Kashmir Impulse Desk

Jammu, April 24 

Jammu and Kashmir minister Sakeena Itoo on Friday said Anganwadi workers and helpers play a critical role in grassroots child welfare and community development, highlighting their contribution to nutrition, early education and healthcare outreach.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the eighth Poshan Pakhwada at Government Polytechnic College in Jammu, Itoo described frontline workers under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme as “the backbone” of service delivery at the community level.

“They are the first point of contact for mothers, children and families, both in rural and urban areas,” she said, adding that their work extends beyond nutrition services to awareness campaigns and support across sectors such as health and education.

The minister said more than 28,000 workers are engaged in the ICDS sector in Jammu and Kashmir, underscoring its scale and importance.

She called for coordinated efforts among government departments, communities and families to address malnutrition and improve health outcomes for women and children, noting that initiatives like Poshan Pakhwada aim to raise awareness about balanced diets and early childhood care.

Itoo said the ICDS programme was introduced in the region in 1996 under then chief minister Farooq Abdullah.

Highlighting recent policy measures, she said the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had increased marriage assistance to 75,000 rupees from 50,000 rupees and removed educational eligibility criteria for beneficiaries.

The minister also said the government was working to strengthen the Anganwadi system by improving infrastructure and service delivery, and was considering a policy to provide support to dependents of workers who die in service.

Officials said hundreds of thousands of outreach activities were conducted during the Poshan Pakhwada campaign, which focuses on nutrition awareness and public participation.

At the event, appointment orders were distributed to newly recruited workers, while children completing pre-school education at Anganwadi centres received certificates.