Integrated Child Development scheme

The Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) Scheme providing for supplementary nutrition, immunization and pre-school education to the children is a popular flagship programme of the government. Launched in 1975, it is one of the world’s largest programmes providing for an integrated package of services for the holistic development of the child. ICDS is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented by state governments and union territories. The scheme is universal covering all the districts of the country.

The Scheme has been renamed as Anganwadi Services. The services are now offerered as part of the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 ( Poshan 2.0)  - an
Integrated Nutrition Support Programme for the duration of the 15th Finance Commission period i.e. from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

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.

Beneficiaries

• Children in the age group of 0-6 years
• Pregnant women and
• Lactating mothers
• Adolescent Girls (14-18 years) in Aspirational Districts and North Eastern States

This Scheme is open to all eligible beneficiaries on demand, irrespective of caste, religion and income criteria.

Services under ICDS

The ICDS Scheme offers a package of six services, viz.

• Supplementary Nutrition
• Pre-school non-formal education
• Nutrition & health education
• Immunization
• Health check-up and
• Referral services

Three of the six services viz. immunization, health check-up and referral services are related to health and are provided through National Health Mission and Public Health Infrastructure. The services are offered at Anganwadi Centres through Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHS) at grassroots level.

* AWW assists ANM in identifying the target group.

Funding pattern

• All components of ICDS except Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) are financed through a 60:40 ratio (central : state). The Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) component was funded through a 50:50 ratio. The North East states have a 90:10 ratio.
• Under SNP, beneficiaries are given hot meals along with take-home rations. For children, the quantum of rations and meals received depends on their malnutrition levels. SNP is provided for 300 days at the rate of Rs 8 per day for children (6-72 months) and Rs 9.50 per day for pregnant and lactating mothers and Adolescent Girls (14-18 years) (whereever applicable). Severely malnourished children are allocated Rs 12 per day. 
• All AWCs are also given the following
  • Medicine Kit - AWCs - Rs 1,500/- per annum, Mini-AWC - Rs 750/- per annum.
  • Pre-School Kit/ ECCE (including Training)- Rs 3,000/- per AWC once in 5 year and Rs. 1,000/- per AWC per annum for 4 years.
  • Administrative Expenses - AWCs - Rs 2,000/- per annum; Mini-AWCs - Rs 1,000/- per annum
  • IEC - AWCs Rs 1,000/- per annum
  • Rent (per month) - AWCs/Mini-AWCs - Rural/Tribal - Rs 2,000, Urban - Rs 6,000, Metropolitan - Rs 8,000
  • Maintenance of building (for Government owned AWC buildinqs onlv) - AWCs/Mini-AWCs - Rs 3,000/- per annum.
  • Equipment/Furniture (once in 5 years) - AWCs - Rs 10,000/-, Mini-AWCs - Rs 7,000/- to cover the cost of water filter for serving safe cleanwater, furniture, equipments, etc.
• Construction of AWC building under Convergence with MGNREGS : @ Rs.12.00 lakh per AWC out of which Rs.8.00 lakh would be provided under MGNREGS, Rs.2.00 lakh under 15th FC funds (any other untied funds) and Rs.2.00 lakh by MWCD per AWC to be shared between Centre and States/UTs in the prescribed cost sharing ratio
• Construction of toilets in existing AWCs in Govt. building. - taken up under Swachh Bharat Mission
• Drinking Water Facilities - taken up under Swachh Bharat Mission
• Upgradation of AWCs as Saksham Anganwadi : Rs. 1,00,000/- per AWC per Govt. owned AWCs out of which: -
  
  • Rs.75,000/- per AWCs for 30,000 AWCs every year.
  • Rs.1.00 lakh per AWC for 10,000 AWCs, which would be provided LED Screen.
  • Components are:
    
    • Poshan Vatika** @ Rs.10,000 per Poshan Vatika
    • Rain Water Harvesting - @Rs.16,000/- per unit
    • LED Screen @ Rs.25,000/- per Screen for selected 10000 AWCs per annum
    • Water Purifier/RO Machine - @ Rs.10000/- per unit
    • Wifi/pen drives, maintenance of RO machines, accessories etc.
    • ECCE and related activities (learning and playing material)
• For AWWs and AWHs
  • The AWWs and AWHs are paid fixed honorarium per month as decided by the Government from time to time.  With effect from October, 2018, the AWWs and AWHs are paid honoraria of Rs.4,500/- per month and Rs.2250/- per month.  Workers of Mini-Anganwadi Centres are being paid honoraria of Rs.3500/- .
  • There is a provision of incentives for the field functionaries against expected regular tasks as specified in guidelines issued to States/UTs by MoWCD. This remains continued @ Rs 500/- and @ Rs 250/- per month for AWW and AWH respectively.
  • Apart from these, additional amount of honoraria is also paid by most of the State Governments /UT Administrations from their own resources.
  • AWWs and AWHs are provided a uniform (saris) in kind or cash (an honorarium of Rs 400) every year.
  • PMJBBY, AWWs/AWHs upto age of 50 years, PMSBY for AWWs/AWHs up to the age of 59 years and modified AKBY for AWWs/AWHs beyond 50 years as on 01.06.20I7 (Entire cost of premium to be borne by GoI/LIC)

Guidelines for Performance Incentives under POSHAN 2.0 - Monthly Incentives for Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers 

Population Norms for Setting up of AWCs/Mini-AWCs

• There will be 1 Anganwadi centre (AWC) for population of 400-800; 2 AWCs for 800-1600; 3 AWCs for 1600-2400 and thereafter in multiples of 800 -1 AWC.
• The norms for one AWC for Tribal/Riverine/Desert, Hilly and other difficult areas will be 300-800
• Norms for one Mini AWC will be 150-400.
• Norms for Anganwadi on Demand (AOD) - Where a settlement has at least 40 children under 6 years of age but no AWC

ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP)

The overall goal of the project is to improve nutritional and early childhood development outcomes of children in India. Key objectives of Phase 1 are to support the GoI and the selected States to

• strengthen the ICDS policy framework, systems and capacities, and facilitate community engagement, to ensure greater focus on children under three years of age in the project districts; and
• strengthen convergent actions for improved nutrition outcomes in the stipulated districts.

The project will be implemented in identified 162 districts having higher proportion of child under - nutrition across eight States, viz. Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh . Besides, urban pilots will be undertaken in and around NCR of Delhi and convergent nutrition actions pilots in some selected districts in two non - project States viz., Odisha and Uttarakhand. To get the list of districts, click here.

Source : ICDS, Ministry of Women and Child development

Related resources

1. ICDS website
2. ISSNIP website
3. Locate your Anganwadi centre