Thread by @Alka_Dhupkar

Across India lakhs of #Anaganwadi workers are complaining about faulty #smartphones and they are refusing to use latest application given by Women and Child Development Ministry - @smritiirani #PoshanTracker due to various issues. 1/-

Over a lakh #Ananganwadi workers in #Maharashtra have threatened to return their faulty & warranty expired #smartphones given by the government, they are not against digitisation but they need better smartphones and user friendly application instead of #PoshanTracker

On August 17 #Anganwadi workers in #Maharashtra have started mobile wapsi andolan. The Maharashtra government @AdvYashomatiINC has written to the central gov @smritiirani about the issue of #PoshanTracker app. No response from union gov.

Digital data entry is hampered on national level due to problems of #PoshanTracker app. Many #Anganwadi workers are not able to enter data (pregnant women & lactating mothers, abt children etc) on their #smartphones through this app. @AdvYashomatiINC @ShubhaShamim @smritiirani

We met #Anganwadi workers in rural areas Palghar districts. Most of them don't get wireless network 24X7. The new #PoshanTracker app requires internet connection to enter data. They are demanding better #SmartPhones & offline data entry facility.

In the month of March this year, ministry of WCD issued an order in which compulsory use of the mobile app called #PoshanTracker was announced for #Anganwadi workers for real time growth monitoring and tracking of beneficiaries under the Poshan Abhiyaan (Nutrition mission).

#PoshanTracker Poshan Abhiyan aims to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers in India. Around 13 lakh #Anagawadi workers are asked to download the application. But many of them are not provided #Smartphones in #India by the government.

Before March 2021, almost for two years all #Anganwadi workers were using Com-Care as Child Development Services Common Application Software (ICDS - CAS). This was available in all Indian regional languages. But #PoshanTracker needs to do data entry in #English language only.

A R Sindhu, general secretary of All india Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH) has called WCD minister Smrit Irani’s claims related to the #PoshanTracker app a ‘Digital India Hoax!’. She explains the serious issues.

“The ministry has introduced the #PoshanTracker mobile App without providing mobile phones and data packs  to all anganwadi workers and in many places in the country especially tribal areas where acute malnutrition is rampant, there is no internet connectivity...

"In some states where mobile phones were supplied, it is of low quality that the App can't be downloaded. In many states like Punjab, Haryana etc, no mobiles are given and the #Anganwadi workers Unions hv taken a stand that without mobile phones, they will not download the App.”

After receiving many complaints about smartphones and #PoshanTracker app @IAS_Rubal has ordered an audit of the smartphones which were given by the government to the #Anganwadi workers and currently not working or were repaired by the workers on their own. #Maharashtra

Government provided #smartphones have heating, display, charging and hanging issues.
Warranty is expired of panasonic smartphones in #Maharashtra
Many #Anganwadi workers repaired these phones from own expenses. Now they are tired and participating in Mobile Wapsi andolan.

#Maharashtra #Anganwadi workers r given #smartphones Eluga I7e model of Panasonic. Warranty (by RV solutions) expired in May 2021. RAM 2GB. Processor 1.3GHz quad-core. Old android OS 7.0 (We are using OS 11) The chipset is underpowered for power users. No display protection.

At present the data could be entered in the #PoshanTracker only in English. @MinistryWCD ordered it should be entered with help of local
students. Job of entering the
data in English is difficult for #Anganwadi workers as they are not well
conversant with the English language.

"The grievance of the Anganwadi workers
appears to be genuine and a practical solution will have to be found
out." said the court on August 09, 2021. #Mumbai #Maharashtra
#India #PoshanTracker app @MinistryWCD @AdvYashomatiINC @smritiirani @ShubhaShamim

List of specific problems with #PoshanTracker app used by #Anganwadi workers. #Maharashtra Commissioner WCD has sent a detailed report to the central @MinistryWCD two months ago.
Problems with the new Poshan Tracker in comparison with previous app Com-Care : follow next tweet

1) Data entry is in English language 

Demand 

Data entry should be available in all regional languages. #PoshanTracker @MinistryWCD
@AdvYashomatiINC

2) Beneficiary wise tracking of wasting and Stunting (Low height for age and weight for height) category is not available. 
Demand
For effective and curative care of children coming under wasted and stunted category, beneficiary wise tracking and availability of data is critical.

Biggest problem with the #Poshantracker app introduced by @MinistryWCD to monitor real growth of children to track the nutritional growth is - Currently the application does not generate reports on prevalence of malnutrition. @AdvYashomatiINC @smritiirani

Data downloading is not at ease

Demand

The data access and download for analysis at state, district and block levels will help in updating the status of implementation and programme monitoring.
#PoshanTracker @MinistryWCD
@AdvYashomatiINC #Anganwadi workers

Inclusion of household wise data is missing

Demand

The inclusion of household data instead of beneficiary data would help in subsequent analysis and migration tracking in the state. #PoshanTracker app was launched by @smritiirani @MinistryWCD @AdvYashomatiINC #Anganwadi workers

Inclusion of data on home visits and Community Based Events (CBE) is missing

Demand 

Home visits and CBE constitute key parts of intervention. In absence of regular tracking it is difficult to monitor the progress and has adverse effects on programme.
#PoshanTracker #Anganwadi

Inclusion of State specific needs is removed 

Demand

States are requesting a special module for tracking of state specific initiatives attached with Poshan Abhiyan for eradication of malnutrition. 

#PoshanTracker #Anganwadi #India #malnutrition @MinistryWCD @AdvYashomatiINC

Offline work is no more possible 

Demand

Considering limitations of internet coverage in rural areas, Poshan Tracker should allow offline data entry and syncing can happen whenever the network is available. #PoshanTracker #Anganwadi @MinistryWCD
@smritiirani
@AdvYashomatiINC

63 year old Surekha Shimpi from Jawhar taluka of Palghar district said, “I request my neighbours to fill the information. I can’t understand English spellings of the beneficiaries (children -6yr) I hv numbered them & try to recall them with numbers to mark their attendance."

#Anganwadi workers hv bought new smartphones from own pocket as they fear their remuneration will be deducted failing to update the data. 
But even after buying new phones they are unable do data entry. #PoshanTracker @smritiirani @MinistryWCD @AdvYashomatiINC

Usha Ramane, Anaganwadi Sevika from Thane’s Indira Nagar said, she can’t type in English. Hence she has not entered data data in the app for a long time. She has kept physical records.

To highlight problems about #PoshanTracker app former ICDS commissioner sent a letter to central government in June this year. @smritiirani @MrsGandhi @anilshidore @ShubhaShamim

Gita Mishra, president of #Bihar #Anganwadi Karmchari Sangh which is a part of  'Confederation of Free Trade Unions of India (CFTUI)' said that they are not able to enter data as many #smartphones are not working. #PoshanTracker @smritiirani @MinistryWCD

In #UttarPradesh, Mahila #Anganwadi Karmchari Sangh’s president Girish Pandey is leading the #Anganwadi workers protests. "Data entry will be made easier and faster if they are given good quality big screen tabs," he told me. #smartphones #PoshanTracker