Latest news with #AnnapurnaDevi
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Modi govt using tech to ensure transparency': Minister Annapurna Devi flays Congress for opposing facial recognition tech in take-home ration distribution
Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Annapurna Devi on Monday hit out at the Congress that slammed the Centre for making facial recognition mandatory for distributing take-home ration through Anganwadi centres. She said the Modi government was using technology to ensure transparency and inclusion in welfare schemes. The Congress alleged that the Central Government was 'using technology to exclude' vulnerable sections of society from social welfare entitlements. In a communication to States and Union Territories last month, the WCD ministry stated that facial recognition will be mandatory for take-home ration distribution from July 1. The take-home ration (THR) scheme is meant for pregnant and lactating women. Additionally, facial recognition will also be made mandatory at the time of registration of beneficiaries of Anganwadi centres from August 1. For children (Anganwadis serve children from the ages of 0-6), the Aadhaar of the child's parent or guardian, along with face recognition, will be a precondition for registration. The child's Aadhaar will not be considered at the time of registration, going by the communication. In addition to the adult's facial recognition, the child's picture with 'liveliness detection' will be captured for children in the 3-6 age group. Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh wrote on X on Monday: 'The Modi government is systematically using technology to exclude the most vulnerable sections of society from social welfare entitlements. Now, pregnant women face a new hurdle: facial recognition technology (FRT) for basic and legal entitlements under the NFSA! (National Food Security Act).' Ramesh stated that technologies such as Aadhaar-based Payment System (ABPS), the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) app, etc have proven to be exclusionary or have failed. 'The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports in its 365th Report on the Demand for Grants for the Women and Child Development Ministry had noted that the introduction of ABPS in the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) impacted the ability of eligible beneficiaries (i.e., pregnant and lactating women) to benefit from the scheme. The number of beneficiaries paid has dipped drastically, from 96 lakh women in FY19-20 to 27 lakh women in FY23-24,' he wrote. Responding to his post, WCD Minister Annapurna Devi wrote on X: 'With the help of modern technologies like Facial Recognition System (FRS), Biometric and Aadhaar, the government today is successful in reaching last mile beneficiaries.' 'It is wrong to say that the use of technology has led to a decline in PMMVY beneficiaries,' she wrote, adding that there were 72.05 lakh first-time beneficiaries of the scheme in 2019-20, 80.48 lakh in 2024-25, and over 27 lakh beneficiaries in the first quarter of 2025-26.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Minister slams Jairam for taking on facial recognition tool for Anganwadi benefits
NEW DELHI: The centre on Monday said the push to make facial recognition mandatory for Anganwadi beneficiaries is to use technology to ensure transparency and inclusion in welfare schemes. Responding to sharp criticism from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accusation that the centre's use of digital tools, like facial recognition technology (FRT), Aadhaar and biometric authentication exclude the poorest and most vulnerable from essential entitlements, like rations and maternity benefits, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi hit back, saying, 'it is absolutely wrong.' In a post on X, Devi said, "Modi government is ensuring transparency and inclusion in welfare schemes through technology. Congress, on the other hand, only spreads lies and misinformation and obstructs effective implementation of our schemes." To rebut the charge, the minister cited data to argue that technological interventions have expanded access, not reduced it. 'It is absolutely wrong to say that the use of technology has led to a drop in PMMVY (Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana) beneficiaries," she said. She said first-time beneficiaries under PMMVY rose from 72.05 lakh in 2019-20 to 80.48 lakh in 2024-25 — the highest ever. In just the first quarter of 2025-26, over 27 lakh new beneficiaries have already been on-boarded.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Centre launches portal on gender budgeting
The Central government on Thursday (June 19, 2025) said that over the past 11 years, Gender Budget allocations have increased by four and a half times — from ₹0.98 lakh crore in 2014-15 to ₹4.49 lakh crore in 2025-26. Gender Budgeting has been a core element of India's development strategy since 2005–06. Initially introduced as a fiscal reporting mechanism, it has evolved into a key governance instrument for achieving gender equality and women empowerment, Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi said at a National Consultation on Gender Budgeting here. Senior Officers from 40 Central ministries and departments and 19 States, Representatives of UN Women, Asian Development Bank and Experts from National level Institutes participated in the day-long event. The consultation, the first of its kind, was organised with the key objectives of deliberating on measures to strengthen gender budgeting processes across all sectors and sharing initiatives and good practices on gender budgeting by Central Ministries/Departments and States under their specific schemes, a senior official of the ministry said. The Union WCD Minister also launched a web portal named 'Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub', developed by the Ministry. The Hub is a digital repository of all information related to gender budgeting processes, intended for use by Central and State government ministries and departments, as well as other stakeholders. The portal's primary aim is to empower policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders with a centralised repository of tools — including policy briefs, best practices, and gender-disaggregated data — to support the integration of a gender lens into all stages of planning and budgeting, both at the Central and State levels. Ms. Devi said gender budgeting has moved from being a fiscal exercise to becoming a strategic instrument for inclusive governance. 'Gender budgeting is not just a policy tool—it is our collective commitment to ensuring that every rupee spent carries the promise of equity, dignity, and opportunity for all.' She said that for the financial year 2025–26, the Gender Budget allocation of ₹4.49 lakh crore — a 37% increase over the previous year allocation — underscores the government's strong commitment to advancing gender equality through both policy and public finance. Deliberations were also held on a draft 'Training Manual' on Gender Budgeting, which has been developed by the Ministry as an important capacity-building tool and practical guide to understand various aspects of Gender Budgeting in India.
