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Evaluation of ICDS Scheme of India
The study was sponsored with financial support of
NITI Aayog, Government of India and conducted by
Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi
February, 2020 DISCLAIMER
Institute of Economic Growth has received the grant under
the Research Scheme of the NITI Aayog, 2018 to produce the
document. However, NITI Aayog shall not be held responsible for
findings or opinions expressed in the document prepared. This
responsibility rests with Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi.
LEAD INVESTIGATORS
Dr William Joe
Population Research Centre
Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi
Dr Malavika Subramanyam
Faculty of Social Sciences
Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar
RESEARCH TEAM
Aishwarya Joshi, Anupam Sharma, Nilesh Thube, Shantanu Sharma,
Simrith Hundal, Jahnu Bharadwaj, Abhishek, Rakesh Kumar, Sunil Rajpal,
Ruby A Singh, Saroj Kumar, Renu Sain, Varun Yadav, Ajay Kumar,
Arundhati Kumari, Jyoti Saini, Harish Kumar, Kabir Pal, Varnika Jain. iiiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables.............................................................................................................................................v
List of Figures.........................................................................................................................................vii
Acronyms and Abbreviations.................................................................................................................ix
Preface......................................................................................................................................................xi
Executive Summary...............................................................................................................................xiv
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES...........................................................................................................1
1.1. Introduction....................................................................................................................................1
1.2. Study Objectives............................................................................................................................1
1.3. Methodology....................................................................................................................................2
1.4. Ethical Considerations..................................................................................................................4
1.5. Report Outline................................................................................................................................4
RECENT STUDIES ON ICDS......................................................................................................................7
2.1. Introduction....................................................................................................................................7
2.2. Human Resource.............................................................................................................................7
2.3. Infrastructure.................................................................................................................................7
2.4. Financing.........................................................................................................................................8
2.5. Training and Knowledge of AWWs................................................................................................9
2.6. Implementation Gaps....................................................................................................................9
2.7. Service Delivery: THR and Hot Cooked Meals.........................................................................10
2.8. Impact of ICDS..............................................................................................................................10
2.9. Convergence.................................................................................................................................11
2.10. PAISA for Nutrition Study............................................................................................................12
2.11. Research Gaps..............................................................................................................................13
INSIGHTS FROM NFHS ON ICDS COVERAGE......................................................................................15
3.1. ICDS Coverage Patterns based on NFHS...................................................................................15
ICDS SERVICES AND BENEFICIARY ASPIRATIONS..............................................................................21
4.1. ICDS BENEFICIARIES AND COVERAGE.........................................................................................21
4.2. Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP).................................................................................26
4.3. Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)...........................................................................28
4.4. Other ICDS Services.....................................................................................................................29
4.5. Beneficiary Aspirations...............................................................................................................30
01
02
03
04 ivEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
PROCESSES, TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND MONITORING...................................................................33
5.1. Policy Governance and Monitoring............................................................................................33
5.2. ICDS Website of States................................................................................................................33
5.3. Social Audit...................................................................................................................................34
5.4. Performance-Based Incentive....................................................................................................35
5.5. NGO and CSR Support..................................................................................................................37
5.6. THR Production Models...............................................................................................................37
5.7. AWC Reporting Formats..............................................................................................................38
5.8. Comparing ICDS with NHM..........................................................................................................39
5.9. Comparison with MGNREGA.......................................................................................................39
5.10. Comparison with NCS..................................................................................................................40
5.11. PMMVY and ICDS Strengthening.................................................................................................40
5.12. ICDS-CAS and NHM-HMIS.............................................................................................................41
PROCESSES, TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND MONITORING...................................................................43
6.1. ICDS Financial Allocations..........................................................................................................43
6.2. Financial Flows.............................................................................................................................46
6.3. State-Level Financial Issues and Concerns..............................................................................50
6.4. Key Issues in Financing................................................................................................................51
HUMAN RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE....................................................................................53
7.1. ICDS HR and Functionaries.........................................................................................................53
7.2. HUMAN RESOURCES FOR ICDS....................................................................................................57
7.3. State-level Observations on ICDS Functionaries.....................................................................62
7.4. Summary of Key HR Issues..........................................................................................................66
7.5. AWC Infrastructure......................................................................................................................67
7.6. ICDS Infrastructure .....................................................................................................................70
7.7. State-level Observations on ICDS Infrastructure....................................................................72
7.8. Key Issues in ICDS Infrastructure...............................................................................................75
CONVERGENCE AND CONVERGENT ACTION.....................................................................................77
8.1. Concept of Convergence.............................................................................................................77
8.2. Peripheral and Core Convergence.............................................................................................77
8.3. Insights from Field Visits............................................................................................................79
SUCCESS STORIES AND BEST PRACTICES..........................................................................................85
9.1. Best Practices Across States.......................................................................................................85
SUMMARY AND ACTION POINTS...........................................................................................................93
10.1. Summary of Key Findings............................................................................................................93
10.2. Key Action Points..........................................................................................................................99
References............................................................................................................................................101
Annexure 1: Supplementary Tables..................................................................................................103
Annexure 2: State-Specific Issues, Best Practices and Recommendations................................109
05
06
07
08
09
10 vEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1: Utilization of ICDS services by mothers (during pregnancy and
while breastfeeding) and child under six years, India, NFHS, 2016..........................16
Table 3.2: Utilization of ICDS services by mothers (during pregnancy and
while breastfeeding) and child under six years, India by
socioeconomic background, NFHS, 2016........................................................................17
Table 4.1: Beneficiaries under the SNP component of ICDS,
2014-15 and 2018-19..........................................................................................................22
Table 4.2: SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries per
operational AWC, 2001-19.................................................................................................23
Table 4.3: Average SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries per
operational AWC, 2018-19.................................................................24
Table 4.4: Coverage estimates: (comparing ICDS beneficiaries with
population*), 2018-19........................................................................................................25
Table 6.1: ICDS budget (central share and centre-state combined), 2019-20...........................43
Table 6.2: State-wise centre-state combined expected budget, ICDS 2019-20.........................44
Table 6.3: State-wise ICDS expected budget share and budget per
beneficiary, ICDS 2019-20.................................................................................................45
Table 6.4: Cost sharing ratio between Centre and States/UTs for
various components...........................................................................................................46
Table 7.1: Mean time spent by AWW against recommended time per
activity per day in selected AWCs in a northern city of India....................................55
Table 7.2: Vacant posts (in %) of key ICDS functionaries by State/UTs, 2018-19.......................58
Table 7.3: Number of beneficiaries per CDPO, AWS, AWW and AWH by
State/UTs, 2018-19............................................................................................................61
Table 7.4: Type of building or place for AWCs, India 2015-16 to 2018-19...................................68
Table 7.5: State-wise distribution of building or place for AWCs, 2018-19.................................69
Table S1: Number of SNP beneficiaries (children, 6 months to 6 years),
2014-15 to 2018-19..........................................................................................................103
Table S2: Number of SNP beneficiaries (pregnant and lactating women),
2014-15 to 2018-19..........................................................................................................104
Table S3: Number of pre-school education beneficiaries (3 years to
6 years), 2014-15 to 2018-19..........................................................................................105
Table S4: Availability of drinking water and toilet facility across
States/UTs, 2015-16 to 2018-19.....................................................................................106
Table S5: THR production and distribution models.....................................................................107 viiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 3.1: State-wise utilization of ICDS services by mothers
(during pregnancy and while breastfeeding) and
child under six years, NFHS, 2016..................................................................................18
Figure 3.2: Distribution (%) of mothers by utilization of ICDS services (any)
during pregnancy, while breastfeeding and by their child,
India, NFHS, 2016 ............................................................................................................19
Figure 3.3: Trends in coverage of supplementary food in the
Integrated Child Development Services programme during
pregnancy and childhood across states of India, 2006 and 2016..............................19
Figure 4.1: Number of ICDS beneficiaries (in lakhs), 2014-15 to 2018-19...................................21
Figure 6.1: ICDS expenditure items and share (%) in Centre-State
expected budget, 2019-20..............................................................................................46
Figure 7.1: State-wise percentage vacant posts of CDPOs/ACDPOs,
2014-15 and 2018-19........................................................................................................59
Figure 7.2: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AW Supervisors,
2014-15 and 2018-19........................................................................................................59
Figure 7.3: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AWWs,
2014-15 and 2018-19........................................................................................................59
Figure 7.4: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AWHs,
2014-15 and 2018-19........................................................................................................60
Figure 7.5: Number of operational AWCs per CDPO/ACDPO by
States/UTs, 2018-19.........................................................................................................60
Figure 7.6: Number of operational AWCs per AW supervisor by
States/UTs, 2018-19.........................................................................................................60
Figure 7.7: Percentage operational AWCs with drinking water facilities
by States/UTs, 2018-19....................................................................................................67
Figure 7.8: Percentage operational AWCs with toilet facilities by
States/UTs, 2018-19.........................................................................................................67
Figure 9.1: MJY Aakarshak Thali (Nutritious Plate).........................................................................88 ixEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AAA : ASHA-ANM-AWW
AAH : Anna Amrutha Hastham
ACDPOs : Assistant Child Development Project Officer
ADC : Autonomous District Councils
ANM : Auxiliary Nurse Midwife
APIP : Annual Program Implementation Plan
APRIGP : Andhra Pradesh Rural Inclusive Growth Project
ASHA : Accredited Social Health Activist
ASMC : Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee
AWC : Anganwadi Centre
AWH : Anganwadi Helper
AWS : Anganwadi Supervisor
AWW : Anganwadi Worker
CAP : Convergence Action Plan
CAS : Common Application Software
CDPO : Child Development Project Officer
CPAP : Country Program Action Plans
CRM : Common Review Mission
CSR : Corporate Social Responsibility
CSS : Centrally Sponsored Scheme
CWC : Child Welfare Centre
DC : District Collector
DDWS : Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (Under MoRD)
DEO : Data Entry Operator
DHFW : Department of Health and Family Welfare
DHS : District Health Society
DM&HO : District Medical & Health Officer
DPO : District Project Officer
DWCD : Department of Women and Child Development
ECCE : Early Childhood Care and Education
FLWs : Frontline Workers
GAIN : Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
GPDP : Gram Panchayat Development Plan
HCM : Home Cooked Meal
HMIS : Health Management Information System
ICDS : Integrated Child Development Services
ICMR : Indian Council of Medical Research
ILA : Incremental Learning Approach
INCC : Intensive Nutrition Campaign Center
ISSNIP : ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project
ITDA : Integrated Tribal Development Agency
IYCF : Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices
JAP : Joint Action Plan
JRM : Joint Review Mission
LMIS : Logistics Management and Information System
MGNREGA : Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
MIS : Management Information System xEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
MJY : Mahatari Jatan Yojana
MO : Medical Officer
MoRD : Ministry of Rural Development
MoWCD/WCD : Ministry of Women and Child Development
MPR : Monthly Progress Report
MRB : Medical Service Recruitment Board
MSG : Matri Sahayak Gut
NFHS : National Family Health Survey
NGO : Non-Governmental Organization
NHM : National Health Mission
NIPCCD : National Institute for Public Cooperation and Child Development
NNM : National Nutrition Mission
NRC : Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre
OFM : One Full Meal
OSR : Own Source Revenue
PD : Project Director
PDS : Public Distribution System
PHC : Primary Health Centre
PIP : Program Implementation Plan
PLM : Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers
PMMVY : Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
PO : Project Officer
POSHAN : Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment
PRI : Panchayati Raj Institutions
PSC : Public Service Commission
PSE : Pre-School Education
PWH : Pregnant Women Hostel
RGNCS : Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme
RJD : Regional Joint Director
RWS : Rural Water Supply
SAM/MAM : Severe Acute Malnutrition/Moderate Acute Malnutrition
SAU : Social Audit Unit
SBP : Swastha Bharat Prerak
SHG : Self-Help Group
SIMS : Smart Inventory Management System
SNEHA : Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action
SNP : Supplementary Nutrition Program
SPO : State Project Officer
SRG/DRG : State Resource Group/District Resource Group
TASC : Tracking of Accountability of Services at Community
THR : Take Home Ration
USHA : Urban Social Health Activist
VHNDs : Village Health and Nutrition Days
VHSND : Village Health Sanitation Nutrition Day
WCD : Women and Child Development (Department)
YTC : Youth Training Centre xiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
PREFACE
The Integrated Child Development Services
(ICDS) scheme is one of the world’s largest
programs for early childhood care and
development. The scheme is a response to the
fundamental challenges of child development
in terms of a) cognitive development through
pre-school non-formal education and b)
physical growth by liberating childhood
from the cycle of malnutrition, morbidity,
reduced cognitive capacity and mortality.
