Odisha to Provide Smartphones to Anganwadi Workers

The Government of Odisha has approved a plan to distribute nearly 80,000 smartphones to anganwadi workers to strengthen monitoring of nutrition and childcare services across the state.

Officials said the initiative, cleared at a state cabinet meeting on Saturday night, will involve an expenditure of around ₹93 crore. The move aims to enhance the efficiency and transparency of service delivery under the POSHAN Abhiyaan.

The smartphones will enable anganwadi workers to digitally manage a range of activities, including beneficiary registration, daily data entry, tracking the distribution of supplementary nutrition, monitoring growth indicators, and supporting pre-school education.

The government believes the use of digital tools will improve real-time data collection and help authorities better assess the nutritional status of mothers and children, allowing for more targeted interventions.

The initiative is part of broader efforts to modernise grassroots service delivery and strengthen the implementation of welfare programmes aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes in the state.