India Gazette
19-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Delightful, India has progressed in every field from 2014 to 2025": Union Minister Annapurna Devi praises 11 years of NDA
New Delhi [India], June 19 (ANI): Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi on Thursday praised the Centre's 11 years of governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the journey has been delightful. Speaking to the media, the Union Minister asserted that India has progressed in every sector from 2014 to 2025. 'This journey of 11 years has been delightful. India has progressed in every field from 2014 to 2025. Today, people are moving forward with women are progressing in every are working towards women's nutrition, safety, protection and women empowerment,' Annapurna Devi said. Over the last ten years, India's global footprint has expanded thereby ensuring India's voice resonates across global platforms. From the presidency at the G20 Summit, to initiatives such as the Vaccine Maitri program, in the last 11 years, India has emerged as a global leader through impactful initiatives that blend vision with execution. India's presidency of the G20 spotlighted the Global South and delivered concrete outcomes, including the launch of the Global Biofuels Alliance. Whether through diplomacy, humanitarian aid, or strategic defence, India has crafted a new narrative of influence and self-reliance. In the last 11 years, India has stepped up as a global leader through impactful initiatives that blend vision with execution. This is reflected across areas such as climate change, energy transition, public health or artificial intelligence. India shows that it has driven conversations and crafted coalitions that put the nation's priorities at the centre of global discourse. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership has anchored these efforts in responsibility and inclusivity, ensuring India's voice resonates across global platforms. The global leadership prowess of India was reflected during the G20 presidency, where a major highlight was the unanimous adoption of the New Delhi Leaders' Declaration, despite deep divides on global issues like the Ukraine conflict. This achievement underscored India's growing stature as a consensus builder and its ability to lead amid global uncertainty. Expanding India's global diplomatic presence, since 2014-2024, India has opened 39 new embassies and consulates, bringing the total number to 219. In the recent past, relief and evacuation efforts by the government stand testimony to the idea of 'nation first' policy. Some major evacuation missions include, Vande Bharat Mission (2020-22); Operation Devi Shakti, Afghanistan (2021), Operation Ganga, Ukraine (2022); Operation Kaveri , Sudan (2023) and Operation Ajay, Israel amongst others. Under PM Modi, India's approach has been rooted in responsibility and inclusion, always placing national interest within a wider humanitarian framework. These initiatives have helped India shape a new global order while safeguarding its sovereignty and amplifying its strategic voice. (ANI)
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Operation Sindoor has become a new example of women's leadership: Minister Devi
1 2 3 Nagpur: Union minister of women and child development Annapurna Devi said that the recently conducted ' Operation Sindoor ' became a new example of women's leadership on Sunday. Speaking at the one-day national conference on philosopher queen Devi Ahilyabai Holkar at IIM-Nagpur in Mihan, the union minister said our daughters in the armed forces gave a befitting reply to the cowardly terror act in Pahalgam last month. She also pointed out that Holkar was ahead of her times and introduced social reforms 300 years ago which continue to inspire the Modi govt too. "In the 93-year-old history of IMA, the first women's batch will pass out next month after training to lead the armed forces and demonstrate their bravery. Devi Ahilyabai too emphasised building defence capabilities. Our women soldiers made it clear that water and blood will not flow together. Mission Sindoor became a new example of women's leadership," she said. The union minister added, "Holkar was ahead of her time. She introduced the adoption of widows and orphans besides giving them rights of inheritance. She was born 300 years ago in a simple family, but she was a visionary and took society ahead," she said. "Modiji is inspired by her and took several decisions for women empowerment , like the abolition of triple talaq to protect the rights and education of Muslim women, training, and skill development programmes for women," the minister said. Annapurna Devi said Ahilyabai Holkar too believed that a society can only progress when both men and women get the same rights and opportunities, pointing out that budget allocation has been hiked to Rs4.49 lakh crore for women and the girl child. The central govt's pledge of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' and good governance is inspired by the legacy of Ahilyabai Holkar, she said. "Queen Ahilyabai Holkar, while managing the politics of Malwa, not only developed pilgrimage sites but also made life easier for the people in her state," Annapurna Devi said. The one-day conference was jointly organised by the Devi Ahilyabai Memorial Committee-Nagpur, Mythic Society-Bangalore, IIM-Nagpur, Smt Manoramabai Mundle College of Architecture-Nagpur, and Maharashtra National Law University-Nagpur to commemorate the 300th birth anniversary of Holkar. Rashtriya Sevika Samiti's pramukh sanchalika Shantakka and IIM Nagpur's director Bhimaraya Metri were present. Annapurna Devi said while managing her state, Ahilyabai Holkar developed pilgrimage sites from Kashi to Somnath. "She built roads, rest houses, and ghats. These places are our sites of reverence. Lokmata Ahilya Holkar not only developed religious pilgrimage sites but also improved the standard of living for the people," she said. The minister also underlined how Holkar's life inspired good governance, Amrit Bharat Stations, Smart City Mission, Ujjwala Yojana, Ayushman Bharat Yojana, 'Mission Shakti', Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and National Education Policy.