Through the six services offered under the
ICDS: i) Supplementary nutrition, ii) Pre-
school non-formal education, iii) Nutrition
and health education, iv) Immunization, v)
Health checkups and vi) Referral services,
the Government of India aims at delivering
quality nutrition, education, and health-
related services to children aged 0-6 years as
well as pregnant and lactating mothers.
In a country like India that still struggles with
issues of malnutrition and inadequate prenatal
and antenatal assistance with respect to
pre-school education and health education,
ICDS is necessary to ensure a basic minimum
level of health and nutrition among the most
vulnerable sections of its citizens. While the
ICDS scheme has a wide reach across the
country, there still exist some concerns with
respect to implementation processes, and
the delivery as well as the impact of these
services. The ICDS scheme is expected to
significantly contribute toward the POSHAN
Abhiyaan and achieve accelerated reductions
in child undernutrition. Such instrumental
relevance of ICDS in child development calls
for a comprehensive evaluation of the current
design, processes and implementation to
draw insights on its merits and potential to
fulfil the scheme objectives.
As such, the implementation of ICDS varies
across different States, and therefore, it
is equally important to learn from State
experiences and identify opportunities and
challenges for enhancing coverage, efficiency
and impact. This report presents the findings
of the research study conducted across nine
States of India in 2019. Through this mixed
methods evaluation, the aim is to critically
review the key processes, implementation
structure, program monitoring and the
motivations and engagement of the human
resources under the ICDS scheme. The report
provides actionable recommendations which
can help in further improving the delivery
of this scheme. We hope that our findings
and recommendations will aid in improving
governance, processes and implementation
of a scheme as vital as the ICDS.
We would like to place on record the
deepest appreciation for all the help and
support extended to us by the NITI Aayog;
senior officials and district and block level
officials of the Departments of Women
and Child Development (Andhra Pradesh,
Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh);
ICDS Staff including Anganwadi Supervisors,
Workers, and Helpers in the selected
centres; the ICDS beneficiaries and other
stakeholders at various levels of the ICDS
machinery. We thank Mala Ramanathan,
Sheila C Vir, Purnima Menon, Rajan Sankar,
B Subha Sree, Smriti Sharma, Preetu Mishra,
Tulika Tripathi, Venkatanarayana Motukuri,
SV Subramanian, B Bhuvaneswari and
Ishaprasad Bhagwat for their help and support
at various stages of the study. We also thank
Avani Kapur and her team at Accountability
Initiative, Centre for Policy Research for
generously contributing a detailed note on
their work on the ICDS. We acknowledge their
efforts and thank them for the same.
Our thanks also to the study team: Anupam
Sharma, Nilesh Thube, Shantanu Sharma,
Simrith Hundal, Jahnu Bharadwaj, Abhishek,
Rakesh Kumar, Sunil Rajpal, Ruby A Singh,
Saroj Kumar, Renu Sain, Varun Yadav, Ajay
Kumar, Arundhati Kumari, Jyoti Saini, Harish
Kumar, Kabir Pal, Varnika Jain, all our Local
Field Investigators and IEG Administration.
We especially appreciate Aishwarya Joshi’s
tremendous efforts in supporting several
aspects of this project. We also extend our
gratitude to all our friends and collaborators
at IIT Gandhinagar and IEG Delhi, who have
contributed to this study at various stages.
— William Joe & Malavika Subramanyam xivEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
BACKGROUND
Launched on 02
nd
October, 1975, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme –
the Anganwadi Services Scheme – is one of the world’s largest programs for early childhood
care and development. The ICDS scheme is a principal symbol of India’s commitment to its
children and nursing mothers. The scheme is designed as a response to the fundamental
challenges of child development in terms of a) cognitive development through pre-school non-
formal education on one hand and b) physical growth by liberating childhood from the vicious
cycle of malnutrition, morbidity, reduced cognitive capacity and mortality.
The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme – the Anganwadi Services Scheme –
delivers six important services to children (6 months to 6 years) as well as pregnant and
lactating mothers (PLM). These services are: a) Supplementary nutrition, b) Pre-school non-
formal education, c) Nutrition and health education, d) Immunization, e) Health checkups and
f) Referral services. Various research studies, however, conclude that ICDS is found lacking in
service delivery and has rendered only minimal impacts on child health and well-being.
The outcome-centric evaluations, although useful, but seldom offer policy insights for
program restructuring. Besides, the policy intent cannot proceed very far without an in-depth
understanding of governance and implementation issues in service delivery. Process evaluation,
therefore, is a critical prerequisite to enhance effectiveness and attain the intended outcomes.
In particular, the following five concerns warrant a broad-based assessment of ICDS services to
develop actionable recommendations for reforms and restructuring.
First, despite a holistic program agenda, the ICDS is almost exclusively perceived as a scheme
to tackle the widespread prevalence of undernutrition in India. The problem of undernutrition,
however, is a multifactorial phenomenon that is not only affected by nutritional intake and
dietary diversity, but also by equally important behavioral, socio-economic and contextual
factors. Integration of some of these factors in the scheme of things entails a review of ICDS
strategies, activities and scope for innovations.
Second, supplementary nutrition accounts for 47% of the total central allocation towards ICDS
(Rs.19928 Crore, 2019-20). The budget, however, gets sub-optimally utilized because of a
myriad of issues related to SNP production, quality, preferences, coverage and distribution.
Streamlining the governance and monitoring mechanisms for supplementary nutrition emerges
as a priority to ensure greater efficacy and impact of the allocated resources. This also implies
that the ICDS take-home ration and hot-cooked meal should adopt a progressive view to
promote dietary diversity and coverage.
Third, early childhood care and development (ECCD) or pre-school non-formal education has
hitherto remained a neglected aspect of ICDS (both from financing as well as human resources
perspective). Strengthening of ECCD is of high relevance as there is an increasing body of
evidence demonstrating its positive impact on future learning and productivity outcomes. The
effect, however, is mediated through a well-designed curricula delivered with onsite help of
teacher. The quality of ECCD is thus emerging as a major parameter to evaluate the relevance
of the ICDS. Furthermore, it is important that ICDS should evolve as per the changing needs
and aspirations of the community, particularly in the urban settings where households are
drawn toward increasingly vibrant pre-schooling environment in the private sector.
Fourth, gaps and inadequacies in ICDS financing, infrastructure and human resources have
detrimental effects on service delivery. For instance, Anganwadi Centre (AWC) electrification
is yet to be a mandatory aspect of AWC infrastructure. There are a large number of vacancies
in posts for CDPOs and Supervisors (as of 2018-19, 30.1% of sanctioned positions for CDPOs
and 27.7% of sanctioned positions for Supervisors are vacant across the country). With eroding
faith of the community, there is a gradual decline in the coverage of beneficiaries under
ICDS. Although, some States fare better than others but considerable inter-state variations in
service delivery and infrastructure provisions implies significant heterogeneities in program
placement and impact. xvEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Finally, despite well-defined objective to achieve inter-sectoral coordination, ICDS is yet to
harness the potential gains through governance reforms and convergent action. The governance
issues cuts across aspects such as key ICDS services as well as major heads of financing, human
resources, monitoring and infrastructure. From a convergence perspective, there are new
initiatives and efforts but these are mostly peripheral concerns whereas greater resolve from
the Central and State Governments is critical to address core issues in service delivery.
Guided by these fundamental concerns, this evaluation has specific objectives of reviewing the
key processes in ICDS governance and implementation to identify opportunities and challenges
for enhancing coverage, efficiency and impact. A mixed-methods approach involving both
quantitative and qualitative data is used to arrive at the conclusions and recommendations
of this report. Nine states from different regions of India (Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh) and 18 districts
(including aspirational districts) are selected for the field-based assessment. Technical support
and advice of various stakeholders is also sought to comprehend the nature of the problem
and the scope for improvements in ICDS service delivery. The following sub-sections present a
brief summary of the key issues and main recommendations under five broad thematic areas.
In concluding, a list of action points is also presented.
SUPPLEMENTARY NUTRITION PROGRAM (SNP)
Hot Cooked Meal (HCM) for Children: The concept of nutrition is distinct from hunger. It is
widely perceived that the HCM served to children (3-6 years) at the Anganwadi Centers (AWCs)
lacks quality and dietary diversity. The calorie norms are mostly met through cereals-based
HCM. Whereas, there is a demand for inclusion of fruits, milk, milk products and eggs in the
diet. In fact, states such as Andhra Pradesh have introduced milk and eggs in HCM for children.
Certain other States (such as Uttarakhand) have planned for milk provision but some other
States (such as Chhattisgarh) had discontinued the practice because of budgetary concerns.
Recommendation: Adequate nutrition can only be achieved with adequate budgetary
allocations. The ICDS dietary norms should be revised in accordance with the caloric
requirements it should specify minimum acceptable dietary diversity to include food groups
such as eggs, fruits, milk and milk products. Financial norms for HCM should be revised to
meet the revised minimum dietary requirements. Financial norms should introduce a budget
line item for specific food group procurements and allow for adjusting inflation in food prices.
Hot Cooked Meal (HCM) Programs for Pregnant Women: Some States have launched HCM
programs for pregnant women: for example, Anna Amrutham Hastam in Andhra Pradesh and
Mahatari Jatan Yojana (MJY) in Chhattisgarh. The HCM program aligns well with the National
Food Security Act provisions. Such programs receive positive feedback from the community
but at the same time it also increases beneficiary expectations from the ICDS. Importantly, the
HCM programs significantly impact work priorities and time allocation of Anganwadi Workers
(AWWs) and Helpers (AWHs).
Recommendation: The HCM guidelines should provide for minimum dietary diversity necessary
for nutritional well-being during pregnancy. Additional work and time requirements from AWWs
and AWHs should be compensated through honorarium payments. The AWWs and AWHs should
be systematically trained for meals preparation with quality and diversity. The diversity should
address the aspirational value of food to make it attractive as well as nutritious. Alternative
delivery mechanisms or tiffin should be introduced to deliver HCM at homes to those in the
advanced stages of pregnancy.
Take Home Ration (THR) Provisioning: The THR has two forms – a) distribution of selected
food grains and cereals as dry ration or b) distribution of powdered mix of selected cereals
and food grains. The demand for powdered mix varies across regions and is affected by quality
issues, taste preferences as well as cooking and meal preparation issues. The dry ration is
preferred but higher chances of intra-household sharing can undermine the purpose and
cause of THR distribution (as reported in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh). The periodicity of THR
distribution varies from weekly to monthly across States. xviEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Recommendation: The ICDS should innovate and diversify the THR component with introduction
of diverse food groups (fruits, eggs, milk and milk products) as THR variants (others being
powdered mix and dry ration). The THR variants should be distributed to keep the food
groups segregated and yet sufficient on a weekly basis to promote merging with existing diets
and regular interaction and service utilization at the AWCs. The AWWs and AWHs should be
mandated to provide THR to all identified undernourished beneficiaries (children as well as
pregnant and lactating women) by ensuring distribution either at the AWCs or during home
visits. Media advertisements should be planned to overcome the poor image and perception of
THR. Fixed-day fixed-time should be planned for THR distribution.
