Full Form of ICDS - Integrated Child Development Services

ICDS stands for Integrated Child Development Services. It’s a government welfare program that was started in 1975 for children of age below 6 and their mothers, along with pregnant women. The program provides food, preschool education, primary healthcare, and other facilities.

More About ICDS

• ICDS program was launched in the year 1975 with the aim of holistic development of children and empowerment of women.
• ICDS is one of the world’s largest programs for the holistic development of children.
• The scheme aims to improve nutrition and health care for children below 6 years of age so they have proper psychological, physical, and social development. 
• The ICDS program centres in Anganwadi are majorly located in rural areas and are run by frontline workers.
• This is also to decrease the cases of mortality, morbidity, malnutrition, and school dropout across the country.
• There are 6 services that are provided under ICDS this includes- Supplementary nutrition (SNPs), health and nutrition checkups, immunization, non-formal education for children in preschool, health and nutrition education, and referral services.
• ICDS is financed at a 60:40 ratio (central: state government) for all the services except SNPs. Supplementary Nutrition Program is funded in a 50:50 ratio.
• The North-Eastern States are funded in a 90:10 ratio.
• ICDS is run through Anganwadi centres and was later renamed Anganwadi Services.
• Today, the services are offered under Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Poshan 2.0)