Context

The government has launched the ‘Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi’, with an objective to ensure that India has a high-quality preschool network.

About Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi

• ‘Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi’ is Ministry of Women and Child Development’s (MCWD) latest endeavour for strengthening Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).

• It aims to ensure that India has the world’s largest, universal, high-quality pre-school network, as suggested by the National Education Policy.
• Target: The scheme aims to target the development of children in every domain that is mentioned in the National Curriculum Framework, which includes- physical and motor development, cognitive development, and socio-emotional-ethical development, among others. 

India’s Anganwadi centres playing crucial role in child development

• India Anganwadi centres are an integral part of India’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program.
• The centres provide supplementary nutrition, early care, and education to around 8 crore beneficiary children under the age of 6 years across the country.
• Given the huge network of around 13.9 lakh operational centres, the Anganwadi eco-system becomes a critical access point for building a solid foundation for children in order to secure their future.