Integrated Child Development Services (India)
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Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) (Hindi: समेकित बाल विकास सेवाए), Government of
India sponsored programme, is India's primary social welfare scheme to tackle malnutritionand health
problems in children below 6 years of age and their mothers. The main beneficiaries of the programme
were aimed to be the girl child up to her adolescence, all children below 6 years of age, pregnant and
lactating mothers. The gender promotion of the girl child by trying to bring her at par with the male child is a
key component of the scheme.
Background[edit]
Majority of children in India have underprivileged childhoods starting from birth. The infant mortality rate of
Indian children is 44[1] and the under-five mortality rate is 93 and 25% of newborn children are underweight
among other nutritional, immunization and educational deficiencies of children in India. Figures for India are
substantially worse than the developing country average.[2]
Given such a daunting challenge, ICDS was first launched in 1975[3] in accordance to the National Policy
for Children in India.[4] Over the years it has grown into one of the largest integrated family and community
welfare schemes in the world.[2] Given its effectiveness over the last few decades, Government of India has
committed towards ensuring universal availability of the programme.[5]
Objectives[edit]
The predefined objectives of ICDS are:[3]
1. To raise the health and nutritional level of poor Indian children below 6 years of age
2. To create a base for proper mental, physical and social development of children in India
3. To reduce instances of mortality, malnutrition and school dropouts among Indian Children
4. To coordinate activities of policy formulation and implementation among all departments of various
ministries involved in the different government programmes and schemes aimed at child
development across India.
5. To provide health and nutritional information and education to mothers of young children to
enhance child rearing capabilities of mothers in country of India
6. To provide nutrirional food to the mothers of young children & also at the time of pregnancy
period .
Scope of Services[edit]
The following services are sponsored under ICDS to help achieve its objectives:[6]
1. Immunization
2. Supplementary nutrition
3. Health checkup
4. Referral services
5. Pre-school non formal education
6. Nutrition and Health information
Implementation[edit]
For nutritional purposes ICDS provides 300 calories (with 8-10 grams of protein) every day to every child
below 6 years of age.[7] For adolescent girls it is up to 500 calories with up to 25 grams of protein everyday.
Delivery of services under ICDS scheme is managed in an integrated manner through Anganwadi centres,
[Note 1]
its workers and helpers. The services of Immunisation, Health Check-up and Referral Services
delivered through Public Health Infrastructure under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
[3]
UNICEF has provided essential supplies for the ICDS scheme since 1975.[6]World Bank has also
assisted with the financial and technical support for the programme.[5] The cost of ICDS programme
averages $10–$22 per child a year.[5] The scheme is Centrally sponsored with the state governments
contributing up to 1.00 (1.6¢ US) per day per child.[7]
Furthermore, in 2008, the GOI adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for measuring and
monitoring the child growth and development, both for the ICDS and the National Rural Health
Mission (NRHM).[3] These standards were developed by WHO through an intensive study of six developing
countries since 1997.[3] They are known as New WHO Child Growth Standard and measure of physical
growth, nutritional status and motor development of children from birth to 5 years age. [8]
Impact[edit]
By end of 2010, the programme is claiming to reach 80.6 lakh expectant, pregnant and lactating mothers
along with 3.93 crore children (under 6 years of age).[6] There are 6,719 operational projects with 1,241,749
operational Aanganwadi centres.[3] Several positive benefits of the programme have been documented and
reported
A study in states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka demonstrated significant
improvement in the mental and social development of all children irrespective of their gender. [5]
A 1992 study of National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development confirmed
improvements in birth-weight and infant mortality of Indian children along with improved immunization
and nutrition.[5]
However, World Bank has also highlighted certain key shortcomings of the programme including inability to
target the girl child improvements, participation of wealthier children more than the poorer children and
lowest level of funding for the poorest and the most undernourished states of India. [9]
Notes