Hit Counter0002538689Since: 06-09-2012
As Per 1991 census, India has around 150 million children, constituting 17.5% of India's population, who are below the age of 6 years. A large number of them live in economic and social environment which impede the child's physical and mental development. These conditions include poverty, poor environmental sanitation, disease, and infection, inadequate access to primary health care, inappropriate child caring and feeding practices. Government of India proclaimed "A National Policy on Children" in August 1974 declaring children as, "Supremely Important Asset". The policy provided the required framework for assigning priority to different needs of the child. The programme of the Integrated Child Development Services(ICDS) was launched in 1975 seeking to provide an integrated package of services in a convergent manner for the holistic development of the child.
Objective & Package of Services:
These objectives are achieved through a package of services mentioned below:
Anganwadi centre is the focal point of delivery of these projects. Anganwadi centres are managed by one Anganwadi Worker, assisted by Anganwadi Helper.
Expenditure of ICDS:
Alongside gradual expansion of the Scheme, there has also been a significant increase in the Central Government's spending on implementation of the Scheme. As against the expenditure of only Rs. 1190.21 crores during 17 years,i.e. 1975-76 to 1991-92, the expenditure during the five years of the 8th Plan period was Rs. 2271.28 crores representing 191% increase in during just 5 years period as compared to 17 years period. The expenditure of Rs.2271.28 crores during VIIIth Plan was against the approved VIIIth Plan outlay of Rs.1285.74 crores for ICDS. During 1999-2000, against the budgetary allocation of Rs.855.76 crores , an amount of approximately Rs. 772 crores has been released upto Sept. 1999.
World Bank Assisted ICDS Projects:
ICDS-1:
The World Bank evinced interest in funding schemes significantly contributing towards raising the status of health, nutrition and education of women and children and funded Tamil Nadu Integrated Nutrition Project (TINP), a State sector Project for Tamil Nadu during the period 1980-89. Subsequently encouraged with the success of the Project, the World Bank funded the ICDS programme. The first World Bank assisted ICDS Project covering 110 blocks in Andhra Pradesh and 191 blocks in Orissa was launched in 1990-91. The Project covered tribal blocks and socio-economically backward rural blocks in the two States. The World Bank committed assistance to the tune of to US $ 74 million. The Project closed on 31st December, 1997. The available credit under the Project has been fully utilized.
ICDS-II:
The Second World Bank Assisted ICDS-II Project came into operation in predominantly tribal and socio economic backward areas covering 210 blocks in Bihar and 244 blocks in Madhya Pradesh a Project period of seven years. The Project became operational in 1993-94 and would continue upto the year 2000-2001. The available World Bank credit for the Project is US $ 194 million for the Project period. Government of India has released an amount of Rs. 450 crores to the States of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh since commencement of the Project. The State Govt. of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh have filed the disbursement claims amounting to Rs.306 crores to date.
ICDS-III:
The World Bank Assisted ICDS-III Project was approved in March 1999 covering the states of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Kerala. The Project proposes to strengthen and improve the quality of ICDS services and management in the 685 existing ICDS blocks and introduces ICDS services in 318 new blocks. The Project would cover tribal blocks, rural disadvantaged blocks and urban blocks due to poor outreach of basic services in these States. With this coverage the ICDS would be universalized in the States of Kerala, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Tamil Nadu is already fully covered under ICDS. The Project aims to bring about a substantive impact on health and nutrition status of children and women in the Project States. World Bank credit of US$ 300 million is available for the project. Government of India has released total fund of Rs.75.90 crores to the states till date, for implementation of the project.