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Gujarat Adds 5.14 Lakh New Beneficiaries to Anganwadi Nutrition Scheme

Gujarat has successfully enrolled over 5.14 lakh new beneficiaries into its Anganwadi network following a targeted coverage drive from November 2025 to January 2026. The initiative specifically aimed to reach pregnant women, lactating mothers, and young children previously outside the welfare system, with a major focus on tribal and rural areas. The campaign leveraged digital tools like TECHO software for tracking and combined it with field verification to ensure accuracy and prevent duplication. Anganwadi workers conducted extensive door-to-door outreach, which was crucial in identifying and registering eligible families.

Key Points: Gujarat Anganwadi Drive Adds 5.14 Lakh Beneficiaries

  • 5.14 lakh new beneficiaries added
  • Focus on tribal & rural coverage
  • TECHO software used for tracking
  • Supplementary nutrition & health support
  • Door-to-door outreach by workers
2 min read

Gujarat expands Anganwadi services with addition of 5.14 lakh beneficiaries

Gujarat's WCD drive enrolled over 5.14 lakh new mothers & children in Anganwadi schemes, focusing on tribal and rural areas for nutrition & health.

"ensure that essential nutrition and basic healthcare services reach every eligible child and mother - Women and Child Development Minister"

Gandhinagar, Feb 6

More than 5.14 lakh beneficiaries have been newly brought under various Anganwadi schemes across Gujarat following a focused coverage exercise aimed at strengthening access to nutrition and health services for mothers and young children.

The initiative, carried out between November 2025 and January 2026, expanded the reach of welfare services to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children aged up to six years, with a major share of enrolments recorded in tribal and rural areas.

The Women and Child Development (WCD) Coverage Drive was undertaken to identify and include eligible beneficiaries who were previously outside the Anganwadi network.

The campaign was implemented under the leadership of Women and Child Development Minister Manisha Vakil to ensure that essential nutrition and basic healthcare services reach every eligible child and mother.

Official figures show that over 2.55 lakh beneficiaries from tribal areas were added during the drive, while more than 2.07 lakh beneficiaries from rural regions and around 51,000 from urban areas were also linked to Anganwadi services.

These beneficiaries are now covered under schemes providing supplementary nutrition, growth monitoring and access to basic health-related support.

Officials said the results were achieved through detailed micro-planning by district administrations, which helped in uncovering households and prioritising outreach in remote and interior regions.

The campaign placed particular emphasis on tribal belts and rural pockets, where gaps in coverage were more pronounced.

To maintain the accuracy of beneficiary data, the department used the TECHO software, a digital platform for maternal and child health tracking, alongside systematic field verification.

Officials said the use of technology, combined with on-ground checks, helped prevent duplication and ensured that eligible beneficiaries were correctly identified within a short timeframe.

Anganwadi workers and helpers played a key role in implementing the drive through door-to-door outreach and verification, supported by district-level officials.

Their efforts led to improvements in data accuracy and helped extend services to beneficiaries who had previously remained unregistered.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good news, but implementation is key. The government must ensure these new beneficiaries actually receive regular, quality nutrition and not just get added to a list. Hope the focus on data accuracy using TECHO software translates to real benefits on the ground.
S
Suresh O
Focusing on tribal and rural areas is the right approach. These communities often get left behind. My sister is an Anganwadi worker in a village near Surat, and she says the door-to-door outreach made a huge difference. Salute to their hard work!
A
Aryan P
Over 5 lakh new beneficiaries is a massive number! Shows what focused governance can achieve. Using technology to prevent duplication is smart. Hope other states learn from Gujarat's model. This is nation-building work.
M
Meera T
While the expansion is commendable, I hope there is a parallel plan to strengthen the infrastructure and resources at existing Anganwadi centres. Adding beneficiaries is one thing, but centres need proper supplies and staff to handle the increased load.
D
David E
Investing in maternal and child health is investing in the future. Impressive to see the scale and the targeted approach. The significant enrollment from tribal areas (2.55 lakh) is particularly noteworthy. A solid public health initiative.

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