Integrated Child Development Services

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).