THR Production Models: Centralized Production Facilities, Decentralized Production Facilities
and Decentralized Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are the three main models of THR production. In
the Centralized model (such as Telangana), one facility is contracted to produce and distribute
THR for an entire state. In the Decentralized Production model (such as Kerala), the firms
typically contracted to produce THR are scattered across multiple communities or at the
Block level. In the Decentralized model (such as Rajasthan), SHGs are contracted to provide
THR typically to only one or two AWCs per SHG. Quality control is usually better in centralized
model because of economies of scale whereas risk of collusion and leakages is perceived to be
the least in the decentralized model.
Recommendation: Adherence to technical and financial norms and conditions for THR
production should be the guiding principles in determining the decentralization level of
production facilities. The production facilities should adhere to standard packaging and
labelling requirements along with barcoding and display of mandatory information about
nutritional content. The level of decentralization and contract quantity should be estimated
based on financial viability prospects based on the technical requirements. Qualification of
technical bid should be a prerequisite for eligibility of the firms for THR production. Financial
support may be offered to local SHGs through convergence initiative for capacity building and
technical upgradation.
THR Supply Chain: THR supplies can be irregular because of delays in payments and clearance
of dues. This was observed across many of the sample states. THR supplies are also affected
because of environmental factors particularly in flood prone areas and/or due to storage and
transportation issues. Low unit cost of THR also implies lack of funds for transportation, high
risk premium (interests) and low financial viability of suppliers. The last-mile delivery in the
THR supply chain lacks transparency. There is a limited role of community in receipt of THR
supplies at the AWCs or in conducting essential quality checks of the product. The quality
standards of THR mix is questionable because of complaints such as impurities (pebbles, insects
etc.). In fact, there is widespread perception and evidence that the THR is not consumed as
intended and often finds its way as cattle feed.
Recommendation: Transportation cost should be separated from the unit cost of THR to
allow equitable budgetary allocations for THR across regions and geographies. Route map and
designated community members should be identified for receipt and verification purposes.
Fixed-day fixed-time should be planned for THR distribution. Anomalies in payment flows and
disruptions should be tracked and examined by the District level officials. To reduce leakages,
the THRs should be linked to beneficiary through alternative identification mechanisms (such
as Aadhaar seeding). The steps in THR procurement right from tender to payments after the
last mile delivery should be monitored through a logistics management and information system
(LMIS). The THR production should meet minimum technical qualifications to ensure quality
control.
SNP Coverage: The supplementary nutrition program (SNP) coverage in 2018-19 is estimated
to be 46% for children (aged 0-71 months) and 37% for pregnant women and lactating mothers
(PLM). Between 2014-15 and 2018-19, the SNP coverage among children reduced by 15.1%
(from 8.29 crores to 7.04 crores) and among PLM reduced by 11.1% (from 1.93 crore to 1.72
crore). These reductions are mainly observed in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and indicate revisions
of beneficiary counts. Most of the north-eastern states have reported beneficiary numbers
which are more or less equal to the total child population aged 6-71 months. However, as per xviiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
NFHS 2015-16 the coverage of SNP is much lower in these states. The report on ICDS indicators
from the second ADP survey round finds that THR uptake among pregnant women and children
is 46% and 37%, respectively. Besides, most do not receive sufficient quantity.
Recommendation: ICDS coverage should be estimated based on beneficiary count and
population (projections) for the districts across States/UTs. The coverage should be reported
at all review meetings including convergence action plan meetings. The ICDS should invest
in research and capacity building institutions (particularly on nutrition) to develop technical
capacity of the functionaries and also obtain vital policy insights on programmatic concerns.
ICDS PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION
PSE component and Schooling: There is increasing aspiration among parents to send the
children to pre-primary or nurseries with focus on English language skills (as reported in
Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh). Private nurseries and kindergartens are perceived to be better
than AWCs by beneficiaries. Parents also send children to primary school at the age of 5, thus
cutting short their time at the AWC by a year or so.
Recommendation: Introduce AWC as a center for pre-primary education and place the AWCs in
the continuum of education by seeking greater convergence between ICDS and School Education
Departments. Nudge parents and community for uptake of AWC pre-school component through
a Pre-School Certification Program with certificates/prizes jointly given by Primary School
Headmaster, Sub-Centre ANM and AWC Supervisor. This certificate, countersigned by the LP
school headmaster, ANM and AWW, can help with better convergence between primary schools
and AWCs.
Perception on Pre-School Education: The community lacks awareness about the role of an
AWC and the services offered by AWC. Moreover, the AWC have a perception of poor service
delivery in terms of PSE, especially in rural Gujarat and in Rajasthan. The image of the AWC
and the AWW has low community recognition as an agency.
Recommendation: Through effective public outreach and media engagements, ICDS should
demonstrate greater resolve to resist the widespread perception of poor service delivery. It
would be ideal to engage the Education Department to provide a teacher or resource person
for the PSE component. In the absence of such initiative, the existing AWW would need
additional trainings and also sufficient time for effective delivery of the PSE component. The
Convergence Action Plan (CAP) should position AWC pre-school in the continuum of schooling.
Wherever feasible, convergent action between ICDS, Gram Panchayat and Department of
Education is necessary for AWC and School co-location. For example, in Uttar Pradesh 60%
AWCs are co-located with schools compared to all-India average of 18%.
Early Childhood Care and Education: There are several other concerns associated with the
ECCE component. A large indoor and outdoor space is advised by the guidelines, but this is
almost never available due to a lack of proper infrastructure. Many AWCs across all sampled
states, especially in urban areas, are cramped and poorly ventilated. They do not have enough
space for the children to play and learn properly. Many AWCs do not have equipment like
swings, sand/water areas etc. due to lack of space and/or funding. Separate interest areas
and activity corners are also not available in most AWCs due to this lack of space. Modifications
to learning materials for children with special needs were not observed in any of the AWCs.
Recommendation: Anganwadi Hubs can be developed by combining three to four AWCs in
areas with high population density. With the pooled resources of participating AWCs, affording
the rent of relatively bigger area with open space (or ground) for free play and multiple
rooms for age-wise segregation of children is feasible. Other benefit of Hub centres can be
the synergies created by combining the efforts of multiple workers and helpers who function
together as a team and divide the work efficiently. In Delhi, in the pilot phase, 110 Anganwadi
Hubs have been created by combining about 390 AWCs. Although, some urban areas have
experimented with Community Hub models for AWCs in Urban areas but these require
guidelines for practices/provisions. xviiiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
ECCE for children below 3 years: The Draft New Education Policy 2019 takes cognizance
of the learning needs of the children below 3 years of age. This includes aspects such as
cognitive and emotional stimulation of the infant through talking, playing, moving, listening to
music and sounds, and stimulating all the other senses particularly sight and touch. Exposure
to languages, numbers, and simple problem-solving is also considered important during this
period. Under ICDS, there is no clear strategy on psycho-social stimulation of children below
3 years through counselling of parents.
Recommendation: The ICDS should devise strategies to cover children below 3 years under the
early childhood care and education component. Counselling material and guidelines should be
developed to focus on this component with adequate arrangements for training and capacity
building of the Anganwadi Workers (AWWs).
Performance and Impact of Pre-School Education: There is a growing body of evidence that
quality pre-school education can have a significant short-term as well as long-term impact on
learning outcomes. Despite such vast network of AWCs, there are no regular and systematic
assessment of the impact of pre-school education on child schooling and well-being.
Recommendation: The ICDS should engage academic institutes, universities as well as
policy research and training organizations to undertake regular assessment of the coverage
of pre-school component and discern its impact on child schooling. Scientific evidence on
performance should be developed as well as identification of critical areas for improvement
should be identified across States/UTs.
GOVERNANCE AND CONVERGENT ACTION
Annual Program Implementation Plan (APIP) of ICDS: The ICDS APIP is limited to a few
aspects that are covered under the program and has not yet expanded the scope and nature of
activities. The components of the APIP are fixed and do not demonstrate piloting of alternative
ideas for improving service delivery through new programs and initiatives. Although there are
initiatives to improve AWC infrastructure (through tie up with MGNREGA), but several AWCs
lack adequate facilities such as drinking water, toilet and electricity. Training infrastructure,
particularly for the frontline workers, is also an area deserving greater policy focus across
States. Digital connectivity is weak across AWCs and reporting platforms are in its infancy.
The digital transformation of ICDS registers and reporting also suffers from logistical as well
as capacity perspectives. There is also a need to streamline financial reporting formats across
Districts and States.
Recommendation: The APIP line items across major heads should be expanded to encourage
innovations in service delivery and allowance for flexi-pool options across all components.
Following the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance (F.No.55(5)PF-II/2011 dated 6
th
September 2016) on flexi-funds, the ICDS should seek to set aside a flexi-fund to develop
sub-scheme or component or innovation to improve nutrition health and well-being. The SNP
line item should be expanded to provide details of procurements as well as transportation
costs associated with different geographies. The Financial Management Report formats should
be harmonized across States to allow item-wise review of key activities and expenditure
utilization.
Establishing ICDS Society: The funds for the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) are released
to the State treasuries for further transfer to the implementing department or agencies.
However, release of funds to concerned departments through the treasury route experiences
delays in disbursements for the implementing agencies. However, certain flagship programs
such as the National Health Mission (NHM) have established both State Health Society and
District Health Society as vertical support structures for different national and state health
programs. Through this arrangement the DHSs can manage both treasury and non-treasury
sources of funds. There is more flexibility in terms of fund transfer and expenditure which
otherwise can cause delays in procedures and implementation. Because it is a legal entity,
the DHS can set up its own office which has adequate contingent of staff and experts and can
evolve its own rules and procedures for hiring the staff and experts both from the open market
as well as on deputation from the Government. xixEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Recommendation: Formation of ICDS Society at the State-level and District-level can be
instrumental to expedite the flow of funds for ICDS activities. The ICDS society can be eligible
to receive grants and donations from trade, industry, institutions and individuals. The society
can also receive funds from disposal of assets. Formation of ICDS society can also expedite
issues related to appointment of contractual staff for the various scheme-related activities. It
may be noted that, Gujarat has registered State and District level ICDS Society that function
under the administrative control of the Department of Women & Child Development.
Social Audit: Social audit is conducted by the intended beneficiaries and stakeholders
and therefore assumes high policy relevance in monitoring of welfare programs. The ICDS
services, particularly the SNP component, are widely perceived to be of poor quality and a
source of corruption and leakages. Moreover, there is limited sense of community ownership
because unavailability of data sharing and community review mechanisms. The ICDS has a
huge beneficiary base and large-scale investment for provisioning of SNP. The nature and
scale of investment is comparable to flagship programs such as the Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA). Unlike ICDS, MGNREGA has established a
robust social audit mechanism that provides a forum to express the needs and grievances and
helps increase community participation for greater inclusiveness. The MGNREGA social audit
contributes to promote transparency and accountability as well as inform and educate the
people about their rights and entitlements.
Recommendation: With persistently high undernutrition, low beneficiary coverage and poor
perceptions of SNP quality, it is important for ICDS to establish a social audit mechanism.
