Background
- Launched on 2nd October 1975
- Represents one of the world’s largest and unique programmes for early childhood care and development.
- Country’s commitment to its children and nursing mothers, as a response to the challenge of providing pre-school non-formal education.
Aims to Reduce
- Malnutrition
- Morbidity
- Mortality
- Reduced Learning Capacity
Beneficiaries under the Scheme
- Pregnant women
- lactating mothers
- Children in the age group of 0-6 years
Objectives:
- to improve the nutritional and health status of children in the age-group 0-6 years
- to lay the foundation for proper psychological, physical and social development of the child
- to reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropout
- 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.
Services Under ICDS
- Supplementary Nutrition
- Nutrition & health education
- Pre-school non-formal education
- Health check-up
- Referral services
- Immunization
The Delivery of Services to the Beneficiaries
| Supplementary Nutrition | Children > 6 Pregnant and Lactating Mothers | Anganwadi Worker and Anganwadi Helper (MWCD) |
| Immunization | Children > 6 Pregnant and Lactating Mothers | ANM/MO [Health system, MHFW] |
| Health Check-up | Children > 6 Pregnant and Lactating Mothers | ANM/MO/AWW [Health system, MHFW] |
| Referral Services | Children > 6 Pregnant and Lactating Mothers | ANM/MO/AWW [Health system, MHFW] |
| Pre-School Education | Children 3-6 years | AWW [MWCD] |
| Nutrition & Health Education | Women (15-45 years) | AWW/ANM/MO [Health system, MHFW & MWCD] |
Funding Pattern
- Since 2009-10, Government of India has modified the sharing pattern of the ICDS Scheme between the Centre and States.
- The sharing pattern of supplementary nutrition in respect of North-Eastern States between Centre and States has been changed from 50:50 to 90:10 ratios.
- In respect of other States/UTs, the existing sharing pattern in respect of supplementary nutrition is 50:50.
- The existing cost sharing ratio for other components is 90:10 except the new components approved under Strengthening & Restructuring for which it is 75:25 (90:10 for NER).
Inclusion of New Components
- Government has approved the Strengthening and Restructuring of ICDS Scheme with an allocation of Rs. 1,23,580 crore during 12th Five Year Plan.
- Repositioning the AWC as a “vibrant ECD centre” to become the first village outpost for health, nutrition and early learning – minimum of six hours of working, etc.
- Construction of AWC Building, appropriate infrastructure
- Addl. Worker in 200 high burden districts and Link workers in others district on demand by State/UT
- Revised PSE Kit @ Rs 3000 and activity books for children
- Revision of rent for AWC building up to Rs.750, Rs.3000 and Rs.5000 per month per unit for Rural/Tribal, Urban and Metropolitan cities respectively
- Crèche services in 5% of the AWCs.
- Prevent and reduce young child under-nutrition (% underweight children 0-3 years) by 10 percentage point.
Revised Nutrition and Feeding Norms under SNP
- Under the revised Nutritional and Feeding norms which have been made effective from February 2009, State Governments/UTs have been requested to provide 300 days of supplementary food to the beneficiaries in a year which would entail giving more than one meal to the children from 3-6 years who visit AWCs.
- For children below 3 years of age, pregnant and lactating mothers, Take Home Rations (THRs) in the form of pre-mixes/ready-to-eat food are provided
- .Besides, for severely underweight children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years, additional food items in the form of micronutrient fortified food and/or energy dense food as THR is provided.
- (i) Children (6-72 months) Rs.4.00 Rs.6.00
- (ii) Severely underweight children (6-72 months) Rs.6.00 Rs.9.00
- (iii) Pregnant women and Nursing mothers Rs.5.00 Rs.7.00
- The revised rates followed the roll out of restructured ICDS in a phased manner ie. 200 high burden districts in 2012-13, 200 districts in 2013-14 and remaining districts in 2014-15.
Benefits for AWW/AWH
- Paid absence of 180 days of maternity leave
- Govt. of India introduced `Anganwadi Karyakartri Bima Yojana’ to Anganwadi Workers/Anganwadi Helpers w.e.f.1.4.2004 under Life Insurance Corporation’s Social Security Scheme. Natural death: Rs. 30,000 Accidental benefit Death/ Total permanent disability: Rs. 75,000: Partial permanent disability Rs. 37,500
- Under this Bima Yojana, a free add on scholarship is available for the children of the members who are covered under the scheme.
- Scholarship of Rs.300/- per quarter for students of 9th to 12th standard [including ITI courses] would be provided. Scholarship is limited to two children per family.
- Scheme of Award for Anganwadi Workers has been introduced, both at the National and State Level. The Award comprises Rs.25,000/- cash and a Citation at Central level and Rs.5000/- cash and a Citation at State level.
- An amount of Rs. 20,000/- is payable on the diagnosis of invasive cancers.
Implementation of ICDS Scheme as per State Annual Programme Implementation Plan (APIP)
- The Government of India has introduced development of Annual Programme Implementation Plans (APIPs) in ICDS since 2011-12 in a prescribed format.
- The APIP mode of programme implementation in ICDS Scheme is one of the key aspects of the recently approved strengthened and restructured ICDS Scheme for the 12th Plan (2012-17)
- The States/UTs were also informed that from 2013-14, submission of the APIP by the States/UTs in the prescribed format will be mandatory and the second as well as any subsequent instalments of funds from GOI will be released to the States/UTs only after approval of the APIP, according to the demand justified in the APIP.
Cooperation with Development Partners
- Currently the Govt. of India collaborates with UNICEF based on an agreed five year Country Programme Action Plans (CPAP). The current CPAP 2013-17 was signed between the Ministry of Women and Child Development and UNICEF on 21 January 2013 with an estimated budget US$ 750 million.
- DFID (Department for International Development, Govt. of United Kingdom): Provides technical assistance to ICDS in three States (Odisha, MP and Bihar) and also at the central level to support restructured ICDS. Delloite India is supporting DFID as Technical Support Agency (TSA) by providing field level technical assistance.
- WFP (World Food Programme): Provides technical assistance to the Ministry at the central level and also provides technical support in ICDS implementation.
- CARE India: Supporting the Ministry in strengthening ICDS MIS.
Sneha Shivir
- Government has initiated the roll out of a Community based care programme for undernourished children under 6 years across the country through the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme. Restructured and strengthened ICDS scheme comprises a number of new components.
- SNEHA SHIVIRs organized during the 12 day session would largely include
- Selection of moderate and severe undernourished children (preferably not more than 15 per AWC / cluster)
- Orientation of mothers and caregivers of selected children
- Weight monitoring of the selected children
- Deworming of these children
- Complete immunization for these children
- 12 day hands-on practice sessions for mothers and care givers to promote improved feeding and child care practices.
- Recording of weight on first day, 12th day and after 18 day
- Repeat of session for each child till child becomes normal.
Introduction of WHO Growth Standards
- The Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Health have adopted the New WHO Child Growth Standard in India on 15th of August, 2008 for monitoring the Growth of Children through ICDS and NRHM.
