Assam Anganwadi workers protest new facial recognition, OTP system for child rations

Guwahati, Aug 21: The Assam State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Association (ASAWHA) has voiced strong opposition to the implementation of the Facial Recognition System (FRS) and OTP-based verification for distributing rations under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).

Staging a protest in front of Meghdoot Bhawan in Guwahati on Thursday, the ASAWHA's Kamrup Metropolitan District Committee submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, through the Police Commissioner, demanding immediate withdrawal of the system.

The memorandum highlights the severe challenges posed by the mandatory FRS and OTP process, introduced by the Union Ministry.

Under the system, beneficiaries such as pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children between six months and three years are required to authenticate their identity through facial recognition and OTP verification linked to Aadhaar.

“Instead of simplifying our work, digitisation has become a nightmare. Biometric identification, digital education, and now FRS have only increased stress. In Bihar, a worker even died while handling the FRS system. The government must scrap it before more lives are affected,” the memorandum stated.

Workers also allege that the system is "impractical" and is "depriving genuine beneficiaries" of their entitlements.

“We are organising Black Day against FRS. We don’t want FRS as it puts us in deep trouble. We aren’t able to give benefits to the beneficiaries because of the system,” said a protesting worker.

The association pointed out that in rural Assam, many poor families do not own mobile phones, while some share a single number among multiple family members.

In several cases, phones remain switched off during work hours or lack active recharges, making OTP authentication impossible. This, workers say, has led to beneficiaries being wrongly excluded.

The association has demanded that the FRS be withdrawn immediately, beneficiaries be reinstated without unnecessary verification hurdles, and that budgetary commitments for supplementary nutrition and hot cooked food be implemented on time.