Last Updated: 23 October 2026

Sept 2026: Nutrition overhaul across 27,000 Anganwadi centres

-- Packaged ready-to-cook meals replaced with fresh, hot-cooked food for ~1.1 lakh children (3-6 years)^[1]
-- 15-day take-home ration cycle introduced^[1:1]

Neglected by successive Govts for 75+ years, not AAP Govts

Oct 2026: 957 of 1,000 modern Anganwadi centres completed under a ₹100 crore project; rest in final stage^[2]

-- 5714 new Anganwadi workers already hired in Aug 2023^[3]
-- 3000 new posts created in Sept 2024^[4]

Aug 2025: 435 Anganwadi Helpers promoted to Anganwadi Workers; recruitment for 5,000 vacant Worker/Helper posts to begin in September^[5]

• IMPACT: Awesome Results in Fight against Malnutrition in Punjab: stunting trends; Nikke Kadam, Vadda Vikas first-1,000-days drive
• Aarambh: early learning for ages 3-6; 27,307 workers trained

¶ 1. Infra Boost^[6]

Buildings

• Oct 2026: 957 of 1,000 new modern centres completed (₹100 crore, ICDS with MGNREGA)^[2:1]

• Earlier plan (2024): 1419 new Anganwadi Centers to be constructed in Punjab^[6:1]

  • 56 centers have already been completed
  • 644 are under construction
  • 300 centers will have work started soon
  • 156 more have received Approvals

• Renovation of 350 existing centers is also being carried out

Facilities

• 2162 new toilets at Anganwadi centers, with ₹7.78 crore allocated for the purpose
• 353 centers to get upgraded drinking water facilities, ₹35.30 lakh has been earmarked

New Furniture

• 21,851 Anganwadi centers to get new Furniture
• ₹21.85 crore has been allocated to purchase furniture

¶ 2. New Hiring^[7][3:1]

• Recuitment Completed for 5714 new Anganwadi workers & helpers in Aug 2023
• 3000 new posts created in Sept 2024^[4:1]

¶ 3. Food Quality Fixed^[8]

Punjab Markfed agency to provide quality packed dry ration now

¶ 4. Anganwari centers Digitised and workers trained to get all data online^[9]

• Nutrition tracker app 'Poshan' implemented in Anganwadi centers under Poshan Abhiyan
• Rs 2000 for every worker annually for Mobile data to operate mobile apps
• The aim is to enhance the efficiency of Anganwadi centers in the state so that their activities can be monitored at the block, district, state, and national levels, ensuring transparent delivery of services to beneficiaries

¶ 5. Digitized Universal Immunization Program in Punjab^[10]

• Reduced the workload of the health staff as no manual book keeping of records
• The beneficiaries will be able to register and book their vaccination, download their vaccination certificates online and reminders in form of text messages
• Huge success of Pilot program of digitisation of the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) in two districts— Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar
• Now implemented across the whole state

¶ Why is an Anganwadi Center so important?

Nutrition & Health Services for Mothers and young children, especially for poor

Also known as Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme

Target Citizens

• Children (6 months to 6 years)
• Pregnant women
• Lactating mothers

Six services covered

• Play Schools/Pre-school Education
• Supplementary nutrition
• Immunization
• Health check up
• Referral Services
• Nutrition and Health education

References:

---

1. https://yespunjab.com/punjab-overhauls-anganwadi-nutrition-system-introduces-fresh-cooked-meals-and-15-day-take-home-ration-cycle/ (Punjab Govt Press Release, 15 Sept 2026) ↩︎ ↩︎

2. https://www.babushahi.com/view-news.php?id=228631 (Punjab Govt Press Release, 21 Oct 2026) ↩︎ ↩︎

3. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/punjab-cm-hands-over-appointment-letters-to-5714-anganwadi-workers-8917255/ ↩︎ ↩︎

4. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/3000-more-posts-of-anganwadi-workers-to-be-created-mann-101723915564383.html ↩︎ ↩︎

5. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=208826 (Punjab Govt Press Release, 9 Aug 2025) ↩︎

6. https://yespunjab.com/punjab-to-construct-1419-anganwadi-centers-dr-baljit-kaur/ ↩︎ ↩︎

7. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=167060 ↩︎

8. https://www.ptcnews.tv/punjab-2/11-lakh-anganwadi-beneficiaries-to-receive-fry-ration-from-markfed-716627 ↩︎

9. https://www.therisingpanjab.com/new/article/each-anganwadi-worker-will-be-given-an-annual-data-charge-of-rs.-2000:-dr.-baljit-kaur ↩︎

10. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=167029 ↩︎