Following MGNREGA, the social audit process and procedures can be developed and overseen
by an independent Social Audit Unit (SAU), identified or established by the State Government
to facilitate the conduct of social audit by Community Groups. Some States have formed
Community-level AWC Committees with a similar mandate. For instance, ICDS Delhi has
constituted Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee (ASMC). ICDS Assam has formed
Mother’s Support Group or Matri Sahayak Gut. The ICDS can strengthen such existing initiatives
by developing social audit guidelines and procedures. Alternatively, the Convergence Action
Plan can emphasise on possibilities of integrating key ICDS services under the MGNREGA social
audit mechanism or the Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNC) for
greater systemic accountability and quality assurance.
Convergence Action Plan: Following the launch of the POSHAN Abhiyaan, convergence action
plan (CAP) is developed from National to the Block level for delivering nutrition related
schemes. However, CAP committees at lower levels have greater focus on implementation
whereas they are less empowered to fill gaps related to financial and operational challenges.
Issues such as provision of drinking water, electricity, toilet or construction and refurbishments
of AWCs are difficult to be resolved without specific guidelines from the Centre or the State.
There are multiple data reporting structures for welfare programs in India. All different
government departments targeting children have different reporting data structures. Such
reporting on the same set of individuals using multiple data platforms without matching key
crossover indicators results in inability for macro-level integration and convergent action.
Recommendation: Flexi-pool for CAP should be developed at the State level to facilitate
infrastructure upgradation of AWCs. The guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance (F.No.55(5)
PF-II/2011 dated 6
th
September 2016) on flexi-funds within centrally sponsored scheme (CSS)
allows States to set aside 25% of any CSS (Central and State share combined for any given
financial year) as flexi-fund to be spent on any sub-scheme or component or innovation that
is in line with the overall aim and objectives of the approved scheme. However, this has
to be specifically implemented and States should take initiatives to present new ideas and
approaches to achieve the objectives of ICDS. The CAP at the State level should assume
leadership in developing guidelines and protocols for utilization of CAP Flexi-Pool and streamline
role of various departments in priority issues such as school and AWC co-location, AWC utilities
(electricity, drinking water and toilet facilities), AWC construction and cost-sharing norms,
Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) and sectoral allocation priorities, data reporting
structures, ICDS vacancies and recruitment procedures. ICDS should seek formal convergence xxEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
and collaboration with Municipal Councils and Corporations in urban areas to facilitate AWC
related construction, utilities provision and maintenance on a regular basis.
Monitoring and Supervision Visits: The guidelines (F.No. 16-3/2004-ME(Pt) dated 22
nd
October,
2010) issued by MoWCD calls for periodic field visits ICDS Blocks / AWCs by Officials at various
levels to review the program implementation. The Project and Block level ICDS functionaries
are required to undertake frequent monitoring visit each month. Panchayati Raj Institutions
(PRIs) are also involved in ICDS monitoring. Senior Officials from the States and the Centre are
also involved in monitoring visits. The objective of the monitoring is to identify and address
problems and bottlenecks in service delivery and also elicit community views and perception
on effectiveness of services. Monitoring and Review Committees on ICDS are established at
the National, State, District, Block and AWC level with varying composition and frequencies of
meetings. The monitoring visits, however, lack policy documentation of ICDS implementation
status with review and experience of key strategies, priority areas and measures for course-
correction.
Recommendation: The ICDS should establish a robust monitoring mechanism and strengthen
documentation and review of monitoring reports. The National Health Mission (NHM) follows
such strategy and has established Common Review Mission (CRM) and Joint Review Mission
for monitoring purposes. The CRM and JRM can undertake rapid field-based assessment of
the implementation status of ICDS and analyse strengths and challenges with respect to
governance and service delivery mechanisms. The annual CRM and JRM monitoring reports
should be well-documented and available on the MoWCD website. The ICDS should partner
with academic institutions across States/UTs to improve the quality of review and analysis to
have an alternative independent review.
Rationalizing AWC Registers: Even in states where CAS has been introduced, AWWs have
to maintain a set of 11 registers which has to regularly up-dated and reported to support
program monitoring. The AWWs have to also fill up monthly and annual reporting forms. The
reporting and record maintenance can be cumbersome, particularly when AWWs are being
involved in increasing number of community-based events and activities. As such, the ANMs
and ASHAs also maintain a record of services offered through them. Such duplication in data
collection can be reduced for efficiency gains in reporting and quality improvements. This has
implications for the need for uniform reporting about the same individuals too.
Recommendation: ICDS should reduce the quantum of reporting expected from the
AWWs. Activities part of Register 6 (Immunization and VHND) are essentially coordinated
by the MoHFW and the reporting of these indicators can be entrusted to ANMs and ASHAs,
respectively. Similarly, the reporting of information in Register 7 (Vitamin-A Bi-Annual Rounds)
can be assigned to the ANMs and ASHAs. In fact, dosage for immunization and Vitamin-A are
supplied through the health system and streamlining the service delivery protocols can also
lead to improvements in program reporting. The Register 9 (Referrals) can be discontinued for
simplifying the reporting requirements. The Referrals can be treated as counselling service for
health care utilization. Alternatively, if AWWs are continued to be engaged in immunization
and Vitamin-A supplementation then it is reasonable to offer incentives for achievements on
these key indicators.
6th Schedule Areas: As per Article 244 of the Constitution of India, the 6
th
Schedule deals
with the administration of the tribal areas in the four north-eastern states of Assam,
Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) under the Sixth
Schedule have authority over various legislative subjects and are entitled to receive grants-
in-aid from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet development expenditure on education,
health care, education, roads etc. The ADCs, however, lack financial autonomy and depend
on state governments for developmental funds and for decisions regarding undertaking of
developmental activities. In Assam, we observed autonomy issues hinder ICDS functioning and
implementation in the area.
Recommendation: The MoWCD should set up a Committee for reviewing the status of ICDS
services in 6
th
Schedule areas and to develop specific policy recommendations for strengthening
ICDS services. xxiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
INFRASTRUCTURE
ICDS Websites: The ICDS websites of most of the States have limited information and features.
The websites lack mandatory disclosures and are not regularly updated with on-going and
upcoming events and notifications. Some websites displayed information regarding the ICDS
objective, guidelines, and different benefits of the scheme but had limited information on
access to different related data portals or spatial information regarding location of AWCs and
ICDS offices and staff. Success stories of each state were also not available or updated for
facilitating replication.
Recommendation: All the States/UTs should host a dynamic ICDS website with mandatory
disclosures regarding ICDS services and functionaries at all levels. The website should provide
information on the network of AWCs along with information on number of beneficiaries
and quality check parameters related to key services of SNP and early childhood care and
education (ECCE). ICDS program data and geo-spatial information on AWC location should be
available to facilitate reviews. The website should also provide regular review and analysis of
ICDS coverage. Additional funding provisions should be provided for website upgradation and
maintenance.
ICDS-CAS: The ICDS-CAS has an individual-focus and consequently the data entry requirements
are large, as reported across all sampled states where CAS was rolled out (e.g. Gujarat
and Uttarakhand). Since the ICDS-CAS was launched only recently it has limited efficacy in
facilitating program review and course correction. The ICDS-CAS would require substantial IT
investments to create such broad-based IT infrastructure and human resources to make ICDS-
CAS a widely used database for program monitoring and review. In fact, the NHM HMIS has
witnessed significant IT investments over the last 10 years and has emerged as a successful
pan-India network for key indicators on public health system and services. However, the ICDS
suffers from issues such as heterogeneous AWW capacities and poor mobile phone networks and
connectivity. In this context, digital reporting requirements without available infrastructure
can be burdensome for the lower level staff.
Recommendation: Timely and sustained IT investments for strengthening the ICDS-CAS
initiative are necessary. The universal sharing of ICDS data is critical to draw attention toward
efficacy of ICDS-CAS. Allowing public access to selected data and indicators from the ICDS-
CAS database can enhance its acceptability and demand among stakeholders. Given the issues
with mobile phone connectivity issues, the ICDS-CAS can be more useful for program reviews
if it integrates physical reporting from lower level to digital reporting at block level thereby
reducing the burden on grass root workers until connectivity improves. This can facilitate
course correction as well as substantial improvements in data quality and veracity.
Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre: The NRCs and the AWCs share a common objective of
improving nutritional health. However, they are located under different line departments and
have no convergence in planning for treatment of severe acute malnutrition.
Recommendation: The NRCs are located in District Hospitals (in some places at Block level)
and are used by a small number of SAM cases. The NRC facilities should be established at the
Block or Taluk level to improve uptake of services as this will help mothers accompanying
children to remain closer to home. The AAA platform should be used to identify and refer
MAM and SAM children in the nearest PHC or CHC for further action. The CAP should plan
for providing resources for establishing of NRCs at block and taluk level. There should be
incentives to ASHAs/AWWs for referrals and compliance with follow up for NRCs admissions to
prevent relapse.
ICDS Infrastructure and Basic Facilities: At the all-India level, 86% and 69% of operational
AWCs report of having drinking water facility and toilet facility, respectively. No systematic
data is available on electricity connections. However, this is an essential provision in the move
towards digitalization. Besides, there is no policy provision for ensuring electricity supply
at all AWCs. In Rajasthan, for instance, none of the AWCs operating in own building have
electricity connection. One in every ten AWC is operating in a Kutcha structure whereas every
fourth AWC operates in a rented building. xxiiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Recommendation: All AWCs should be covered with electricity connection, drinking water
supply and toilet facilities. The ICDS MPR should provide information on electricity connections
to the AWCs. Convergent action for provision of this basic infrastructure is necessary,
particularly by establishing a centralized payment mechanism at least at the District or State
level for these utilities. Location of AWCs should be reviewed and co-location with schools
should be encouraged for greater integration with schools.
AWC Construction and Location: There is poor provisioning of basic facilities like water,
electricity, toilets, play yard, access roads. Flood prone areas, seismic zones, temperature,
hilly and remote areas (like in tribal sectors in Andhra Pradesh, areas of Assam), become harder
to access and deliver services in. In terms of digital infrastructure and internet connectivity,
poor connectivity in rural areas also deters many other reporting requirements. Accessibility
is a big issue in tribal areas, with hilltops and other hindrances making it difficult to travel to
and from the AWCs. Supervisors are unable to pay visits to far-flung areas since they have no
transport of their own and also have concerns over their safety in such remote areas.
Recommendation: ICDS budgeting for AWC construction should be sensitive to regional
variations – storage/animal infestations, hilly areas, flood prone areas, child friendly spaces.
It should take into account ecological aspects (earthquake proof construction) and climatic
conditions (extreme winters etc) to develop model design (Room + Kitchen + Toilet + Playing
Area). Meanwhile, the rental norms should be informed based on local conditions and desired
quality of infrastructure. Convergence platform should be accessed to develop linkages with
Gram Panchayat to improve transport infrastructure of villages and to facilitate ICDS service
delivery and monitoring.
HUMAN RESOURCES AND FINANCING
Performance-based incentives: At the moment, some states (like Andhra Pradesh and Uttar
Pradesh) have some incentives in place, but since honorarium for AWWs is not much—also,
delayed in many instances—functionaries feel demotivated at times. The idea of performance
grants was perceived positively by the various ICDS functionaries in all sampled states. In fact,
the performance incentive can be linked to AWC indicators/Project indicators to motivate the
ICDS functionaries on a collective platform. Career trajectories were also contemplated for
these incentives.
Recommendation: The performance-based incentive can be offered to individuals or to
the AWCs based on the performance on certain tasks or achievement of set of indicators.
The Government of Uttar Pradesh has launched a performance-based incentive program for
AWWs. Under this scheme, the AWWs are incentivized for achieving targets related to Aadhaar
information seeding of beneficiaries, anthropometric measurements and improvements
in anthropometric outcomes. This could be shared between individual beneficiaries and
the reporting workers of the AWC on a 25%:75% basis. The incentive can be adjusted to
50%:50% within one week of beneficiary failure which would then require worker to undertake
measurements in the AWC. Similarly, immunization coverage, follow up of NRC admitted child,
etc can be incentivised for the AWW as it is for the ASHA worker under the NHM mechanisms.
