Integrated Child Development scheme

Objectives
Beneficiaries
Services under ICDS
Funding pattern
Population Norms for Setting up of AWCs/Mini-AWCs
ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project (ISSNIP)
Related resources
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. It is one of the world’s largest programs 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.

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
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.

The delivery of services to the beneficiaries is as follows:
Services

Target Group

Service provided by

(i) Supplementary Nutrition Children below 6 years,
Pregnant & Lactating Mothers (P&LM) Anganwadi Worker and Anganwadi Helper
(Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD))

(ii) Immunization* Children below 6 years,
Pregnant & Lactating Mothers (P&LM) ANM /MO
Health system, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)
iii) Health Check-up* Children below 6 years,
Pregnant & Lactating Mothers (P&LM) ANM/MO/AWW
(Health system, MHFW)

(iv) Referral Services Children below 6 years,
Pregnant & Lactating Mothers (P&LM) AWW/ANM/MO
(Health system, MoHFW)
v) Pre-School Education Children 3-6 years AWW
(MWCD)
(vi) Nutrition & Health Education Women (15-45 years) AWW/ANM/MO
(Health system, MoHFW & MWCD)
* 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 and Rs 9.50 for pregnant and lactating mothers. Severely malnourished children are allocated Rs 12 per day. Adolescent Girls (11-14 years out of school) are allocated Rs 9.50 per day.
All AWCs are given an annual grant or flexipool of Rs1,000 per annum for meeting emergency costs like referral arrangements, shortage of medicines and utensils. Mainternance grant of Rs 2,000 per annum is given to AWCs functioning in government owned or non-rental buildings.
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/- . In addition, monthly performance linked incentive of Rs.250/- is also being paid to Anganwadi Helpers for facilitating proper functioning of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs). 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 300) every year.
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