Empowerment begins with access — access to rights, to services, to protection, and to opportunity. Over the past decade, this access has been redefined and democratised through the focused commitment of the Modi government to build a more inclusive and digitally empowered India. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has been at the forefront of this transformation. Guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, the Ministry has integrated technology into its programmes, ensuring that benefits reach the last mile swiftly, transparently, and efficiently.
What was once aspirational is now operational thanks to the government’s emphasis on digital public infrastructure, real-time data systems, and responsive governance. With steadfast focus on care, protection, and empowerment, the Ministry has strengthened access to nutrition, education, legal safeguards, and essential entitlements, ensuring that women and children lead healthier, more secure lives, and also emerge as confident leaders and change makers of Amrit Kaal.
Transformative initiatives
A cornerstone of this transformation is the Saksham Anganwadi initiative, designed to modernise and empower over 2 lakh Anganwadi centres across India. These centres are being upgraded with smart infrastructure, digital devices, and innovative learning tools, enabling more effective delivery of nutrition, healthcare, and pre-school education services.
The integration of services provided by 14 lakh Anganwadi centres across the nation with the Poshan Tracker has enabled real-time data entry, performance monitoring, and evidence-based policy interventions. Over 10.14 crore beneficiaries, including pregnant women, lactating mothers, children under six, and adolescent girls, are now registered on Poshan Tracker. By equipping Anganwadi workers with smartphones and comprehensive training, the initiative ensures quality service delivery at the last mile.
At its core, Poshan Tracker is driving the national vision of a Swasth Bharat, Suposhit Bharat. It reimagines Anganwadi centres as digitally empowered community hubs that bridge the urban-rural divide. Recognised with the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration (2025), it also supports Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi, providing digital training modules to Anganwadi workers for early childhood education.
Further, to reduce leakages in the Supplementary Nutrition Programme, a facial recognition system has been introduced to ensure that eligible beneficiaries alone receive nutrition support.
Beyond nutrition, the Ministry is ensuring safety and support for women through technology-led platforms. The SHe-Box portal provides single-window access to every woman to lodge complaints under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. It enables online redressal and tracking. Meanwhile, the Mission Shakti dashboard and mobile app provide integrated assistance to women in distress, connecting them to the nearest one-stop centre, now operational in nearly every district. These interventions exemplify how technology is being used not just for efficiency, but for justice, dignity, and empowerment.
The Modi government has also operationalised the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) — a game changer in maternal welfare. Under the PMMVY Rules, 2022, pregnant women receive ₹5,000 for their first child. Under Mission Shakti, the benefit extends to ₹6,000 if the second child is a girl — promoting positive reinforcement for daughters. Delivered through a paperless Direct Benefit Transfer system, about ₹19,000 crore has reached over 4 crore women beneficiaries since its inception.
PMMVY is a fully digital programme — leveraging Aadhaar-based authentication, mobile-based registration, doorstep assistance from Anganwadi/ASHA workers, and real-time dashboards. A dedicated grievance redressal module and citizen-facing portal ensure transparency, trust, and accountability, strengthening the government’s commitment to Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao.
Tangible outcomes
These targeted efforts are delivering tangible outcomes. The latest reports from the Health Management Information System of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) reveal that the Sex Ratio at Birth has increased from 918 (2014-15) to 930 (2023-24). The Maternal Mortality Rate has declined to 97 per 1,000 births (2018-20) from 130 per 1,000 births (2014-16).
Digital transformation has played a key role in child protection and welfare. Under the Juvenile Justice Act (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Ministry has strengthened the adoption ecosystem through the CARINGS portal (Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System). This ensures a more transparent, accessible, and efficient adoption process.
Digitisation has also improved monitoring of child care institutions, foster care placements, and statutory support structures under the Act. Platforms developed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights are tracking violations of child rights. The Mission Vatsalya dashboard strengthens convergence and coordination among various child welfare stakeholders.
This is New India where governance meets technology, and policy meets purpose. Over the last decade, the Ministry has not only adapted to digital change, but championed it.
Annapurna Devi is the Union Minister of Women and Child Development
Published – July 02, 2025 12:15 am IST
