<h1>Government mandates facial recognition for anganwadi beneficiaries starting July 2025 for rations and attendance tracking</h1> The government mandated face recognition authentication for anganwadi beneficiaries starting July 2025, requiring facial recognition for take-home ration distribution and child attendance monitoring. Opposition party criticized the move, alleging systematic use of technology to exclude vulnerable populations from welfare programs. The party cited previous issues with biometric systems affecting beneficiary access, noting a decline in program participation from 96 lakh women in 2019-20 to 27 lakh in 2023-24. The new system requires facial recognition via biometric authentication for pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children, with mandatory implementation beginning July 1 for attendance and August 1 for new registrations.