Poshan Tracker’s Facial Recognition System Strengthens Last-Mile Delivery of Take-Home Rations

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has developed a Facial Recognition System in the Poshan Tracker application under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, in a move aimed at improving last-mile monitoring of Take-Home Ration distribution and ensuring that benefits reach only the intended beneficiaries.

According to the Ministry, the facial recognition-based system has been introduced to strengthen beneficiary authentication within the application. Combined with Aadhaar-based tracking, the mechanism is intended to improve identification, prevent leakages in service delivery, and eliminate ghost entries from the system.

The government said the scale of authentication through the platform has increased sharply over time. As of July 31, 2025, 3,51,97,271 beneficiaries out of a total 5,10,24,888 had completed e-KYC and face capture, accounting for 68.98 per cent coverage. By February 2026, the number had risen substantially, with 4,63,58,376 beneficiaries out of 4,77,88,108 completing e-KYC and face capture, taking the coverage level to 97.01 per cent.

To support implementation on the ground, regular training is being provided to Anganwadi Workers by the National e-Governance Division through state coordinators. Training videos are also being shared to help workers use the system more effectively. In addition, under Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi, the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development is conducting training for State Level Master Trainers, who then train Anganwadi Workers in the field. As of March 18, 2026, a total of 3,901 State Level Master Trainers had been trained.

Mission Poshan 2.0 is a universal self-selecting umbrella scheme that is open to all eligible beneficiaries, including children below six years of age, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls aged 14 to 18 in the Northeastern States and Aspirational Districts. The implementation of services under the scheme, including delivery mechanisms, is the responsibility of States and Union Territories.

The information was shared in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in response to a question.

Reference: PIB