Rajasthan Anganwadi ration distribution through Aadhaar-linked face verification reached 88% of the state’s allotted take-home nutrition supplies as of October 24, according to state government data, with coverage ranging from 75% in Barmer to 95% in Balotra.
The face recognition system (FRS), introduced across Rajasthan’s Anganwadi network this year, is used to authenticate beneficiaries before supplementary nutrition is distributed. The system is intended to reduce the risk of fake or duplicate beneficiaries and prevent diversion of ration, according to the report.
The programme covers around 25 lakh registered beneficiaries, including pregnant women, lactating mothers and children below six years. The monthly take-home supplies include fortified food products such as daliya, khichdi and Balahar premix, which are provided to support efforts to address malnutrition and underweight among children.
Around three lakh beneficiaries had not been covered through the face verification system for take-home ration distribution by October 24. Vasudev Malawat, director of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), said coverage was expected to approach 95% by the end of October. He added that the department would work to resolve internet connectivity problems and technical glitches in the Poshan Tracker application with the aim of achieving full distribution through the system.
Connectivity remains a particular challenge in remote and desert areas. Barmer, which recorded the lowest coverage among the districts cited, reported 75% authentication-based distribution. Officials identified poor internet access as one of the factors affecting implementation in such locations, where Anganwadi workers may face difficulty completing a digital authentication process at the point of service.
Officials also cited outdated photographs on some beneficiaries’ Aadhaar cards as a cause of failed facial matching. Changes in administrative boundaries following delimitation and the creation of new districts have further affected the mapping of beneficiary data on the Poshan Tracker application. An ICDS official said the Centre would address these technical issues.
Rajasthan’s 88% coverage was above the national average of 79.8% reported in the supplied data. Of the state’s 41 districts, three were placed in the ‘good’ category, while the remaining 38 were classified as ‘moderate’. The next stated milestone is to raise coverage to nearly 95% by the end of October and address the technical and connectivity barriers preventing the remaining beneficiaries from being authenticated.
