Launched on 2nd October, 1975, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is one of the flagship programmes of the Government of India (The Ministry of Women and Child Development) and represents one of the world’s largest and unique programmes for early childhood care and development.
Features of ICDS Program
- The beneficiaries under the Scheme are children in the age group of 0-6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
- Objectives of the Scheme are:
. 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 coordination of policy and implementation amongst the various departments to promote child development;
. 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.
Components of the ICDS Program
- Supplementary nutrition
Target group is children below 6 years and pregnant and lactating mothers.
- Pre-school non-formal education
Target group is children between 3-6 years old.
- Nutrition & health education
Target group is women between 15-45 years old.
- Immunization
Target group is children below 6 years and pregnant and lactating mothers.
- Health check-up
Target group is children below 6 years and pregnant and lactating mothers.
- Referral services
Target group is children below 6 years and pregnant and lactating mothers.
- The last three services are related to health and are provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare through NRHM & health system. The perception of providing a package of services is based primarily on the consideration that the overall impact will be much larger if the different services develop in an integrated manner as the efficacy of a particular service depends upon the support it receives from the related services.
Funding Pattern
- Prior to 2005-06, providing supplementary nutrition was the responsibility of the States and administrative cost was provided by the Government of India as 100% central assistance. The nutrition costs were meagre and coverage of the programme in all villages/ habitations was also limited and not universal.
- Since many States were not providing adequate supplementary nutrition in view of resource constraints, it was decided in 2005-06 to support the States/ UTs up to 50% of the financial norms or to support 50% of expenditure incurred by them on supplementary nutrition, whichever is less.
- Since 2009-10, the 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).
