Restructured and Strengthened ICDS

In order to address various programmatic, management and institutional gaps and to meet administrative

operational challenges that had crept the ICDS over the years, Government approved the proposal for Strengthening and Restructuring of ICDS Scheme with an

allocation of Rs. 1,23,580 crore during 12th Five Year Plan. The Administrative Approvals in this regard have since been issued to the States/UTs.

The key features of Strengthened and Restructured ICDS inter-alia include addressing the gaps and challenges with

(a) special focus on children under 3 years and pregnant and lactating mothers;

(b) strengthening and repackaging of services including , care and nutrition counseling services and care of severely underweight children;

(c) a provision for an additional Anganwadi Worker cum Nutrition Counselor for focus on children under 3 years of age and to improve the family contact, care

counseling for P&L Mothers in the selected 200 high-burden districts across the country, besides having provision of link worker, 5% Anganwadi cum crèche centre;

(d) focus on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE);

(e) forging strong institutional and

convergence particularly, at the district, block and village levels;

(f) introduction of Annual Programme Implementation Plan (APIP);

(g) improving Supplementary Nutrition including cost revision; and  construction for  provision

(h) buildings of Anganwadi centres; resources  financial adequate  allocating

(i) components including Monitoring and Information System (MIS) Training and use of Information and communication technology (ICT);

(j) to put ICDS in a mission mode etc., and

(k) revision of some financial norms etc.