Child Welfare: Centrally Sponsored Schemes - Integrated Child

Development Services
Launched in 1975 in 33 Blocks of the Country, ICDS is a unique early childhood
development programme aimed at addressing the health, nutrition and development needs
of young children, pregnant and nursing mothers. In Meghalaya the first project was
launched on an experimental basis at Songsak C&RD Block, East Garo Hills District in the
same year. Since then, the Department has come a long way in expanding the ICDS
projects to the 39 Community and Rural Development Blocks and 2 Urban ICDS Projects at
Shillong and Tura through a network of 5896 Anganwadi Centre.
ICDS was designed to promote holistic development of children under 6 years, through the
strengthened capacity of caregivers and communities with improved access to basic
services at the community level.
POSHAN Abhiyaan
POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched on International Women’s Day (March 8) in 2018 to boost
nutrition among children and women through Behavioral Change while addressing
malnutrition across the country through components like Convergence, ICT Application,
Community Mobilization, Capacity Building, Incentives and Awards, and Innovations.
The Objectives of the Scheme is to Prevent and reduce Stunting, Under-nutrition
(Underweight prevalence), Low Birth Weight @2% per annum and prevalence of Anaemia
in Children (0-6 years) @3% per annum.
Reduce the prevalence of Anaemia amongst Women and Adolescent Girls (15-49 years)
@3% per annum.
To further strengthen the Abhiyaan and prevent backsliding of improved nutrition indicators,
Mission Poshan 2.0 was launched by Hon’ble Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in
February 2021. The Government has decided to devote attention and resources towards
integrating numerous nutrition schemes in the country. Mission Poshan 2.0 brings together
the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)—Anganwadi Services, Supplementary
Nutrition Programme, Poshan Abhiyaan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls and National Crèche
Scheme. The objective is to implement a comprehensive, unified strategy to strengthen
nutritional content, delivery, outreach and outcome, with renewed focus on developing
practices that nurture health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition in the
country.
 Under POSHAN 2.0, convergence of schemes and programmes of different ministries will
be a major focus and the District Collectors will be the nodal point for monitoring the
Nutritional Status of the District.
 A new software tool called the Poshan Tracker has been launched by GOI during 2021 to
track every eligible beneficiary of an Anganwadi centre.
  lt is a robust digital technology platform and management information system which will
help the nutrition mission to scale efficiently, thereby generating significant positive impact
and documentation thereof. It is implemented in all 5896 Anganwadi Centres.
 6 Services of ICDS:
Services Target Group Service provided by

(i) Supplementary Nutrition   Children below 6 years, Anganwadi Worker and Anganwadi
Pregnant & Nursing Mothers Helper
(P&NM)

(ii) Pre-School Education Children 3-6 years Anganwadi worker and Anganwadi
helper

(iii) Immunization Children below 6 years, In collaboration with Health

Pregnant & Nursing Mothers Department
(P&NM)

(iv) Health Check-up Children below 6 years, In collaboration with Health

Pregnant & Nursing Mothers Department
(P&NM)

(v) Referral Services Children below 6 years, In collaboration with Health

Pregnant & Nursing Mothers Department
(P&NM)

(vi) Nutrition & Health Women (15-45 years) In collaboration with Health
Education Department

Supplementary Nutrition Programme

Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) is one of the core components of ICDS
scheme. The main objective is to bridge the calorie gap between the recommended Dietary
Allowance (RDA) and the Average Daily Intake (ADI) of children aged 6 months to 6 years
and pregnant & lactating mothers.
The Supplementary Nutrition Programme has two components:
1. Morning  snacks  &  hot  cooked  meals  served  daily  at  the  AWC  to  all  children 
between  3-6 years  attending  Preschool  at  AWC  for  25  days  in  a  month.
2. Take Home Ration in the form of RTE Energy Dense Food is given for children 6 months 
to  3  years   and  pregnant/lactating  mothers.

Coverage of beneficiaries as on January 2022

Children 6 month – 3 years                -    198043
 Children 3-6 years                              -    232883                
Pregnant and nursing mothers           -    67127
AWW & AWH                                     -  5896 & 4630
Growth Monitoring of Children and Nutrition Surveillance are important activities of ICDS at
the grass root level. Weight for age growth charts are maintained for all children below 5
years as per WHO Child Growth Standards. It is through this mechanism that nutritional
status of children is identified to ensure early identification and intervention.

Nutritional Status of Children (As per MPRs) December, 2021

Classification of Nutritional Status

Normal Moderately Malnourished Severely Malnourished Total No. of children

(yellow) (orange) weighed

312556 11711 405 324672

Non Formal Pre School Education/ ECCED

 Non  formal preschool  education for children 3-6 years is  one  of  the  most  important 
components of  ICDS. It  aims at  providing sustained  activities  through  joyful  play way 
method  that  will  help  the  child to  be  ready for  regular  schooling.
 ECCE services at the AWC: - The non-formal education session are followed by
Supplementary Nutrition, Growth Monitoring and other related interventions.
 Total number of beneficiaries enrolled under Non Formal Pre School Education  3-6 years 
is  229142 (December, 2021)
Scheme for Adolescent Girls – SAG is being implemented using the platform of
Anganwadi Services of Umbrella ICDS Scheme through Anganwadi Centres
(AWCs)
The Scheme cover out of School girls in the age group of 11-14 years. The out of school
girls in the age group of 11+ to 14 years, are entitled for supplementary nutrition under the
scheme they will also receive life skills education, nutrition and health education awareness
about socio-legal issues, existing public services etc. The scheme aims at motivating out of
school girls to go back to formal schooling or vocational /skill training under non-nutrition
component of the scheme.