YEAR END REVIEW 2025
1. At a Glance
- Annual stock-taking by MWCD covering progress on its three umbrella verticals — Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0, Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya — released January 2026 [S1].
- Captures coverage data (Poshan Tracker registrations, PMMVY DBT flow, Anganwadi upgradation) — high-yield for Prelims schemes & figures and GS-II welfare governance [S1][S2].
- Signals a shift to tech-driven welfare delivery (Facial Recognition for eKYC, helpline short-code unification, LED-equipped Saksham Anganwadis) [S1].
2. Why in the News
- MWCD released its Year End Review 2025 on 9 January 2026 documenting beneficiary scale and scheme milestones [S1].
- 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah (launched 17 Sept 2025) concluded in Dehradun, with 14.33 crore activities nationwide [S1][S3].
- MWCD recognised as one of the best-performing Ministries for PM-JANMAN (Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan) implementation [S1].
3. Background & Evolution
- 2021–22: MWCD's schemes restructured into three umbrella verticals — Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0, Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya [S4].
- POSHAN Abhiyaan launched 2018 (Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan); rebranded as Poshan 2.0 in 2021–22 integrating Supplementary Nutrition Programme + Anganwadi Services + Scheme for Adolescent Girls [S4].
- PMMVY: launched 2017; expanded under Mission Shakti to include 2nd-child girl benefit.
- PM-JANMAN: launched 15 Nov 2023 (Janjatiya Gaurav Divas) for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) [S3].
4. Core Static Facts
- Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development (Union Minister Smt. Annpurna Devi) [S1].
- Three verticals [S4]:
- Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 — nutrition, ECCE.
- Mission Shakti — Sambal (safety) + Samarthya (empowerment) sub-schemes.
- Mission Vatsalya — child protection (statutory base: Juvenile Justice Act, 2015).
- Poshan Tracker beneficiaries registered: >9 crore [S1].
- Anganwadi Centres approved for Saksham upgradation: 2 lakh; 94,077 already upgraded with LED screens & improved infra [S1].
- PMMVY: 4.26 crore beneficiaries received ₹20,060 crore via DBT [S1].
- Helpline short code changed from 14408 → 1515 (covers PM CARES, Poshan, PMMVY) [S1].
- FRS/eKYC for Take-Home Ration (THR): 4.51 crore of 4.73 crore (91.38%) completed by 31 Dec 2025 [S1].
- Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 cumulative beneficiaries: >8.69 crore (pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls, children) as of 30 Nov 2025 [S1].
5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis
- Social / Gender: PMMVY's ₹20,060 cr DBT addresses wage loss during pregnancy; Mission Shakti's One Stop Centres operationalise DV Act, 2005 redress [S1].
- Administrative / Governance: Poshan Tracker won PM's Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024 (Innovation) — exemplar of JAM-trinity-led welfare digitisation [S2].
- Tech / Innovation: Facial Recognition System (FRS) integrated with Aadhaar for THR eKYC reduces leakage but raises privacy concerns under Puttaswamy (2017) [S1].
- Federalism: 60:40 Centre-State cost sharing for most components; states like Uttarakhand running parallel Mukhyamantri Vatsalya Yojana (₹1.56 cr DBT to 5,211 beneficiaries during Poshan Maah closing) [S3].
- Tribal welfare: MWCD's PM-JANMAN convergence supports 75 PVTGs across 18 states/UTs [S1].
6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)
- 17 Sept 2025: PM launched 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah with Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan; ₹450 crore transferred to 15 lakh+ women in a single day under PMMVY [S1][S3].
- September 2025: 14.33 crore Poshan Maah activities across 6 thematic pillars — Obesity in children, ECCE (Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi), IYCF, Men-streaming, Vocal for Local, Convergence & Digitisation [S3].
- Dec 2025: 1,04,662 of 1,40,862 helpline grievances resolved [S1].
- Jan 2026: Year End Review published; short-code migration to 1515 announced [S1].
7. Prelims Hooks
- Poshan Tracker registered beneficiaries crossed 9 crore by YER 2025 [S1].
- 94,077 Anganwadi Centres upgraded as Saksham Anganwadis (out of 2 lakh approved) [S1].
- PMMVY cumulative DBT: ₹20,060 crore to 4.26 crore women [S1].
- Helpline short code: 1515 (replaces 14408) [S1].
- 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah held in September 2025; closing ceremony in Dehradun, Uttarakhand [S3].
- Poshan Maah 2025 had 6 thematic pillars, including "Men-streaming" in nutrition [S3].
- THR eKYC via Facial Recognition System covered 91.38% of eligible beneficiaries by 31 Dec 2025 [S1].
- Poshan Tracker received PM Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024 (Innovation category) [S2].
- MWCD's three verticals: Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0, Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya [S4].
- PM-JANMAN targets PVTGs; MWCD adjudged among best implementing ministries [S1].
- Union Minister WCD: Smt. Annpurna Devi [S1].
- Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan launched alongside 8th Poshan Maah [S1].
8. Mains Relevance
- GS-II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; mechanisms for protection & betterment of women & children; issues of governance and e-governance.
- GS-III: Issues relating to direct & indirect farm/welfare subsidies; food security & malnutrition.
- Question stems: 1. "Critically evaluate the role of digital architecture (Poshan Tracker, FRS, DBT) in plugging leakages in India's nutrition delivery ecosystem." (GS-II) 2. "Examine the convergence model of Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 in tackling the triple burden of malnutrition." (GS-II/III) 3. "Discuss the institutional architecture of Mission Shakti as a response to gender-based violence in India." (GS-I/II)
9. Related Topics to Study Next
- POSHAN Abhiyaan & NFHS-5 nutrition indicators — baseline for evaluating Poshan 2.0.
- Juvenile Justice (Care & Protection of Children) Act, 2015 — statutory base of Mission Vatsalya.
- Domestic Violence Act 2005 & One Stop Centres — Mission Shakti's Sambal sub-scheme.
- PM-JANMAN & PVTG list — convergence partner.
- Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) architecture & JAM trinity — backbone of PMMVY.
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao — sex-ratio indicator linkage to Mission Shakti.
- National Food Security Act 2013 — supplementary nutrition entitlements.
- Anaemia Mukt Bharat (MoHFW) — inter-ministerial convergence.
10. Common Errors / Trap Areas
- Wrong ministry: Anaemia Mukt Bharat is MoHFW, not MWCD; Mid-Day Meal (PM-POSHAN) is Ministry of Education.
- Vertical confusion: PMMVY sits under Mission Shakti (Samarthya), NOT under Poshan 2.0.
- PM-JANMAN nodal ministry = Ministry of Tribal Affairs; MWCD is only a convergence partner.
- Helpline number: new short code is 1515 (not 1098 — which is Childline, now also under MWCD).
- Saksham Anganwadi ≠ a separate scheme — it is an upgraded AWC under Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0.
11. Sources
- [S1] Year End Review 2025 — Ministry of Women and Child Development — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2212747 — (tier: 1)
- [S2] Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 update — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2243843 — (tier: 1)
- [S3] 8th Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2025 concludes in Dehradun — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2180534 — (tier: 1)
- [S4] Schemes of MWCD clubbed into three verticals — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2040950 — (tier: 1)