The Government of Delhi has also developed a scheme to incentivize AWW, Supervisor and
ASMC (Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee aka Anganwadi Samiti) to work as a
team and improve the working of their AWCs. Based on successful achievement of 10 basic
criteria, the AWCs are eligible to choose from a list of items for strengthening AWC facilities
and services.
ICDS Vacancies: As of 2018-19, 30.1% of sanctioned positions for CDPOs and 27.7% of sanctioned
positions for Supervisors are vacant across the country. Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,
Delhi, Karnataka and Jharkhand had more than 40% of CDPO vacant sanctioned posts. Due to
large vacancies there is an increased burden of monitoring and review on the CDPOs and AW
Supervisors. About 6.9% of sanctioned positions for AWWs and 7.6% of sanctioned positions for
AWHs are vacant across the country. Bihar has a vacancy of 17.1% followed by Maharashtra,
Telangana and Delhi which had a vacancy of more than 10% among sanctioned AWW positions.
These vacant posts increase the pressure on existing functionaries, thereby reducing their
capacity to complete primary tasks given in their job charts properly. Additionally, being point xxiiiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
of contact for other time-bound activities like Aadhaar enrolment, Jan Andolan mobilization,
ration card work, election duties etc also reduces the AWWs’/supervisors’ capacity to carry
out assigned ICDS tasks on time and properly.
Recommendation: The State Convergence Action Plan (CAP) should include recruitments as an
area for priority action. The Public Service Commissions should be active in announcing ICDS
related recruitment drives with necessary budgetary approvals from the State governments. It
should expedite recruitments of CDPOs and AW Supervisors to improve program implementation
and monitoring. The Government of India has issued guidelines (MWCD, No.1-2/2014-CD.I,
dated 15
th
Sep 2015) for recruiting 50% of the AWC Supervisors from existing AWWs with 10
years of experience and required education qualifications. Further, the DM/DC in all States is
empowered to recruit AWC Supervisors in the Aspirational Districts (MWCD, No.11-1/2018-CD.I,
dated 14
th
Mar 2018). Similar authority should be extended to all the DM/DC for recruitment of
CDPOs from the existing AWC Supervisors with 10 years of experience and required education
qualifications.
States should explore establishing recruitment board within the respective Departments of
Women and Child Development. Departmental Recruitment Board for CDPO and AWC Supervisor
Recruitment through State Public Service Commission (PSC) leads to delays in some States.
For example, Uttar Pradesh is experiencing long delays in ICDS recruitments. Establishment
of Departmental Recruitment Board can expedite recruitment process for ICDS or Program
specific vacancies. In 2012, the Government of Tamil Nadu has undertaken a similar initiative
and has established the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) with the objective of making
appointments to various categories of staff in the Health and Family Welfare Department by
way of direct recruitment, in a speedy manner, keeping in view the nature, importance and
essentiality of these posts. The Departmental Promotion Committees should regularly take up
cases for promotions at all levels.
Capacity-building among AWWs: As suggested by the SNEHA findings - and our subsequent
comparisons with on-ground findings — there is a need to concentrate on capacity building
training of the functionaries. At the moment across all sampled states, apart from being
overburdened and underpaid, AWWs and AWHs are also under-skilled, which often leads to a
lack of motivation and job satisfaction. District functionaries have reported that ILA has many
weak links in its knowledge transfer chain at the moment.
Recommendations: By providing more skill-based knowledge and following up with regular
handholding and observation sessions by Supervisors, the functionaries’ levels of motivation
and satisfaction can be improved upon greatly. This will no doubt have a positive impact upon
their ability to fruitfully contribute to the implementation of the ICDS at the grass-root level.
ICDS Financing: In 2019-20, the Central share in ICDS budget amounts to Rs.19927 crores.
Honoraria (47.0%), SNP (33.9%), and salary (6.5%) jointly account for about 87.4% of the
total Central assistance. About 7.5 per cent of the central assistance is allocated toward
infrastructure (AWC construction, upgradation, drinking water, toilet and rent). If corresponding
State share as per cost-sharing norms is included then the total ICDS budget is expected to be
at least Rs.33171 crores. Although, Uttar Pradesh has a 15% share in total ICDS budget but it
also accounts for 17.6% share of beneficiaries. This translates into Rs.4013 per beneficiary per
year which is much lower than several other States. The expected pre-school component of
the budget is 75 paise per child per day.
Recommendation: The SNP budget should be increased to allow for greater dietary
diversity. A 50% increase in SNP budget implies an additional allocation of Rs. 4684 Crore by
the Government of India under the Central Share for ICDS. States with low per beneficiary
budgets should increase allocations toward infrastructure and human resources. The share
of infrastructure expenditure should be increased by 50% for AWC construction, maintenance
(drinking water, toilet and electricity) as well as development of digital reporting platforms
for program data and funds management. This would imply an additional increase of about
Rs.500 crore in Central share. The budget for the pre-school kit should be enhanced to provide
playing and learning materials. Allocations should be provided for pre-school certification,
gifts and prize distributions that are jointly conducted in collaboration with the government
schools and education department. 1EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
01.
1.1. INTRODUCTION
Launched on 02
nd
October, 1975, the Integrated
Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme – the
Anganwadi Services Scheme – is one of the world’s
largest programs for early childhood care and
development. The scheme is designed as a response
to the fundamental challenges of child development
in terms of a) cognitive development through pre-
school non-formal education and b) physical growth
by liberating childhood from the vicious cycle of
malnutrition, morbidity, reduced cognitive capacity
and mortality. The objectives of the ICDS scheme are
(MoWCD 2019):
to improve the nutritional and health status of
children (age-group 0-6 years);
to lay the foundation for psychological, physical
and social development of the child;
to reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity,
malnutrition and school dropout;
to achieve effective co-ordination of policy and
implementation amongst the various departments
to promote child development; and
to enhance the capability of the mother to look
after the normal health and nutritional needs
of the child through proper nutrition and health
education.
The ICDS is designed to deliver six important services
to children (0-6 years) as well as pregnant and
lactating mothers. These services are as follows:
Supplementary nutrition
Pre-school non-formal education
Nutrition and health education
Immunization
Health checkups and
Referral services
At least three of these services are delivered jointly
by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
(MoWCD) and the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoHFW). The service package is designed to
harness the potential synergies at grass root level in an
integrated approach to enhance child development.
The Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) have thus emerged as
a vital platform for convergence in delivery of key
services.
Despite considerable investments and long-running
implementation of the ICDS, there is much to be
attained in the sphere of child development in India.
Children in India continue to suffer from a high burden
of anthropometric failures (under-five stunting
prevalence at 38% and underweight prevalence at
36% in 2015-16). Persistently high and widespread
prevalence of child undernutrition thus remains a
fundamental policy concern. The launch of the Prime
Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition
(POSHAN Abhiyaan) has placed a renewed emphasis on
child nutrition. POSHAN Abhiyaan specifically targets
to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anemia (among
children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce
low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum,
respectively.
The ICDS scheme is expected to significantly
contribute toward the POSHAN Abhiyaan and achieve
accelerated reductions in child anthropometric
failure. The instrumental relevance of ICDS in child
development calls for a comprehensive evaluation of
the current design, processes and implementation to
draw insights on its merits and potential to fulfill the
scheme objectives. As such, the implementation of
ICDS varies across different states, and therefore, it is
equally important to learn from state experiences and
identify opportunities and challenges for enhancing
coverage, efficiency and impact.
1.2. STUDY OBJECTIVES
The broad objective of this assessment is to critically
review the key processes, implementation structure,
program monitoring and the motivations and
engagement of the human resources under the ICDS
scheme. The specific objectives are as follows:
Analysis of governance and implementation
concerns with focus on monitoring mechanisms, 2EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
financial and technical support to various
functionaries at state, district and local level
Assessment of positive, negative, long-term, short-
term, direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of
implementation mechanisms on scheme delivery
and coverage
Understanding ICDS strategies and scope for inter-
sectoral coordination and convergence
Reviewing capacity building efforts for the
ICDS staff at state, district and local level and
engagement of staff in implementation and
planning of various services
Documentation of views and perceptions of
beneficiaries and other stakeholders on ICDS
objectives and impact and also to understand the
evolving aspirations of the beneficiaries in diverse
settings
The key questions and concerns pertaining to
efficiency, effectiveness, impact and equity are as
follows:
Have the ICDS inputs and activities resulted in
quality and quantity improvements in service
uptake and coverage?
Has the ICDS staff been recruited, trained,
managed, and evaluated as per recommended
practice, and have these steps led to quality
improvements in day-to-day management of
AWCs?
Have AWCs been successfully upgraded and are
AWWs able to provide a full range of maternal and
child health and nutrition services?
Have the broad objectives of ICDS been achieved
or are they likely to be achieved? How much of the
impact can be attributed to the implementation
of the scheme?
Are the organizational solutions favorable to the
development of good governance practices? What
models are available or are demanded across
rural/tribal/urban areas?
Have the ICDS benefits been received by the
planned beneficiaries and did all the planned
beneficiaries have access to ICDS services? How
do the beneficiaries perceive the ICDS benefits?
Are vulnerable and excluded social groups
encouraged to participate in project activities and
be represented in beneficiaries’ organizations?
Was there good participation of women in
community events on nutrition and health?
Is the supplementary nutrition program being
implemented in the manner that it was designed?
What are the barriers to effective implementation?
What are local modifications made to the
implementation which have improved uptake?
What are the various components of the ICDS
scheme and how do these vary in terms of
planning, implementation, and performance
across selected states? What are the challenges in
improving uptake of these ICDS services and how
do they impact scheme coverage?
How strong is the commitment of the non-formal
preschool education implementation to the plan
outlined in the ICDS scheme? What is the extent
of its coverage? What is not working well and
why? What is working well and why? Any local
innovations which were found helpful?
1.3. METHODOLOGY
A mixed methods approach is adopted for the
evaluation. For analysis and inference, the following
type of data and information is used: ICDS coverage
data from National Family Health Survey (NFHS
2015-16), ICDS scheme monitoring data (Monthly
Progress Reports, MPR) from the ICDS Department,
and qualitative data from interviews with Anganwadi
workers (AWWs), community members, Accredited
Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Auxiliary nurse and
Midwives (ANMs), Supervisors, Child Development
Project Officer (CDPO), District Project Officers,
senior officials at the state level including the ICDS
Department. Field visits to AWC for interviews and
assessments are carried out to comprehend status of
infrastructure and service delivery. The qualitative
component is further supplemented by an extensive
literature review.
The qualitative insights are based on assessment of
nine States/UTs selected for detailed assessment
of the ICDS scheme. The selection of states aimed
at capturing diverse ICDS performance across
geographical settings. The States/UTs are stratified
into three groups (High-focus states, Hilly and North-
eastern states, and other states/UTs) and are as
follows: Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar
Pradesh.
From each state, two districts are selected based
on features such as Aspirational Districts (ADs), ICDS
Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement
Project (ISSNIP) districts or aspects related to
ICDS coverage (as per NFHS 2015-16). Districts 3EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Rajnandgaon
Barpeta
18 Districts selected
for field visit, 2019
Note: Vizianagaram, Dhubri, Muzaffarpur, Rajnandgaon, Narmada,
Jaisalmer, Haridwar, Bahraich are Aspirational Districts
States District 1District 2
Andhra Pradesh Vizianagaram Krishna
Assam Barpeta Sonitpur
Bihar Nalanda Muzaffarpur
Chhattisgarh Rajnandgaon Raipur
Delhi North West East
States District 1District 2
Gujarat Narmada Surat
Rajasthan Jaisalmer Udaipur
Uttarakhand Haridwar Udham Singh Nagar
Uttar Pradesh Barabanki Bahraich 4EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
demonstrating good coverage as well as those with
relatively poor coverage are selected to capture
intra-state variability and causes of variability in ICDS
performance.
