Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Poshan Tracker APP
Mains level: Malnutrition and health
What is poshan tracker?
Poshan Tracker is a centralized ICT-enabled platform developed by the Government of India, serving as the largest mobile nutrition monitoring system globally. Embraced by 1.3 million Anganwadi workers, it collects real-time data on the height and weight of 72 million children under five, aiming to address malnutrition challenges through transparency, accountability, and targeted interventions in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) sector.
Key Facts:
- Poshan Tracker is the largest mobile nutrition monitoring system globally, adopted by 1.3 million Anganwadi workers in India within two years.
- It collects height and weight data for 72 million children under five, representing over 50% of the population, with 94% Aadhar verification.
- The system includes modules for beneficiary registration, growth monitoring, migration facility, dashboard for underperforming districts, and a portal for reporting community engagements.
- Poshan Tracker serves as a real-time feedback loop for frontline workers, aiding in early identification of malnutrition and monitoring service delivery.
- The data captured includes information on Anganwadi infrastructure, beneficiaries receiving rations and meals, and nutritional outcomes at national, state, and district levels.
Key Terms:
- Poshan Tracker: The centralized ICT-enabled platform developed by the Government of India for nutrition monitoring, promoting transparency and accountability in service delivery.
- Anganwadi Workers (AWCs): Frontline workers in India responsible for implementing Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) at the community level.
- Aadhar Verification: The process of confirming the identity of beneficiaries using the Aadhar system, ensuring accuracy in data.
- Feedback Loop: A continuous cycle of collecting, analyzing, and applying feedback to improve the user-friendliness and effectiveness of the monitoring system.
- Granularity: The level of detail in data, addressing variability in malnutrition rates and providing localized, observed information.
Key Data:
- 72 Million Children: Height and weight data collected for this number, representing over 50% of children under five in India.
- 94% Aadhar Verified: High percentage of beneficiaries whose identities are verified through Aadhar, ensuring data accuracy.
- 1.3 Million Anganwadi Workers: Universal adoption of Poshan Tracker among these frontline workers.
- Underperforming Districts: A dashboard monitors key performance indicators in selected underperforming districts.
- 80% Accuracy Improvement: Similar mobile apps in Indonesia improved accuracy of growth monitoring, particularly for underweight children, by 80% on average.
Key Highlights:
- Unprecedented Scale: Poshan Tracker is the largest mobile nutrition monitoring system globally, with universal adoption by 1.3 million Anganwadi workers in India within two years.
- Real-Time Monitoring: It collects height and weight data for 72 million children under five, representing over 50% of the population, providing real-time monitoring and 94% Aadhar verification.
- Comprehensive Dashboard: Captures data on Anganwadi infrastructure, beneficiaries receiving rations and meals, and nutritional outcomes at national, state, and district levels.
- Feedback Loop: Acts as a feedback loop for frontline workers, aiding in early identification of malnutrition, targeting at-risk beneficiaries, and monitoring service delivery.
- Modules: Various modules include beneficiary registration, growth monitoring, migration facility, dashboard for underperforming districts, and a portal for reporting community engagements on nutrition.
Challenges and Concerns:
- Data Quality Doubts: Global experience raises concerns about the quality of monitoring data; the accuracy of Poshan Tracker data is a critical consideration.
- Timeliness: Paper-based reporting is time-consuming, and while Poshan Tracker enables real-time transmission, the challenge lies in maintaining this speed and efficiency.
- User Overburden: Anganwadi workers are overburdened; ensuring Poshan Tracker’s user-friendliness through feedback and ongoing training is crucial for sustainability.
Analysis:
- Accuracy Improvement: Studies show mobile apps improve accuracy; Poshan Tracker’s automatic calculations can reduce errors and provide more reliable data than manual methods.
- Granularity: Poshan Tracker’s granularity addresses the variability in malnutrition rates, providing decision-makers with on-the-ground, observed data for timely action.
- Timely Intervention: Real-time data transmission enables faster government response and quicker retrieval of information at the Anganwadi level, saving time for nutritional promotion activities.
Way Forward:
- Continuous Feedback: Regular updates based on Anganwadi workers’ feedback are essential to ensure the system’s user-friendliness.
- Skill-Building: Ongoing skill-building and technical assistance are crucial for the sustainability of the monitoring system.
- Actionable Outcomes: Recognizing data as a tool, investments should focus on delivering essential services promptly when malnutrition is detected.
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