TV
Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi on Monday said the newly introduced facial recognition system for Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 will eliminate duplication and ensure that benefits reach genuine people.
Chairing a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of her ministry here, she said the technology is expected to significantly enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency in service delivery.
"The face recognition system would ensure that benefits reach only genuine beneficiaries while eliminating leakages and duplication," she said.
The meeting, attended by MPs, including Sudha Murthy, Manju Sharma, Jobha Majhi, Dharmshila Gupta, Indu B. Goswami and Kiran Chaudhary, discussed the implementation of the facial recognition system in the distribution of take-home ration.
Senior officials, including Secretary Anil Malik and Additional Secretary Gyanesh Bharti, detailed the operational aspects of the facial recognition system and highlighted its integration with the Poshan Tracker for real-time monitoring.
Under the system, beneficiaries undergo a one-time onboarding process involving Aadhaar-based eKYC and live photo capture, followed by monthly face matching to verify identity during ration distribution.
For children without biometric-enabled Aadhaar, verification is done through a parent or guardian.
Since July 1, facial recognition has been made mandatory for take-home ration delivery nationwide, with registration of all beneficiaries made compulsory from August 1.
According to the ministry, the facial recognition system ensures beneficiaries are physically present at anganwadi centres, encouraging greater interaction with workers and improving health-seeking behaviour.
PTI