In each of the selected districts, AWCs (both in
villages / urban areas) are visited by trained research
staff for interviews with ICDS staff and beneficiaries.
Throughout the conduct of the evaluation, the study
team interacted with all relevant stakeholders at
state, district and local level. Beneficiaries were
involved during all phases of the evaluation process,
to ensure better results and enhance ownership
of the results and awareness of responsibilities.
Representatives of line ministries at the state level
were involved in some crucial steps of the evaluation.
Semi-structured questionnaires are developed and
used for these interactions. There were separate
guides made for AWWs, district-level officials, state-
level officials, beneficiaries and tertiary stakeholders
(like PDS suppliers, SHGs/NGOs, Gram Panchayat
members). All guides were translated into the local
language to be used by the Field Interviewers. Focus
group discussions, small-group interviews, and field
observation were also part of the data collection
process. The questions were posed in an objective,
non-leading manner which helped draw out detailed
responses from the interviewees. Wherever possible,
they were asked to provide examples, anecdotes and
incidents which would help illustrate their point and
help the interviewers triangulate the data obtained in
subsequent interviews.
Most interviews had one primary interviewer with
another observer/secondary interviewer aiding them
in note-taking and/or helping with highlighting issues
or questions which could be probed further. Wherever
the respondents consented, audio recordings of the
interviews were produced to help with transcription
and analysis later on. For qualitative interviews,
the sample was chosen to ensure that inputs from
multiple levels and angles of the ICDS scheme can be
captured in the findings. Participation was entirely
voluntary and the participants were assured of the
confidentiality of their statements to the study team.
For the analysis of in-depth interviews, data in the
transcripts were subjected to manual textual analysis
to find axial codes. These axial codes were then
merged together under major themes identified
by the analysts. Responses from each group of
respondents were then mapped against these themes.
These themes were used as a blueprint for analysis of
data obtained in the subsequent states. Findings from
other states were summarised and similarly mapped
against these major themes to come up with the
findings reported here.
The quantitative program monitoring data was sourced
from the Ministry of Women and Child Development as
well as relevant state departments. The information
on number of beneficiaries enrolled and obtaining
services under the ICDS at different administrative
levels is compiled using ICDS MIS and is called ‘Monthly
Progressive Report (MPR)’. The MIS data is analyzed
to understand program coverage, infrastructure and
human resources. Also, the financial allocations are
reviewed. In addition, NFHS 2005-06 and 2015-16
household survey data was analysed to understand
the uptake of ICDS services.
1.4. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The study was reviewed and approved by the
Institutional Ethics Committee of IIT Gandhinagar. It
may be noted that anonymity of the respondents was
a major concern. Our reported findings do not specify
the source of suggestions, complaints and feedback to
ensure that the respondents’ privacy and anonymity is
respected.
Confidentiality of the data gathered was also
kept in mind when storing and sharing with other
collaborators/analysts. The study team found that
there was an implicit pressure felt by respondents to
answer positively, the effect of which could not always
be nullified by assuring anonymity and confidentiality.
Thus, there is acknowledgement on the part of the
research team that some sensitive feedback may
not have made its way into the findings due to the
participants’ unwillingness to share it on record.
Similarly, prior notice was given to districts and AWCs
in many cases. This could have had an impact on the
observations and findings. For example, many AWCs
prepared for the research team’s visit beforehand.
Besides, lack of time and a tight schedule also meant
wrapping up interviews quickly sometimes, sacrificing
a more thorough and nuanced gathering of data.
However, questions about the major themes and areas
of enquiry were prioritised in such situations.
1.5. REPORT OUTLINE
The report is organized in 10 sections. Section 1
provides the background and context of the study
and lists the main objectives and approach of the
evaluation. Section 2 reviews the key findings
from recent studies with focus on studies mostly
conducted post-2010. The review is organized under
the broad thematic areas including supplementary 5EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
nutrition, human resource, infrastructure, finance
and convergence. Section 3 presents insights from
quantitative analysis based on National Family
Health Survey (NFHS) data as well as program data
obtained from the MoWCD. The NFHS based analysis
aims to describe the ICDS service utilization across
demographic and socioeconomic groups from a
beneficiary perspective. Section 4 presents the
findings on ICDS key services delivery and beneficiary
perceptions about the ICDS services. The focus of the
discussion is on Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP)
benefits and the pre-school education component.
The beneficiary perceptions and expectations related
to these components are also listed in this section.
Section 5 describes some of the key issues associated
with implementation and monitoring of the ICDS
program. The focus is on identifying governance issues
that can be reviewed from a guideline’s perspective.
Focus on THR production models, ICDS website and
comparison with major national flagship programs is
also attempted to draw parallels for mutual learning
and course-corrections.
Financing and budget flows are an important part
of the implementation process in ICDS. States have
different structures of fund flows and this often has
direct effects on the service delivery in the state.
Section 6 discusses fund flows, flexibility and
financing. The issue of incentivization of ICDS staff
is also discussed in some detail. Section 7 documents
the issues associated with the ICDS functionaries
who are the most crucial component of the program
to ensure effective coverage and smooth delivery of
the key services. The focus is on aspects related to
training, staffing, monitoring, evaluation, time-use
and incentivization of the ICDS staff. This section also
discusses issues related to ICDS infrastructure.
Section 8 reviews the concept of convergence and
provides evidence on convergence initiatives under
the ICDS umbrella. Section 9 reviews the best
practices from the States visited for evaluation.
Section 10 concludes with summary of evaluation and
main recommendations. 7EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
RECENT STUDIES ON ICDS
02.
2.1. INTRODUCTION
Various studies have examined the implementation
and performance of the ICDS scheme. Some of
these studies are based on nationally representative
survey data such as the National Family Health
Surveys (NFHS), whereas others are based on ICDS
program data or independent state or region-specific
community surveys and interactions. A recent study
by Chakrabarti et al (2019), finds that between 2006–
2016, the coverage of ICDS scheme has increased,
particulary among the marginalized sections. This
section reviews the recent studies and reports on
ICDS to document the main observations from existing
evidence and to identify priority areas for action.
The review is organized under the broad thematic
areas as follows: a) Human resource, b) Infrastructure
c) Finance, d) Knowledge and training of AWWs, e)
Monitoring and evaluation of ICDS, f) Service delivery
under ICDS (cooked meal and take home ration), g)
Convergence with other programs, h) Impact of the
scheme, and i) Research gaps.
2.2. HUMAN RESOURCE
The Anganwadi Workers (AWW), Anganwadi Helpers
(AWH), Supervisors (AWS), Child Development Project
Officers (CDPO) and District Program officers (DPO)
are the key ICDS functionaries at the grass root
level. Various studies have reviewed the situation of
AWWs and challenges associated with their day-to-
day functioning. A review by Gupta et al (2013) finds
that enhancing educational level as well as in-service
training of AWWs is an important area for focus and
improvement. Besides, it is also noted that with better
incentives, the AWWs can help to increase coverage of
basic services such as immunization care for children
(Avula et al 2012).
In 2011, the Planning Commission of India (PCI) had
conducted an evaluation of the ICDS scheme. The study
finds that the AWWs are overburdened, underpaid and
mostly unskilled. They are overburdened because the
day-to-day AWC-related work takes not less than 5-6
hours every day. Besides, they are asked to perform
tasks of other agencies, with or without incentives.
The AWWs being unskilled was a major concern
because they did not have much idea of the growth
monitoring processes and medical assistance required
by malnourished children. The impact of training
programs on AWWs’ skill and knowledge is also weak.
Regular training and capacity building of the AWC
staff is critical because they are the focal point for
several important health and nutrition interventions.
For instance, Avula et al (2015) find that close
collaboration between all the frontline workers
(FLWs) namely AWWs, ASHAs, ANMs is critical to
deliver key interventions. For instance, while AWWs
are instrumental to deliver the SNP component under
ICDS, ANMs and ASHAs are critical for immunization
and vitamin A supplementation. Given the central role
of these workers and also their poverty status, it is
important to motivate their work performance and
reduce attrition through monetary or non-monetary
incentives.
2.3. INFRASTRUCTURE
There are major infrastructure gaps in ICDS. Studies
have found wide inter-state and intra-state variations
in the provisioning of basic infrastructure facilities at
the AWCs. For instance, based on a study in Andhra
Pradesh, Helena et al (2016) find that 71% of the
AWCs are in pucca buildings and around 36% are
rented. Around 29% have toilets, 20% have regular
water supply and 50% have a separate kitchen. Gill
et al (2017) reviews the infrastructure of 400 AWCs
in Amritsar, Punjab. The study finds that out of 400
AWCs, only 24% operate in own buildings. Further,
only 53% AWCs have regular water supplies. A similar
study from Bangalore finds that that 85% of the rural
AWC and 60% of urban AWC have their own building
while other centers were running in school buildings
(Abhijnana et al 2019). All urban AWCs were having
separate place for cooking and had better sanitation
facilities.
In 2015, the NITI Aayog had conducted a rapid
assessment of AWCs across 19 States/UTs. This study
finds that 22.5% of AWCs did not have the required
medicines for the children. 41% AWCs had either 8EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
shortage of space or unsuitable accommodation
whereas 13.7% did not have safe drinking water
facilities. Also, in 24.3% AWCs, problems were
noticed in records maintenance. Previously, in 2011,
the Planning Commission had also noted that the
AWCs lack adequate infrastructure to deliver the six
designated services. This deficiency has adversely
affected the quality of delivery of services and hence
impact of ICDS. The quality of service delivery on the
demand side was evaluated based on the following
indicators: Percentage of households not adequately
aware of ICDS, Percentage of eligible households not
availing services because of supply side inadequacies,
Percentage of beneficiaries facing constraints in
availing service, and Percentage of beneficiaries
satisfied with delivery of services.
With the introduction of ICDS Common Application
Software (ICDS-CAS), the data reporting infrastructure
is undergoing major changes. A recent study on
the ICDS Common Application Software (ICDS-CAS)
recruited nearly 1500 AWWs and 6000+ mother-child
dyads from 400+ matched pairs of villages in Bihar and
Madhya Pradesh found that the CAS modules are easy
to use and that the CAS dashboard enabled efficient
monitoring and feedback. However, the study noted
that the usage of CAS application is low, and while
there may be some shifts, the application still needs
to translate into stronger gains for improved service
delivery for beneficiaries. In fact, nearly all the AWWs
report at least one challenge in using the application
(this included hardware, application and network
issues. Some examples include the AWWs having to
travel to submit data, lack of network in their AWC/
village, slow internet, device being slow, or issues
pertaining to battery life or heating up). Greater
engagement between Centre and State, transition
to state ownership, investment in staff capacity at
the state, and having a shared vision can facilitate
faster roll-out of ICDS-CAS. Also, the effectiveness of
the application itself is influenced by the overall ICDS
governance as demonstrated in the differences in the
roll-out of CAS in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.
The PAISA for Nutrition Study (2019) found that
most AWCs lack basic infrastructure and equipment.
While a kitchen may not affect an AWC where food
is cooked and served by SHGs, the lack of drinking
water, hand-washing facilities, and usable toilets was
striking. Several items are required at AWCs to make
it functional. These can be classified into four groups
– IEC posters, growth monitoring related equipment,
Pre-School Education (PSE), and other AWC supplies.
