ASHAs and Anganwadi Workers Strengthen India’s Grassroots Social Infrastructure

More than 10.40 lakh Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and 10.58 lakh trained Anganwadi workers are supporting community healthcare and early childhood services across rural India, strengthening decentralised service delivery and local institutions, according to a government factsheet issued on Sunday.

The network of trained grassroots workers plays a key role in implementing government programmes, mobilising communities and providing essential services and assistance at the village level.

The factsheet said more than 9 lakh Community Resource Persons (CRPs) are active across rural areas, supporting sectors including agriculture, banking, insurance and community development.

Of these, nearly 4.08 lakh CRPs are engaged in livelihoods linked to agriculture, allied activities and rural enterprises. They work in specialised roles such as Krishi Sakhis, Pashu Sakhis, Matsya Sakhis and Van Sakhis.

Another nearly 5 lakh CRPs serve as Bank Sakhis, Business Correspondent Sakhis, Financial Literacy CRPs, Bima Sakhis and Gender Champions, providing grassroots support in financial inclusion, financial literacy, insurance, gender awareness and community development.

Frontline workers such as Swachhagrahis also contribute to sanitation-related activities, the factsheet said.

At the centre of this community-based approach is the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), which has created one of the country’s largest networks of women-led community institutions.

The mission has mobilised more than 10 crore rural households into around 92 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across the country.

The institutional network is also being used to promote rural entrepreneurship. Nearly 48,785 Udyog Sakhis are supporting non-farm livelihoods, while CRP-EPs provide specialised assistance under the Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP).

As of June 2026, a total of 4.32 lakh enterprises had been supported under SVEP, according to the factsheet.

Building on this network, the government is implementing the National Campaign on Entrepreneurship, under which 50,000 CRPs are to be trained in enterprise promotion, while enterprise development training will be provided to 50 lakh SHG members.

Women-led community cadres are also playing an important role in expanding access to financial services in villages. Business Correspondent (BC) Sakhis and Bank Sakhis, promoted and trained under DAY-NRLM, function as grassroots financial intermediaries.

More than 1.48 lakh BC Sakhis are providing doorstep digital financial services, including account opening, deposits, withdrawals, fund transfers and balance enquiries.

At the branch level, more than 50,548 Bank Sakhis are facilitating access to formal credit.

Since 2013-14, Bank Sakhis have helped SHGs access Rs 13.41 lakh crore in bank credit, the factsheet said.

The financial inclusion ecosystem is further supported by 56,727 Financial Literacy CRPs, who conduct awareness campaigns at the village level to improve financial awareness and access to formal financial services.

Together, these community cadres form a broad grassroots network supporting healthcare, nutrition, livelihoods, entrepreneurship, sanitation and financial inclusion across rural India.