The ICDS services aim to provide supplementary nutrition, immunisation, health check up and referral services to children below six years, pregnant women & nursing mothers, non formal pre school education to children (3-6 years), nutrition and health education to women between the age group of 15-45 years. It provides supplementary nutrition, immunisation, health check up and referral services. The objectives of the scheme are to: Improve the nutritional and health status of children below the age of six years, lay the foundation for the proper psychological, physical and social development of the child, reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition and school dropouts, achieve effective coordination of policy and implementation among various departments to promote child development and enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child, through proper health and nutrition education.

The programme provides an integrated approach for converging basic services for improved childcare, early stimulation and learning, health and nutrition, water and environmental sanitation - targetting young children, expectant and nursing mothers and women groups. These target groups are reached through nearly 300,000 trained community-based Anganwadi workers and an equal number of helpers, supportive community structures/women groups - through the Anganwadi centre, the health system and the community.

ICDS provides increased opportunities for promoting early development, associated with improved enrolment and retention in the early primary stage and by releasing girls from the burden of sibling care, to enable them to participate in primary education. Poised for universal coverage by the turn of the century, ICDS today reaches out to 3.8 million expectant and nursing mothers and 17.8 million children (under six years of age), from disadvantaged groups. Of these, 10.2 million children (three to six years of age) participate in centre-based pre-school activities. The network consists of 3907 projects, covering nearly 70 per cent of the country's community development blocks and 260 urban slum pockets.

Please contact the relevant department.

Contact

Miss. Dondum Pema (CDPO)--Tawang
Ph no. 03794-222493

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment,
Room. No. 609, 'A' , Wing, Shastri Bhawan,
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road,
New Delhi - 110001 (India)