Tripura CM Manik Saha announced distribution of 11,130 smartphones to Anganwadi workers under Poshan Abhiyaan, aiming to boost nutrition services for adolescent girls, pregnant women, and mothers while enhancing child welfare, education, and social reintegration programs across the state.
In a major step towards strengthening nutrition services across Tripura, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha announced on Monday that 11,130 smartphones have been distributed among Anganwadi workers under the Government of India’s flagship program, Poshan Abhiyaan. The initiative aims to enhance the delivery of nutritional services to adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers across the state.
Speaking at a state-level function, the Chief Minister emphasized that these smartphones would be equipped with the Poshan Tracker application, a digital monitoring tool designed to record and streamline daily activities of Anganwadi workers. He highlighted that this step would not only improve service delivery but also ensure better accountability and real-time data collection for effective implementation of nutrition-based programs.
Launched nationwide on March 8, 2018, Poshan Abhiyaan—also known as the National Nutrition Mission—seeks to achieve measurable improvements in the nutritional status of women and children in a time-bound manner. By integrating technology with grassroots-level services, the mission adopts a synergized and result-oriented approach to combating malnutrition and ensuring holistic health care.
Development Roadmap for Tripura
Alongside the smartphone distribution drive, Chief Minister Saha inaugurated 14 projects and laid the foundation stones for 5 new projects under the Social Welfare and Social Education Department. He reiterated that these initiatives align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of building a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047. According to him, Tripura has already prepared a roadmap to contribute to this national goal and is implementing schemes that directly benefit vulnerable communities.
The Chief Minister further informed that 46 new Anganwadi centres have been established in the state under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme. These centres are expected to play a critical role in delivering basic services such as nutrition, healthcare, and pre-primary education to rural and urban communities.
Empowerment of Young Women and Children
Highlighting child and women welfare measures, Dr. Saha announced that Aftercare Homes are being set up for young women between the ages of 18 to 21 years, as per provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. These facilities will provide food security, education, vocational training, psychological support, and life skills to help them become self-reliant.
On child welfare initiatives, the Chief Minister revealed that 101 children have received rehabilitation grants of ₹50,000 each for social reintegration. In the last three years, 144 children were given financial assistance ranging between ₹20,000 and ₹3 lakh under the Juvenile Justice Fund. For the financial year 2024-25, the state has provided sponsorship support of ₹4,000 per month to nearly 4,286 children.
Currently, around 940 children are receiving shelter and care at 44 Child Care Institutions spread across Tripura’s eight districts. Over the last three years, 31 children have been legally adopted under government initiatives. These measures, according to the Chief Minister, reflect the government’s commitment to strengthening child protection frameworks in the state.
Strengthening the Anganwadi Workforce
To improve the functioning of Anganwadi centres, more than 1,400 Anganwadi workers and 1,615 Anganwadi helpers have been recruited since April 1, 2023. Dr. Saha noted that the expansion of the workforce will enhance service delivery and ensure smooth management of existing and newly established centres.
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The event was also attended by Social Welfare and Social Education Minister Tinku Roy, Social Welfare and Social Education Secretary Tapas Roy, Director Tapan Kumar Das, and other senior officials. The Chief Minister concluded by reaffirming that Tripura’s social welfare measures are being aligned with the central government’s broader vision of inclusive development and empowerment of marginalized groups.
By equipping Anganwadi workers with smartphones, the government seeks not only to digitize welfare delivery but also to create a transparent, technology-driven ecosystem for nutrition and child welfare. The initiative represents a significant leap towards improving maternal and child health outcomes in Tripura.
