ICDS

Integrated Child Development Scheme was started in the year 1975 as a pilot project with the following objectives :

1.  To improve the health and nutritional status of children in the age group of 0-6 years.
2.  To let the foundation of proper psychological, physical and social development of the children.
3.  To reduce the incidents of mortality, morbidity, and malnutrition and school drop outs.
4.  To achieve effective co-ordination of policy and integration amongst various departments to promote child development.
5.  To enhance the capability of mother to look after the normal health and nutritional need of the children through proper nutrition and health education.

The ICDS Project has been trying to reach its target through services like :-

1. Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP)
2. Immunisation Programme
3. Pre-School Education Programme
4. Health Check-up
5. Referral Services
6. Health and Nutrition Education

ICDS is one of the largest Early Childhood Care & Education programme of India. This scheme is aimed in improving the health & nutritional status of children below 6 years of age, reducing the rate of malnutrition, mortality, morbidity and rate of school dropout of children, giving children opportunity for proper foundation of their physical, mental & social development. It also helps to enhance the capability of mothers to look after the nutritional & health status of their children.

In order to arrive at the target, ICDS Projects have been sanctioned in different areas of the country- in rural, tribal and urban slum areas. Anganwadi Centres are the main point at grass root level through which the services of ICDS are being catered to its child and mother beneficiaries. Anganwadi Worker is the key person of the AWC and she is assisted by an Anganwadi Helper.

In Urban slum & rural areas each AWC covers a population of 500-1000 and in tribal areas it is 300-700.Recently, Adolescent Girls are also brought in to the purview of ICDS and they are given Health & Nutrition Education, awareness on Social Issues (Dowry, Early marriage, Trafficking, Rights of Women, Atrocities to Women etc) Also they are providing with Albendazole Tablets (for de-warming) and IFA tablets (to combat anemia). Vocational training is also given to selected Adolescent Girls through Kishory Shakti Yojana Scheme in different ICDS Project.

How it is Functioning

1. Through the AWCs , AWWs are catering services during four hours of the day
2. Presently Rice-khichuri with mixed vegetables is provided as Supplementary Nutrition. Boiled egg is also providing to children and mothers as morning snacks.
3. Pre-school programme is done for the children of age group 3-6 yrs through Play-way method using different teaching aids, like – charts, toys or playing equipments.
4. Immunisation programme is done against 6 killer diseases with the help of Health staff.
5. Health and Nutrition Education is done through Mothers’ meeting and Home visit by AWWs with the help of ANMs.
6. Growth Monitoring is done taking weight of children below 5 years of age, plotting on Growth Chart and advising mothers accordingly.