There are several gaps across districts, notably for
weighing machines. Across both districts in one state,
the availability of IEC posters, growth charts, and PSE
related items was low. The availability of weighing
machines in working condition for both adults and
children was also low. However, some districts have
better infrastructure for AWCs. These are districts
where GPs use their own source revenue (OSR) for
nutrition and education (typically used for AWCs).
2.4. FINANCING
Fund allocation and utilization has been yet another
important component in the implementation of
the scheme such as ICDS. There are two important
aspects of financing: one, low financial allocations
for the ICDS and, second, is the underutilization of
allocated funds. Gupta and Gupta (2018) examine
release and utilization of funds for ICDS Bihar for the
period 2006-15 and find that Bihar was not able to
utilize funds completely during 2006-08. The Planning
Commission (2011) study also finds that a large part
(around 60%) of budgetary allocation/spending (2008-
09) is not being used for SNP. In fact, making funds
available to AWC seems to be a better option than
supplying SNP. Letting the SNP funds flow from State
Nodal Office to the bank account of AWW directly and
not through DPO/CDPO as is being done now, while
the responsibility of cooking and delivery of SN may
be outsourced to women-SHGs (as is the practice in
some areas).
Menon et al (2016) estimate the costs of delivering
two sets of nutrition related interventions at scale.
The first is the set of the 10 Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)
interventions and the second is a set of 14 nutrition
interventions that are encompassed in India’s policy
framework and also supported by recommendations
from a large network of stakeholders in India, the
Coalition for Food and Nutrition Security in India
referred to as ‘India Plus’ actions. The study finds that
cash transfers to women to support breastfeeding and
supplementary food rations, respectively together
cover >80% of the total cost estimates for scaling
interventions. This is followed by health interventions
(including inpatient treatment of severe acute
malnutrition), counselling actions and micronutrient
supplements and deworming, accounting for 4, 5 and
3% share of the total cost, respectively. The study
also finds considerable variability in the costs for
delivering the interventions at scale in the different
states across India, with variability in cost estimates
primarily driven by differences in target populations.
Also, costs across states was found varying due to
existing population and high fertility rates, high
stunting and wasting rates (amplifying the costs for 9EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
treatment of severe acute malnutrition). This calls
for increasing the level of investment in nutrition in
general and ICDS in particular.
2.5. TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE OF
AWWS
Studies focusing on the infrastructure and human
resource gaps often highlight the need for training
and capacity building of AWWs. Chudasama et al
(2015) finds that only 11% the AWWs in Gujarat have
received induction training. The training programs
play an important role in improving the performances
of the staff working at the grass root level. This
study also highlights the importance of monitoring
and evaluation of AWWs to improve reporting of key
indicators and to improve overall performance of the
scheme.
Importance of nutritional education is highlighted by
Meena and Meena (2018) in the context of its impact
on undernutrition among under-five children in urban
and rural areas of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Such
trainings are important as appropriate intervention
by AWWs can provide people with appropriate skills
and motivation to choose wise dietary and lifestyle
choices. This study emphasizes that lack of food is
not the sole cause behind malnutrition, but the lack
of knowledge about feeding amount, frequency,
type of food etc. contribute significantly to the poor
nutritional status of the children.
Similarly, Chaturvedi and Nanjappan (2014) analyze
the knowledge of infant and young child feeding (IYCF)
practices among AWWs and their ability to counsel
and influence care givers regarding these practices.
The study was based on a sample of 80 AWWs from
four districts of Gujarat and noted that AWWs with
better IYCF were more effectively implementing
them in counselling sessions with caregivers. This
study emphasized on the need for quality interaction
between the AWWs and caregivers for which a
paradigm shift in training is required to strengthen
communication and counselling skills of the AWWs.
2.6. IMPLEMENTATION GAPS
There are major gaps in ICDS scheme monitoring
and implementation of various ICDS activities with
adequate logistics support. For instance, Parmar et al
(2014) observe the conduct of Mamta Day at AWCs to
deliver routine immunization and growth monitoring
services and finds lack of preparation in terms of
emergency kits etc for the immunization sessions. The
authors suggested greater support and trainings from
the ANMs and the Primary Health Centre (PHC) to deliver
quality health care and counselling services. With the
advent of the POSHAN Abhiyaan, new ways of event
planning and quality improvements have emphasized
upon. One of the biggest challenges for ICDS, however,
is multi-sectoral convergence particularly between
the National Health Mission (NHM), Ministry of Health
(MOH), and Ministry of Women and Child Development
(MWCD) and also in coordination with other ministries
and line departments.
There are various reports which indicates
implementation gaps, including lack of uniformity,
insensitivity to socio-cultural issues, lack of
convergence with other programs, lack of community
monitoring, and non-involvement of the local
leadership and community voices in addressing the
multiple determinants of under nutrition. A report
by IFPRI evaluates the status of nutrition-related
initiatives in Madhya Pradesh. This study throws
light on how knowledge is used for nutrition policy
formulation, program planning, and implementation
in order to create a demand for evidence among
stakeholders. According to the report strengthening
and restructuring the ICDS have been important
component of district action plans but how far it
has been implemented in marginalized districts have
been unclear. With the help of mapping exercise,
the report identifies 84 actors who are important in
the implementation of nutrition related programs in
Madhya Pradesh.
Malik et al (2015) in their study regarding the
functioning of ICDS centers in Delhi have highlighted
shortcomings of AWWs in implementing the revised
nutrition norms. There is a need of effective supervision
at each level of health facilitates. Further challenges
met by community health workers at the field are
also important for smooth implementation of ICDS.
State specific studies capture the stark variations in
the implementation of the ICDS scheme. Kumar et al
(2015) evaluate the child health care services for three
to six years old in urban AWCs in Kerala. According to
the study conducted with 117 AWCs, 73 were providing
average services to 3 to 6 year-old children, 18 AWCs
were providing poor services and only 26 AWCs were
performing well. A study from West Bengal finds
out that providing nutrition won’t be enough, if the
caregiver is not provided with adequate information
on nutritional awareness and growth trajectory of
the child (Dutta and Ghosh (2016). Further including
eggs in the regular diet given to the children can
solve protein deficiency. The study also finds gaps in
implementation of pre-school education as well as
nutrition and hygiene counselling. 10EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
2.7. SERVICE DELIVERY: THR AND HOT
COOKED MEALS
Various studies have discussed supplementary
nutrition program (SNP) components of hot cooked
meal (HCM) and take-home rations (THR) under ICDS.
The THR is provided to children less than 3 years as
well as to pregnant women and nursing mothers. The
Planning Commission (2011) finds that the awareness
about the services available at AWC, entitlement of
supplementary nutrition and other services is very poor
both among beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Some
studies suggest that HCM for children below 3 years is
a much better form of supplementary nutrition than
THR packets in terms of acceptability, consumption
and effective calorie and protein content. THR is an
essential part of ICDS scheme which allows access to
pre-mix nutritional food easily.
Marathe et al (2015) examine the importance of THR
in improving the nutritional status of children in
selected districts of Maharashtra. The study indicates
that in terms of regularity of the supply, cooked meals
outweigh the THR packets as the overall availability
of THR packets was only 53% of the total requirement.
Study indicates that around 60% of the beneficiaries
receive two packets of THR whereas the rest receive
only one packet per month. On the other hand, the
beneficiaries were receiving HCM on a daily basis.
The authors also enquire about what they do with
the unused THR packets and find that 79% of such
respondents feed this to animals or use it for fishing,
11% throw it away whereas others mix it with other
flour for consumption. This study also finds that HCM
serves much better as a means of supplementary
nutrition.
Vaid et al (2018) find some differences between
the Indian and global recommendations for nutrient
requirements. The ICMR’s protein requirements
exceed those of WHO, while its iron intake
recommendations are lower than those of WHO. The
study also notes a mix of models for the provision of
THR across the country. Information on THR content,
quantity, frequency of provision, and nutrient
content is not uniformly available for all the states.
In instances where it is available, it may be outdated.
Also, it is unclear whether the states are currently
meeting the THR norms specified in the national
guidelines. Importantly, studies have noted wide
divergence between official statistics on nutritional
status, registered beneficiaries, number (norms) of
days for SNP on one hand and grassroots reality with
regard to these indicators on the other (Planning
Commission 2011).
2.8. IMPACT OF ICDS
There are several studies which have discussed the
impact of the scheme on maternal and child health
indicators. Study by Clementine et al (2014) talks about
operational performance, economic sustainability and
social impact of a decentralized production model
for India’s Supplementary Nutrition Program (ICDS).
This study tries to highlight the operational aspect
of supplementary nutrition program where local
groups are being involved in the manufacturing the
products related to ICDS. A pilot unit was introduced
in 2011 by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
(GAIN) with the UN World Food Program (WFP) as
an implementing partner. The study focuses on the
important component of the ICDS structure and that is
supplies to the AWCs, regular supervision and support,
recurrent training, preferential pricing and access to
financial services. Involving self-help groups (SHGs)
and decentralization makes it more local but at the
same time it also makes the task of quality checks and
monitoring a little complicated.
There have been mixed evidences about the ICDS
program meetings its goals in India. Dixit et al (2018)
examine the impact of ICDS on rural areas in India but
find that the ICDS service didn’t improve nutritional
status in rural India. According to the authors the
children who received the ICDS services were more
likely to be stunted, wasted and underweight as
compared with the children not availing the services.
The study highlights the program was not able to
reach to the target population, especially children
coming under the age group of 3 years of age. One
of the crucial factors highlighted by the study was
importance of proper utilization of funds in successful
implementation of the programs. In order to improve
the scenario of child nutrition, the study suggested
the shift from supplementary feeding practices to
improving environmental hygiene and child feeding
practices.
Mittal and Meenakshi (2016), analyze the impact
of supplementary nutrition provided through ICDS
on intakes of calories, proteins, vitamin-A and iron
among young children in Bihar. The analysis is based
on 24-hour dietary recall data collected for 320
children from four villages in rural Bihar. The study
finds an increase in net intake of food by 135 calories
among the children (aged 3-6 years). However, no
improvement was seen in uptake of THR for children
below 3 years. Parents viewed HCM differently than
THR which was easier to share with other household
members than cooked meals provided at ICDS center.
Sarkar et al (2017) discuss the nutritional status of 11EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
AWC children of Phansidewa Block in Darjeeling, West
Bengal. The data shows that stunting is a predominant
problem and the elevated risks among older children
indicate failure in growth and development during
first 1000 days.
Sahu and Roy (2014) discuss additional opportunities
for ICDS and argue for developing crèche services at
AWC for under-5 children. In this regard, a study by
Alderman and Friedman (2018) on an AWC-cum-
crèche pilot in Madhya Pradesh finds that the scheme
achieved modest impacts with modest investments in
institutional capacity (there were small increases in
the receipt of ECE (early childhood education) services,
and equally modest increase in female labor force
participation). While there were three workers (AWW,
crèche worker and AWH) collaboratively delivering
the services, the parents saw benefits in sending their
child to the crèche so that their child is cared for, kept
clean, and is provided learning and play opportunities
and food when they go to work. Parents seemed more
confident about sending their children as there was
a third worker, and they could send their younger
children with the older ones. AWWs were positive about
the addition of crèche services. While some felt their
workload had increased due to the addition, others felt
it had decreased, as crèche workers also care for the
older children when the AWW is not present and help
the AWW with maintaining registers.
2.9. CONVERGENCE
Inter-sectoral convergence is essential to secure
faster improvements in maternal and child health.
