Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS)

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) was launched on 2nd October 1975, in pursuance of the national policy for children in 33 experimental blocks. Success of the scheme stimulated the expansion of scheme to 2499 projects by the end of March 1991. During the year 1991-92,75 new projects were sanctioned. It is the largest nutrition programme implemented by Government of India. At present about 1.85 lakhs anganwadis are providing supplementary nutrition (SN) to 142.52 lakhs children, pregnant and nursing mothers. 

Beneficiaries : The beneficiaries are children below 6 years, pregnant and lactating mothers and women in the age group of 15 to 44 years. 

Objectives : The objectives of the scheme are: 

• to improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age group of 0-6 years 
• to lay the foundations tor proper psychological, physical and social development of the child 
• to reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school drop- outs 
• to achieve effective co-ordination of policy and implementation amongst the various departments to promote child development; and 
• to enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutrition and health education.

Activities : The following services are provided  under the programme 

• Supplementary nutrition (SN) 
• Immunisation 
• Health check-up 
• Referral services 
• Treatment of minor illnesses 
• Nutrition and health education to women 
• Pre-school education to children in the age group of 3-6 years 
• Convergence of other supportive services like water supply, sanitation etc. 

Supplementary nutrition is provided  for 300 days a year. On the spot feeding is done as far as possible at the Anganwadi. All children eligible beneficiaries receive daily ration of 300 calories with 8 to 10 g protein. Severely malnourished children, pregnant and lactating mothers receive daily supplementary nutrition providing 600 calories and 18-20 g protein. 

The eligible beneficiaries are provided  iron and folic acid tablets and massive dose of vitamin A through the health infrastructure existing  in the ICDS project area. 

The Cost of Supplementary nutrition provided is 

i) Children (6 months to 72 months)                  75 paise per child per day 

       (grade I & II children) 

ii)  Severely malnourished                                 125 paise per child per day 

      (6 months to 72 months) 

iii)  Pregnant and nursing mother                       105 paise per beneficiary per day 

(Source : Central Technical Committee, Ministry of Welfare 1991) 

Organisation : ICDS is a multisectoral programme and involves several government departments and their services are co-ordinated at the village, block, district, state and central levels. The primary responsibility for the implementation of the programme lies with the Department of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Welfare at the centre and the nodal department at the state, which may be Social Welfare, Rural Development, Tribal Welfare or Health etc. The anganwadi worker is the most peripheral functionary who implements the programme services at the village community level.