Authors : Pushpa Akshaya Miriyala , Armaan Sareen , Shravani Tharanath
Citation
Pushpa Akshaya Miriyala, Armaan Sareen, & Shravani Tharanath. (2026). OUTPUT VS OUTCOME ANALYSIS OF PMAYG & POSHAN ABHIYAAN SCHEMES. Institute For Policy Research and Governance. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20651184
Abstract :
India’s flagship welfare schemes – Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) and POSHAN Abhiyaan, represent landmark commitments to rural housing provisioning and nutritional security respectively. Yet persistent gap separates the administrative growth outputs with substantive development outcomes. This paper undertakes a qualitative output-versus- outcome analysis of both schemes, interrogating structural gaps between quantitative delivery metrics – houses sanctioned, anganwadi coverage, beneficiaries enrolled and lived realities of human capability enhancement. The study critically examines how implementation accuracy, convergence deficits, workforce vacancies, community level absorption mediate the translation of output impact to welfare impact. Data from NFHS-4&5 trends, CAG audit observations, POSHAN tracker data bring a systemic mark: output saturation co-existing with outcome stagnation. The paper argues for realigned evaluation that centres nutritional security and housing quality as primary indices of scheme effectiveness over mere physical completion rates.
KEYWORDS
Maternal Morbidity, Open Defecation (ODF), Aspirational Districts, Anganwadi Health
Workers (AHW), Take Home Rations, Growth Monitoring Promotion Sessions.