Question : ICDS SCHEME

(a) whether due to poor implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, the child malnutrition cases have been rising in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI RENUKA CHOWDHURY)

(a)&(b) Malnutrition is a multi-faceted problem, the determinants of which vary from female illiteracy, age of girls at marriage and the first child birth, household food security, poor access to health care, immunization, safe drinking water, sanitation and other social services. Thus, the Scheme of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme can not be said to be solely responsible for bringing down the rate of malnutrition in the country.

(c) The Government has taken initiatives recently to increase the effectiveness of the delivery of services under Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme with a view to improve nutritional status of children which are as follows:

# 3rd Phase of expansion of the ICDS Scheme for 792 additional Projects, 2.13 lakh additional Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and 77102 Mini-AWCs with special focus on coverage of SC/ST and Minority population;

# Introduction of cost sharing between Centre and States, with effect from the financial year 2009-2010, in the following ratio:

(i) 90:10 for all components including SNP for North East;

(ii) 50:50 for SNP and 90:10 for all other components for all States other than North East;

# Revision of financial norms of supplementary nutrition as under:-

Sl.No.	Category	Existing	Revised (per	beneficiary per day)

1.	Children (6-72 months)	Rs.2.00	Rs.4.00

2.	Severely malnourished children	(6-72 months)	Rs.2.70	Rs.6.00

3.	Pregnant Women and Nursing	mothers	Rs.2.30	Rs.5.00