CCEA approves strengthening of ICDS scheme

In a statement, the government said the CCEA had approved the implementation of ICDS Scheme in 12th Five Year Plan in Mission mode.

The restructured ICDS would be implemented in 200 high burden districts in the first year 2012-13; additional 200 districts in second year (2013-14) including districts from special category states like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and those from the northeastern region and remaining 243 districts in the third year (2014-15) of the 12th Five Year Plan, the statement said.

The financial implications during 12th Five Year Plan is estimated at Rs. 1,23,580 crore, it further said.

The ICDS scheme is expected to reduce under-nutrition by 10 percentage points in children in 0-3 years age group. The scheme will also implemented to enhance early development and learning outcomes in all children below six years of age.

Another goal of ICDS is to improve care and nutrition of girls and women and reduce anaemia prevalence in young children, girls and women by one-fifth.

ICDS, which is implemented by the Women and Child Development Ministry, is meant for children under 6 years and pregnant and lactating mothers. Currently, it is benefiting 9.65 crore beneficiaries of which 7.82 crore is children under-6 and 1.83 crore is pregnant and lactating mothers.

ICDS introduced in 1975 has been universalised largely post 2005-06 and finally in 2008-09 through 7076 approved projects and 14 lakh anganwadi centres across the country.