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What's the article about?
- It talks about the strengthening of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme to tackle India’s high prevalence of stunting, wasting, and anaemia which continues to pose public health risks for children and women.
Relevance:
- GS2: Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources;
- Prelims
Context:
- There is a high prevalence of stunting, wasting, and anaemia among the children and women in India.
- India must strengthen its existing social sector schemes, such as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), to tackle this.
Integrated Child Development (ICDS) Scheme:
- It is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It was launched in 1975.
- Its subschemes include Anganwadi Services Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, National Creche Scheme, Scheme for Adolescent Girls, Child Protection Scheme, and POSHAN Abhiyaan.
Analysis:
- Need of ICDS scheme:
- Empirical research highlights the correlation between early-life poverty, malnutrition, and inadequate stimulation, and later cognitive and economic challenges.
- Studies have shown that interventions focusing on nutrition, education, and health during early childhood can significantly improve human capital, particularly in developing countries.
- Various studies demonstrated the ICDS’s positive impact on cognitive achievements, especially among girls and those from economically disadvantaged families.
- Despite four decades of relentless efforts, the ICDS still faces the herculean task of ameliorating the nutritional and health outcomes for children aged 0-6 years.
- Thus, it is imperative to acknowledge the pressing need for a thorough reassessment of our approaches.
- A significant first step towards fortifying the programme is to empower Anganwadi workers: Increasing the number of the Anganwadi workers is thus the need of the hour. It offers following benefits:
- First, it would lead to better health and educational outcomes.
- Second, children who remained enrolled also exhibited reduced rates of child stunting and severe malnutrition.
- Third, the cost of a nationwide roll-out of this model is relatively insignificant in comparison to the potential advantages it offers.
- Fourth, the new Anganwadi worker can be given the responsibility of concentrating only on preschool and early childhood education. This would allow existing workers to dedicate more time to child health and nutrition.
- Fifth, apart from improving the well-being of rural communities, this would create job opportunities for local residents, particularly women. It would lead to the creation of 1.3 million new jobs for women across India.
- Role of state governments:
- The operationalisation of the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 proposal hinges on its status as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
- State governments oversee its execution, including administration, management, and monitoring. Consequently, Anganwadi worker recruitment falls under their jurisdiction, guided by regulations and region-specific criteria.
- This decentralised approach promotes tailored, efficient implementation. The Government of India provides funds for Anganwadi workers’ and helpers’ honorariums on a cost-sharing basis.
Way Forward:
- To unlock the ICDS’ full potential and address persistent issues, it is essential to revisit and re-evaluate its strategies and implementation. Empowering Anganwadi workers is just a start.
