The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme is one of India’s oldest and largest government programmes for early childhood development and nutrition. Launched in 1975, it provides a comprehensive package of services to children under 6 years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers through a network of Anganwadi centres across rural, tribal, and urban slum areas.<\/p>\n
ICDS is implemented through Anganwadi centres (AWCs), with one Anganwadi worker and one helper per centre. Each centre typically serves a population of 400 to 800 in rural areas. The scheme delivers six core services:<\/p>\n
1. **Supplementary nutrition** – take home rations or hot cooked meals for children aged 6 months to 6 years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers
\n2. **Immunisation** – coordinated with the National Health Mission for vaccination of children and pregnant women
\n3. **Health check-up** – regular growth monitoring and health screening for young children
\n4. **Referral services** – identifying and referring sick children and severely malnourished cases to health facilities
\n5. **Pre-school non-formal education** – early childhood education for children aged 3 to 6 years before formal schooling
\n6. **Nutrition and health education** – for mothers and adolescent girls on diet, hygiene, child care, and health<\/p>\n
– Children from 0 to 6 years of age
\n– Pregnant and lactating women
\n– Adolescent girls in selected blocks (under the Sabla scheme)<\/p>\n
India has over 13 lakh Anganwadi centres. The Anganwadi worker is a community woman who acts as the front-line link between the government and local families. She tracks births, monitors child growth, delivers nutrition, and refers cases to the health system.<\/p>\n
The government specifies caloric and protein norms:
\n– Severely malnourished children: 800 calories and 20-25 grams of protein per day
\n– Normal children: 500 calories and 12-15 grams of protein per day
\n– Pregnant and lactating women: 600 calories and 18-20 grams of protein per day<\/p>\n
In 2021, ICDS was restructured under POSHAN 2.0 as the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 mission, with upgraded Anganwadi centres (Saksham Anganwadis), stronger data systems, and focus on the first 1,000 days of life as critical for nutritional outcomes.<\/p>\n