ICDS Scheme

Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is a government welfare program that provides food, preschool education, and primary healthcare to children under 6 years of age and their mothers.
The scheme was started in 1975 and aims at the holistic development of children and the empowerment of mothers. It is a Centrally-Sponsored scheme. The scheme primarily runs through the Anganwadi center. The scheme is under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

ICDS Objectives:

The chief objectives of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme are as follows:

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.

Integrated Child Development Services is Centrally-Sponsored and will provide the following six services to the beneficiaries:

These services are provided by Anganwadi centers established mainly in rural areas and staffed with frontline workers.