Context:

India must strengthen its existing social sector schemes, such as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), to tackle high prevalence of stunting, wasting, and anemia.

About  Integrated Child Development Services Scheme:

• ICDS Scheme is a flagship program of the Government of India that aims to improve the health, nutrition, and development of children aged 0-6 years. 
• The ICDS Scheme was launched in 1975.
• It is implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. 
• It operates through a vast network of Anganwadi centers, which are grassroots-level service delivery points in both rural and urban areas.

Key Features of the ICDS Scheme:

• Improving the Nutritional and Health Status of Children: It provides a package of services that include supplementary nutrition, immunization, health check-ups, and referral services.
• Enhancing the Cognitive and Social Development of children: The scheme provides non-formal pre-school education to children aged 3-6 years to promote early learning and school readiness. 
• Promoting the Overall Development of Children: The scheme emphasizes the holistic development of children by providing access to early childhood care and development services.
• Empowering Women and Promoting Gender Equality: The ICDS Scheme promotes gender equality by providing equal opportunities for girls in education and nutrition.

Outcome of Various Studies regarding ICDS:

• World Development: A study published in World Development demonstrated the ICDS’s positive impact on cognitive achievements, especially among girls and those from economically disadvantaged families. 
• The University of Chicago Press Journals:Another peer-reviewed study in The University of Chicago Press Journals found that children who were exposed to ICDS during the first three years of life completed 0.1-0.3 more grades of schooling than those who were not. 
• Natural Library of Medicine: In a study published in the Natural Library of Medicine, it was found that adolescents aged 13-18, who born in villages with proper ICDS implementation, showed a 7.8% increased likelihood of school enrolment and completed an average of 0.8 additional grades compared to their peers who did not have access to the ICDS.

Challenges Faced by ICDS:

• Limited resources: The ICDS scheme often faces resource constraints, including budgetary limitations and shortage of trained personnel. 
• Quality of services: Ensuring consistent and high-quality service delivery across all Anganwadi centers is a challenge. 
• Reach and coverage: While the ICDS scheme aims to reach all children in the 0-6 age group, there are still gaps in coverage, particularly in remote and marginalized areas. 
• Despite four decades of relentless efforts, the ICDS still faces the herculean task of ameliorating the nutritional and health outcomes for children aged 0-6 years.

Benefits of Addition of anganwadi Workers to ICDS:

• First, it would lead to better health and educational outcomes.
• Second, children who remained enrolled also exhibited reduced rates of child stunting and severe malnutrition.
• Third, the cost of a nationwide roll-out of this model is relatively insignificant in comparison to the potential advantages it offers. 
• Fourth, the new Anganwadi worker can be given the responsibility of concentrating only on preschool and early childhood education.
• Fifth,  apart from improving the well-being of rural communities, this would create job opportunities for local residents, particularly women. 

Way Forward:

• Increase Investment and resources: Adequate funding is crucial for the effective implementation of the ICDS scheme. 
• Strengthen Training and Capacity Building: Continuous training programs should be implemented to keep them updated with the latest practices and research.
• Improve Monitoring and Evaluation: Establish robust monitoring and evaluation systems to assess the implementation of the ICDS scheme. 
• Strengthen Convergence with other Programs: Promote better coordination and convergence between ICDS and other relevant programs and services, such as health services, education, and women empowerment initiatives.
• Empowering Anganwadi Workers: A significant first step towards fortifying the programme is to empower Anganwadi workers. 
  • Though the cornerstone of the ICDS, they are frequently stretched beyond their limits.                                            

News Source: The Hindu