THE Anganwadi Services Scheme is open to all eligible beneficiaries and the only pre-condition is that the beneficiary has to be registered at the nearest Anganwadi centre with Aadhaar identification, according to new guidelines of the ‘Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2’ policy. The Women and Child Development Ministry, however, clarified that a child’s Aadhaar card shall not be mandatory for availing benefits under the Anganwadi Services Scheme and the same can be accessed using the mother’s Aadhaar card.

Under the ‘Scheme for Adolescent Girls’, beneficiaries will require Aadhaar numbers to avail benefits, the guidelines stated. Under ‘Poshan 2.0’, the scheme for adolescent girls has been revised, and the targeted beneficiaries now comprise girls in the age group of 14 to 18 years in aspirational districts of States, including Assam and the north-eastern States, instead of out-of-school girls in the age group of 11-14 years earlier.

The Government on Tuesday released new guidelines for the ‘Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2’ policy that aims to look at interventions to address malnutrition concerns.

The guidelines also promote Aadhaar seeding of beneficiaries under the scheme to ensure last-mile tracking of take-home rations and tracking of migration of pregnant women and lactating mothers. Under the guidelines, AYUSH systems shall be integrated under Poshan 2.0 for wellness and nourishment.

AYUSH shall propagate the campaigns of ‘Yoga at Home, Yoga with Family’ and AWCs and households to encourage beneficiaries to practice yoga and stay healthy.

According to the guidelines, the Ministry of AYUSH shall extend technical support for scheme implementation, recommend simple Ayurveda interventions to improve digestive capacity, populate ‘Poshan Vatikas’ (nutrition gardens) with medicinal plants and saplings, technical assistance, etc., recommend local recipes integrating locally grown vegetables and food substances, red rice, various millets.