The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) is taking a significant step to broaden the use of biometric verification in its nutrition schemes. After successfully implementing a Facial Recognition System (FRS) for beneficiaries receiving 'take home rations' (THR), the ministry is now developing a module to extend this technology to the 'hot cooked meals' served at anganwadi centres.
How the Facial Recognition Verification Works
The FRS-based process involves capturing a photograph of the beneficiary and performing an e-KYC using the Aadhaar system during registration. For young children under six, since Bal Aadhaar (for ages 0-5) does not contain biometric data, a parent or guardian undergoes the verification process on the child's behalf. At the distribution point, a fresh photo is taken and matched against the verified image stored in the system to authenticate the beneficiary.
According to official data, the system has seen substantial adoption. As of December 31, 2025, out of 4.73 crore beneficiaries eligible for THR, a total of 4.51 crore (91.38%) had completed their eKYC and face matching. In December alone, 2.79 crore eligible beneficiaries, representing 52.68%, received their THR using the FRS process.
Phased Mandatory Rollout and Future Plans
The ministry has been progressively making FRS verification mandatory. The last-mile tracking of THR delivery using FRS became compulsory for all existing beneficiaries starting July 1 last year. Furthermore, from August 1 last year, FRS was introduced at the registration stage for all new beneficiaries under the Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP).
WCD Minister Annapurna Devi recently stated that approximately 99% of beneficiaries registered on the Poshan Tracker have completed their overall Aadhaar verification. Additionally, mandatory biometric verification via facial authentication was introduced in May last year for all new enrolments under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
Outlining the future roadmap, WCD Secretary Anil Malik said, "To ensure that actual genuine beneficiaries get the benefits, we are planning to universalise Facial Recognition System-based verification and will extend it to hot cooked meals at anganwadis. We have collected data and are working on implementing FRS in the entire supplementary nutrition programme (THR and HCM)."
Programme Context and Criticism
The Supplementary Nutrition Programme aims to bridge the nutrition gap for children under six, as well as pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls. It delivers nutrition through two main channels: Hot-Cooked Meals (HCM) served at the centres, and Take-Home Rations (THR) provided as raw ingredients or pre-cooked packets.
Despite the government's push for transparency and efficiency, the mandatory FRS verification has not been without controversy. Several anganwadi unions and civil society organisations have criticised the move, expressing concerns that it could lead to the exclusion of many genuine beneficiaries who may face technical or accessibility hurdles with the digital system.
