Union Minister of Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi has informed Parliament that the Indian government has launched the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (PBPB) initiative to upskill Anganwadi workers. This initiative aims to enable them to provide comprehensive early childhood care, education, and nutrition services to children under six years of age. Introduced on May 10, 2023, the PBPB initiative seeks to transform Anganwadi Centres into Learning Centres with high-quality infrastructure, play equipment, and well-trained workers, fostering the creative, social, emotional, and cognitive development of children, including those with disabilities.

As of June 2024, the initiative has successfully trained 11,364 State Level Master Trainers, including Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs), Supervisors, and Additional Resource Persons, along with 1,877 Anganwadi workers across the country.

Under the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi program, the Ministry has developed two curriculum frameworks: "Navchetana- National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation for Children from Birth to Three Years, 2024" and "Aadharshila- National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education for Children from Three to Six Years, 2024." These frameworks aim to empower Anganwadi workers and ensure optimal learning for all children, including those with disabilities.

The Navchetna framework focuses on holistic early stimulation for children from birth to three years, emphasizing responsive caregiving and early learning opportunities. It includes monthly age-based activities for 36 months, conducted both at home and Anganwadi Centres, through home visits, monthly meetings, and community events. Special attention is given to screening, inclusion, and referrals for children with disabilities.

For children aged three to six years, the Aadharshila curriculum aligns with the National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage 2022 (NCF-FS), covering physical/motor, cognitive, language and literacy, socio-emotional, cultural/aesthetic development, and positive habits. It provides a weekly calendar of activities, including 36 weeks of active learning, 8 weeks of reinforcement, and 4 weeks of initiation, with a mix of play-based, in-centre, at-home, indoor, outdoor, child-led, and educator-led activities. The curriculum also emphasizes the screening, inclusion, and referrals of children with disabilities.