Empowered by tech, driven by purpose: Annapurna Devi on transforming women and child development

FROM smartphones to specialised apps, and from anganwadi centres to Parliament, digital systems are rapidly transforming the landscape of women and child welfare in the country — making service delivery faster, more transparent, and accessible, Union Minister Annapurna Devi said.

- 

In an interview with PTI, Devi reflected on her 28-year-long political journey — from a grieving young homemaker with three small children to a central voice for women's rights on global platforms — and underscored the significant strides Indian women have made over the years. "Earlier, everything was manual—it was tough. But now, with tools like the Poshan Tracker app, anganwadi workers can instantly log beneficiary details, avoid duplication, and ensure accountability. We've provided them with smartphones to ease their work and curb the leakages that were common earlier," Devi told PTI. The Poshan app, now integrated with home visit data for children under three and video-based learning modules for children aged 3-6, was recently recognised nationally on Civil Services Day.