(a) whether the Government proposes to restructure and strengthen the ICDS to include provision of day care/crèche facilities in pre- school education;
(b) if so, the details thereof ; and
(c) the time by which the proposal is likely to be implemented?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI RENUKA CHOWDHURY)
(a),(b)&(c) There is no proposal to include provision of day
care/creche facilities in pre-school education component of ICDS.
However, several steps have been taken by the Government to
increase the effectiveness and impact of the ICDS Scheme during the
recent past, which include:
# Expansion of the Scheme to additional 467 Projects and 1.88
lakh Anganwadi Centres;
# Doubling of financial norms for supplementary nutrition;
# Sharing of 50% cost of supplementary nutrition with the
States;
# Increase in the rent of Anganwadi Centres;
# Constant emphasis on States to:
# Operationalise all sanctioned Projects and Anganwadi Centres
(AWCs);
# Fill up all vacant posts of ICDS functionaries;
# Ensure regular supply of supplementary nutrition as per
schematic norms;
# Make available medicine and pre-school education kits in all
AWCs;
# Ensure effective convergence of health nutrition, education
and safe drinking water services under various programmes.