Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) ...

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme; Its Functionings

Author Name : Kondigari Rakesh, Dr. Dubba Ranjith

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56025/IJARESM.2022.1091496

ABSTRACT

The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, a centrally sponsored Scheme, was launched in 1975 in 33 Projects in the Community Development Blocks and 4891 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) on a pilot basis keeping in view the need to holistically address health, nutrition and education needs of children. The ICDS Scheme was introduced as a collaborative initiative of the Government of India, State Governments and the community. The ICDS has expanded tremendously over its 35 years of operation to cover all Development Blocks and major slums in the country. ICDS is the world’s largest community based outreach programme which offers a package of health, nutrition and education services to children below 6 years and pregnant and lacting mothers. Main objective of this paper is functioning and its schemes of ICDS in Telangana. The majority (89.6%) of the participants knows that children below six years of age and pregnant women (58.5%) are the beneficiaries of supplementary nutrition. However, the majority of the people do not know about the referral services and nutrition and health education services from Anganwadi. The major problem faced by Anganwadi workers includes an inadequate honorarium, large target area, excessive record maintenance and infrastructure-related problems.

Keywords: Anganwadi Centres, (ICDS), nutrition education, pregnant women, Community Development.