Gujarat raises Anganwadi meal budget 67% to ₹8.50 per child, adds green gram
Synopsis
Gujarat has quietly done something most states haven't — fully funded a 67% hike in Anganwadi meal budgets from its own pocket, committing ₹80 crore annually to improve nutrition for 16.17 lakh children aged three to six. The revised menu, which now includes whole green gram, chickpeas, and seasonal fruits, marks a concrete shift from calorie-filling to nutritional quality.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat has raised the daily Anganwadi meal rate by 67% , from ₹5.10 to ₹8.50 per child per day .
The additional ₹3.40 per child per day will be funded entirely by the state government , costing approximately ₹80 crore annually .
Over 16.17 lakh children aged 3–6 across 53,065 Anganwadis will benefit under the ICDS scheme.
The revised menu adds whole green gram , chickpeas, seasonal green vegetables, fruits, and protein-rich items such as peanuts and sesame seeds.
The announcement was made on 14 October 2026 under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Minister Manisha Vakil .
The existing Centre-state cost-sharing arrangement for the base ₹5.10 remains unchanged.
The Gujarat government has raised the daily procurement rate for hot cooked meals at Anganwadis by 67 per cent — from ₹5.10 to ₹8.50 per child per day — with the state bearing the entire additional cost of approximately ₹80 crore annually. The move is expected to benefit more than 16.17 lakh children across 53,065 Anganwadi centres in Gujarat under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.
Key Details of the Revision
The Women and Child Development Department announced the decision on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, covering children aged three to six years. The existing expenditure of ₹5.10 per beneficiary per day will continue to be shared equally by the Centre and the state under the existing cost-sharing arrangement. Gujarat will independently bear the entire additional increment of ₹3.40 per child per day, bringing the total daily allocation to ₹8.50.
Officials noted that the revised rate is designed to strengthen local procurement of ingredients and provide a more varied, nutritionally balanced menu for young children attending Anganwadis.
What the New Menu Includes
The daily allocation has been itemised in the department's resolution. It includes ₹1.24 for tuvar dal, ₹1.30 for whole green gram, 85 paise for whole chickpeas, 52.5 paise for jaggery, 83 paise for seasonal green vegetables, and ₹2 for fruits. An additional 65 paise covers peanuts or sesame seeds, 60 paise for spices, and 50 paise for local transportation costs.
Children will receive a hot breakfast at 11 am and a hot meal at 1:30 pm. The expanded weekly menu features boiled or sprouted green gram, thick tuvar dal, vegetable pulao, muthia prepared with green vegetables, spiced chickpeas, green gram with rice and vegetables, and seasonal fruits. Traditional items such as sheera, sukhdi, bottle gourd dhebra, jaggery pudla, bhakhri, dhokla, and idli are also included.
Why the State Is Funding the Gap
Under the ICDS framework, the Centre and states co-share base nutrition expenditure. By choosing to fund the additional ₹3.40 per child per day entirely from the state exchequer, Gujarat avoids triggering a renegotiation of the central share — allowing it to implement the enhanced provision immediately without depending on additional central approval. The total additional annual outgo is pegged at ₹80 crore.
This approach also signals a degree of fiscal flexibility at the state level, and notably comes at a time when child malnutrition and anaemia indicators in several Indian states remain areas of public health concern.
Government's Statement
According to officials, 'The decision has been taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with guidance from Women and Child Development Minister Manisha Vakil.' The department has issued a detailed plan setting out the quantities and per-unit costs of each ingredient to be procured for daily meal preparation at Anganwadi centres.
What Happens Next
The department is expected to operationalise the revised procurement rates across all 53,065 Anganwadis in the state. The revised arrangement combines higher financial support with a more diverse menu, while also strengthening the system for locally sourcing ingredients — a move that could benefit small-scale suppliers in rural Gujarat. Implementation timelines for full rollout have not been specified in the department's resolution.
Point of View
But the real test is whether the itemised allocations — some as small as 52.5 paise for jaggery — translate into consistent, quality meals on the ground or get eroded by local procurement inefficiencies. Gujarat's decision to absorb the entire ₹80 crore additional cost itself is a defensible policy call that bypasses central bureaucracy, but it also means there is no independent federal accountability for outcomes. With child anaemia and stunting still persistent challenges in India, state-level nutrition upgrades like this matter — yet they need robust monitoring to avoid becoming budget line items that don't move health indicators.
NationPress
14 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
By how much has Gujarat increased the Anganwadi meal budget?
Gujarat has increased the daily procurement rate for hot cooked meals at Anganwadis by 67%, from ₹5.10 to ₹8.50 per child per day. The state will bear the entire additional cost of ₹3.40 per child per day, amounting to approximately ₹80 crore annually.
How many children will benefit from the revised Anganwadi meal rate in Gujarat?
More than 16.17 lakh children aged three to six years across 53,065 Anganwadi centres in Gujarat will benefit. The revised rate applies under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme.
What new food items have been added to the Anganwadi menu in Gujarat?
The revised menu includes whole green gram (moong), whole chickpeas, seasonal green vegetables, and fruits, along with peanuts or sesame seeds. Traditional Gujarati items such as dhokla, bhakhri, sukhdi, and idli are also part of the weekly hot meal schedule.
Who will pay for the increased Anganwadi meal cost in Gujarat?
The Gujarat state government will bear the entire additional expenditure of ₹3.40 per child per day. The existing base rate of ₹5.10 per child per day continues to be shared equally between the Centre and the state under the ICDS cost-sharing framework.
Who announced the Anganwadi meal budget hike in Gujarat?
The Women and Child Development Department announced the decision on 14 October 2026. Officials attributed it to the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Women and Child Development Minister Manisha Vakil.
