Question : Integrated Child Development Services Scheme

(a) the salient features of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme:
(b) the budget allocation, funds released/sanctioned and expenditure incurred vis-à-vis targets fixed and achievements made along with the number of women and children benefited under the said scheme during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
(c) whether the Government has received any representations from the States regarding the problem being faced by them in the implementation of the scheme, if so, the details thereof along with the other factors hindering the effective implementation of the scheme and the steps taken to address the issue;
(d) whether there is a rise in malnutrition cases in the country due to poor implementation of the scheme, if so, details thereof and the remedial measures taken thereon;
(e) whether the Government proposes to privatize/outsource the services of the scheme and if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the further measures taken by the Government to fill the gap in the scheme and make it more effective?

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI)

(a) Ministry of Women and Child Development is administering the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. The scheme aims at holistic development of children below 6 years of age and pregnant women & lactating mothers by providing a package of six services comprising (i) Supplementary Nutrition; (ii) Pre-school Non-Formal Education; (iii) Nutrition and Health Education; (iv) Immunization; (v) Health check-up; and (vi) Referral Services.

The ICDS Scheme started in 1975 was universalized in 2008-09 preceded by rapid expansion in the years 2005-06 to 2008-09 so as to cover all habitations, including Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes and minority population, across the country with the approval of 7076 ICDS Projects and 14 lakh Anganwadi Centres. Against 7076 sanctioned Projects and 14 lakh sanctioned Anganwadi Centres, 7073 Projects and 13.49 lakh Anganwdi Centres are operational as on 30.09.2016. The services are currently being provided to 10.11 crore beneficiaries of which 8.21 crore are children under age of six years and 1.90 crore are pregnant women & lactating mothers. Pre-school education is provided to 3.45 crore children of 3-6 years (1.74 crore boys and 1.71 crore girls).

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(b) Status of Budget Allocation and Expenditure under ICDS Scheme for 12th Five Year Plan is given below:
(Rupees in crores)
S.
No Year Budget
Allocation (BE) Budget
Allocation (RE) Expenditure Percentage
w.r.t. RE
1 2012-13 15,850.00 15,850.00 15701.50 99.06%
2 2013-14 17,700.00 16,312.00 16,267.49 99.73%
3 2014-15 18,195.00 16561.60 16581.82 * 100.12%
4 2015-16 8335.77 15483.77 15438.93 99.71%
5 2016-17 14000.00 - 9870.65** 70.50%

* This includes saving from other schemes during the year.
** As on 31.10.2016
State/UT-wise budget allocation and expenditure is at Annexure-I and Physical Achievement under ICDS with regard to Target during each year of the 12th Plan is at Annexure-II.

(c) The universalisation of ICDS Scheme has been a mixed blessing. While adding the number of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) and taking them to the door steps of children, it concomitantly brought in its wake, huge challenges in terms of resources as well as challenges of management, delivery of services with quality and standards, financial management, space for AWCs, human resource, issues of convergence, low focus on under three year children, ECCE, Strengthening training and capacity building monitoring, etc. These have, by and large, been addressed in the restructuring and strengthening of ICDS approved in 2012 for XII Plan period.
(d) As per NFHS-3 data, the percentage of under-weight children below 5 years was 42.5%. The present available data of NFHS-4 has shown a declining trend.
(e) No, Madam.
(f) Convergence with various line Ministries/Departments is an integral part of ICDS and the same has been taken up to fill the gap and make it more effective. There has been effective convergence with Ministries of Health & Family Welfare, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water & Sanitation, etc. The convergence is ensured through meetings, consultations, and by issuing joint guidelines. Recently, joint guidelines have been issued by Ministry of Women & Child Development, Ministry of Rural Development and Ministry of Panchayati Raj for construction of 4 lakh AWCs across the country during next four years. The 5-tier monitoring & review mechanism developed by the Government has in-built convergence mechanism.

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