A Brighter Future for Meghalaya’s Children: Savitri Thakur Leads Welfare Review

To gain first-hand insights into on-ground implementation, the Minister is scheduled to visit Anganwadi Centres and other welfare project sites in East Khasi Hills district tomorrow.

In a significant move aimed at reinforcing the implementation of key welfare schemes under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, the Minister of State (MoS) for Women and Child Development, Smt. Savitri Thakur, conducted a series of high-level review meetings in Shillong, Meghalaya. The visit is part of a broader push to ensure the effective rollout of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) in the North Eastern states, with a special emphasis on grassroots service delivery and real-time monitoring mechanisms.

The Minister chaired a detailed review session with senior officials from the Government of Meghalaya’s Social Welfare Department. The agenda focused on the performance and progress of flagship schemes such as Poshan Abhiyan, Mission Shakti, and Mission Vatsalya. These initiatives are cornerstones of the Government’s mission to empower women, ensure child welfare, and provide holistic nutrition and care services across the nation.

The meeting assessed various parameters including beneficiary coverage, nutritional outcomes, use of digital tools like the Poshan Tracker, and integration with other allied departments such as Health, Education, and Rural Development.

Smt. Thakur emphasized the critical importance of strengthening the grassroots delivery ecosystem, particularly through Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), which serve as the first point of contact for services like early childhood care and nutrition, health check-ups, immunization, and pre-school education.

Key Focus Areas Identified

During the discussion, several areas requiring urgent attention were identified:

• Supplementary Nutrition: Ensuring regular supply and improved quality of Take-Home Ration (THR) and hot-cooked meals under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).

• Infrastructure Upgradation: Modernizing Anganwadi Centres with child-friendly and women-friendly amenities, adequate space, sanitation, and learning tools.

• Technology Integration: Promoting real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making using platforms like the Poshan Tracker, which enables centralized data access for better responsiveness.

• Community Engagement: Mobilizing local communities for better scheme awareness, monitoring, and ownership through Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNCs) and self-help groups (SHGs).

• Capacity Building: Enhancing the skills of Anganwadi workers and supervisors through structured training programs, refresher courses, and digital learning modules.

District-Level Engagement in East Khasi Hills

As part of her North Eastern tour, the MoS also held a comprehensive meeting with the East Khasi Hills District Administration. The session was attended by local MLA Shri Ollan Singh Suin, departmental heads, and other stakeholders. District officials presented updates on ongoing development projects, including rural health services, educational outreach, women’s safety programs, and livelihood enhancement schemes.

Special attention was given to challenges faced in remote villages, such as difficult terrain, limited digital connectivity, shortage of trained personnel, and intermittent electricity supply — all of which directly impact the timely and efficient implementation of welfare schemes.

Despite these constraints, the Minister praised the commitment of ground-level officials and lauded their consistent efforts to reach beneficiaries even in the most inaccessible areas. She encouraged the use of mobile-based reporting and frequent data updates on national dashboards to help the Centre respond more effectively to emerging challenges.

Minister’s Message on Empowerment and Vision of Viksit Bharat

In her address, Smt. Savitri Thakur stated,

“Despite the difficulties in connectivity and electricity, officials are working with dedication to ensure that all schemes are effectively implemented. I commend their efforts and encourage them to keep updating data on the Poshan Tracker, as these reports help the Ministry respond quickly to on-ground needs.”

She further highlighted the Government’s unwavering resolve to achieve Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India), underlining that empowering women and children is at the heart of India’s inclusive development strategy.

“Every step we take to strengthen our Anganwadi Centres, empower mothers, and care for children brings us closer to that vision,” she added.

Courtesy Meeting with the Governor of Meghalaya

Later in the day, Smt. Thakur paid a courtesy visit to the Hon’ble Governor of Meghalaya, Shri C. H. Vijayashankar. The two dignitaries discussed state-level efforts and innovative models for advancing women and child welfare. They also explored collaborative interventions for enhancing community-based outreach and expanding the footprint of central schemes in tribal and rural areas.

Field Visits Scheduled for Tomorrow

To gain first-hand insights into on-ground implementation, the Minister is scheduled to visit Anganwadi Centres and other welfare project sites in East Khasi Hills district tomorrow. These visits aim to facilitate direct interaction with beneficiaries, frontline workers, and Panchayati Raj representatives, allowing the Ministry to gather feedback and ensure that interventions are appropriately tailored to local needs.

Strengthening the Northeast: A Shared Mission

This high-level visit reflects the Centre’s continued commitment to bridging development gaps in the North Eastern region through focused interventions, capacity building, and improved delivery of social welfare programs. By reinforcing coordination between Central and State Governments, the Ministry hopes to achieve sustainable outcomes that will uplift communities and secure a better future for women and children in Meghalaya and beyond.