There are various studies which have highlighted the
role of inter–sectoral convergence in improving health
outcomes. Kim et al (2017) undertook a qualitative
assessment of the convergence experience in three
selected districts of Odisha. The study finds that
convergence is operationalised to a different degree
at the various levels of the government health
and ICDS systems, i.e. from state to district, block
and frontline levels because of the varied types of
functions and relationships required at the different
administrative levels. For example, at the state level,
the convergence task is collaboration which includes
developing guidelines and meetings to discuss topics
and plan and review programs and initiatives. At the
district level it is coordination, planning and review
meetings, data sharing, and joint training sessions.
At the block the convergence degree is cooperation
which occurs through planning and cooperation.
For the village also, it is collaboration, achieved by
delivery of services, through VHND and home visits.
Further, several mechanisms were in place to
facilitate regular coordination and collaboration, such
as monthly meetings convened by (and perceived as
dominated by) Health, and biannual project meetings,
held to plan for specific programs or activities and
convened by Health but chaired by the Development
Commissioner to facilitate horizontal collaboration.
Other examples included the cross-sectoral
coordination committee for NRHM’s urban health
program and the frequent cross-sectoral collaboration
on guidelines for specific initiatives. Well-positioned
leadership (or champions for the initiatives or
issues) was seen as a key facilitator of convergence,
particularly leaders involved not just in the line
departments but who transcended departmental
boundaries such as the Development Commissioner
and the Chief Secretary. The VHND provided a common
platform for FLWs to work together in delivering the
ICDS and health services such as ANC, referrals, growth
monitoring, and counseling. However, challenges to
convergent actions remain- despite the shared goal to
reduce infant and maternal mortality, DHFW focused
on antenatal care services and DWCD contributes
to improving maternal nutrition by providing food
supplements during pregnancy, and there is little
data sharing across these actions to demonstrate
process towards the goal, even where common
indicators exist. This resulted in discrepancies in data
presentations and limitations on the extent to which
there is collaboration on program monitoring. Limited
supervision and lack of accountability mechanisms
for the implementation process from the state to
lower levels lead to repercussions. For instance,
at the district level, DHFW and DWCD staff clearly
identified their roles and responsibilities as applying
state guidelines for programs, prioritizing services
or activities based on their contexts, planning,
monitoring data, allocating resources, and training
block-level staff. But the Block-level staff lack
direction or guidelines for intersectoral coordination
from higher levels, thus it was unclear how they were
expected to work together.
Village Health and Nutrition Days (VHNDs) and similar
other events (like Mamta Diwas in Odisha) is one of
the key evidences of convergence at the grass root
level. Semwal et al (2016) discuss the performance of
VHNDs in Uttarakhand. The study indicates that most
of the VHNDs are not organizing any education and
counselling sessions on nutrition, family planning and
other health issues. Also, there are no facilities for
measurement of height and weight of pregnant women.
The study also highlights the poor coordination among
health, ICDS, and Gram Panchayat (GP) functionaries 12EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
in implementing VHNDs. However, such studies do not
necessarily cover best practices, if any.
A few studies have focused on primary health care
models and how these respond to the various schemes
or policies related to maternal and child health.
Perry et al (2017) reviews the implementation part
of various schemes and the reasons behind its success
and failure. In analyzing the implementation aspect
of the scheme related maternal and child health,
this study tried to analyze the following changes that
should have occurred after the implementation of the
scheme, a) change in the population coverage of one
or more evidence-based intervention, b) change in
nutritional status, c) change in the incidence or in the
outcome of serious, life-threatening morbidity (such
as pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, sepsis, hemorrhage), d)
change in mortality.
A report from the Government of Bihar, talks about
the various strategies that have improved the status
of inter-sectoral coordination in strengthening the
implementation of grass root level schemes such as
the ICDS. A scheme on Uddeepan Kendra or the Nodal
AWC aims at strengthening the AWCs with special
focus on the marginalized communities. Some of the
important results of this initiative are a) improvement
in home visits by AWWs, b) pregnant women and new
mothers have been more receptive towards messages,
c) data management and feedback mechanism has
been improving. But on the flip-side, infrastructure
continues to be a major challenge despite some
improvement and similarly large community
participation is necessary.
An important example of convergence is the
collaboration between Ministry of Women and
Child Development (MoWCD) and Ministry of Rural
Development (MoRD) for the construction of AWCs
with help of MGNREGA scheme. Joint guidelines
between the ministries have identified a number of
most backward blocks for construction of AWCs with
MGNREGA workers. The guidelines specifically aim:
a) to ensure that every AWC in the selected blocks
have a pucca building under MGNREGA, b) to serve
the objectives of pre-school, nutrition center, semi-
formal public health unit, community center located
in the heart of settlement, c) to support generation
of human and social capital at the micro level, d) to
create durable assets in rural areas and improve the
infrastructure at village level, d) to provide crèche
facility to MGNREGA workers.
The Planning Commission (2011) also noted that
convergence of complementary services is a weak link.
The coordination committees and other grassroots
level institutions are ineffective in most states
(coordination among providers of complementary
services, such as, health facilities, safe drinking water,
sanitation etc.). Also, it is ambitious to consider AWW
capable to accomplish this task without adequate
support from various authorities.
2.10. PAISA FOR NUTRITION STUDY
The Accountability Initiative at the Centre for
Policy Research undertook process tracking study of
the Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP) within
ICDS, and Vitamin A and IFA supplements in 2018-
19. The study sought to answer what the current
fiscal design and governance architecture of ICDS is
and mechanisms to make the system more efficient
and effective looking at cross-state variations and
innovations in solving bottlenecks in service delivery.
The study was conducted in 6 districts across 3 states
and covered the entire delivery chain of supply of
supplementary nutrition program (SNP) and Vitamin
A and IFA. The study included a primary survey of key
front-line functionaries and mid-level managers, Self-
Help Groups (SHGs), and beneficiaries. Key documents
such as passbooks and bills were used to verify the
information particularly with respect to fund and grain
flow. In addition, detailed interviews and focus-group
discussions were held with a subset of functionaries.
Villages were chosen at random using PPS sampling,
while ensuring that every block was represented. For
brevity, some of the key findings are listed as follows.
The number of SNP beneficiaries has been declining
over the past five years and that the HCM was served
on a daily basis. Unlike HCM, most beneficiaries
reported that the THR was received in the stipulated
time. The study finds that most districts do not have
“active” SHGs despite the Supreme Court Guidelines.
Typically, the AWW or related individuals ran the
SHG to supply HCM. Most AWWs reported that there
is limited incentive for SHGs to supply due to three
reasons a) limited funds for transportation (only
2% SHGs reimbursed); b) delays in receipt of funds:
often by more than 3 months; c) low unit costs for
HCM making provision financially unviable. Honoraria
to AWWs are often delayed and also the flexi-fund of
Rs.1000/- per AWC is also not sensitive to beneficiary
coverage.
The number of pregnant women that received any IFA
was low and the numbers that consumed IFA was even
lower. The receipt of Vitamin A was low as well. Part
of the problem was due to delays in supply. Around
50% ASHAs and ANMs run out of stock for Vitamin A
thus impacting service delivery. The availability of 13EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Vitamin A was limited even during VHSNDs. There were
gaps in the recall by beneficiaries and counselling,
especially for neonatal care and breastfeeding and
supplementation.
Apart from infrastructure gaps, the study also finds
several vacancies in key posts. For instance, over
50% sanctioned posts for CDPO, AWS, data entry
operators and statistical assistants are vacant. Under
such circumstances, most of these functionaries are
burdened with additional responsibility. This affects
both monitoring as well as timely reporting of data
and other information.
2.11. RESEARCH GAPS
Although several studies have examined the journey
of ICDS and reviewed the varied dimensions of the
program but still there are important issues and
gaps in understanding that require further research
engagement. For instance, several studies indicated
that beneficiaries preferred HCM in comparison
to THR but there is a need to evaluate the reasons
behind people not using these pre-mixes for direct
consumption. Also, there are very few studies which
are studying rural and urban infrastructure separately.
Only a few reports are available on inter-ministerial
convergence with specific focus on ICDS.
Studies have also shown the importance of village
health nutrition days another initiative to provide
maternal, newborn child services at the village
level. Such days provide platform for creating
awareness regarding maternal and child nutrition.
Often the studies suffer from sample size and sample
design constraints. This restricts the scope for
robust statistical or econometric analysis for policy
inferences. In fact, some studies have highlighted
that their results are based on one functional unit or
area and consider this as a major limitation.
Research on impact of ICDS on nutritional status of
children usually finds null to very small effect of the
program. But these studies are usually outcome or
result centric whereas not much research has explored
the solutions or alternatives for strengthening service
delivery under ICDS. Some studies have offered
suggestions for smooth running of the program.
Studies also suggest reviewing the scope for additional
responsibilities like distributing financial assistance
to elderly and disabled persons which is already
experimented in Puducherry. New studies that focus
on factors affecting implementation of ICDS as well as
those documenting successful models can also prove
helpful in strengthening ICDS. 15EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
03.
3.1. ICDS COVERAGE PATTERNS
BASED ON NFHS
3.1.1. Data and Indicators
The analysis presented in section 3.1 is based on the
National Family Health Survey (NFHS 2015-16) and
draws upon the draft manuscript by the study team.
The NFHS sample frame is based on the Census of
India 2011 and is powered to allow estimation of key
indicators of ICDS coverage for each of the states and
UTs by rural and urban areas separately. Data in NFHS is
obtained from a two-stage stratified random sampling
frame. The villages (for rural areas) and Census
Enumeration Blocks (for urban areas) were served as
primary stage unit. In the second stage, households
were selected for survey from each cluster/village/
block on the basis of probability systematic sampling.
The NFHS 2015-16 provides individual level information
699,686 females aged 15-49 years. After excluding the
information on mothers having children older than 6
years, and those with missing information on child’s
age, a final analytic sample of 295646 children (aged
0-6 years) with complete birth history is used for the
analysis.
The binary outcome variables (Yes/No) for the primary
analysis are: (a) Whether mother received ICDS
benefits (any) during pregnancy; (b) Whether mother
received ICDS benefits (any) while breastfeeding;
and (c) Any ICDS benefits received by child (below 6
years). For a comprehensive understanding, we also
analysed information on specific services under ICDS
as: supplementary food, health check-ups, health
and nutrition education, immunization, and early
child care. At household level, wealth index was
taken as the proxy indicator for householdstandard
of living. The wealth index was created by principal
component analyses on household assets and wealth
characteristics for rural and urban areas separately
(IIPS, 2017). Further, households were categorised
into four social groups – Scheduled Castes (SCs),
Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Class (OBCs)
and Others. Religion of household was classified into
Hindu, Muslim and Others.
INSIGHTS FROM NFHS ON
ICDS COVERAGE
All the primary statistical analyses were performed
separately for rural and urban areas. The descriptive
estimates regarding service utilization across
demographic and socioeconomic groups are presented
via two-way cross tables. The information on birth
history also allows us to infer about continuum
in service utilization by identifying whether both
mother (during pregnancy and breastfeeding) as well
as child have received ICDS benefits. In this regard,
we present estimates regarding utilization at three
different points (i.e. utilization during pregnancy,
utilization while breastfeeding and utilization by
child) through pie diagrams. For this, sample children
were classified into eight mutually exclusive groups
as: (a) utilization by mothers during pregnancy, while
breastfeeding and by child; (b) utilization by mothers
during pregnancy and while breastfeeding; (c)
utilization by mothers during pregnancy and by child;
(d) utilization by mothers while breastfeeding and by
child; (e) utilization by mothers during pregnancy only;
(f) utilization by mothers while breastfeeding only;
(g) utilization by child only; and (h) no utilization.
All analyses were performed in statistical software,
Stata 15 (Stata corp. 2016) taking sampling weights
prescribed by NFHS.
3.1.2. Key Findings
The service utilization (any ICDS service) by mothers
during pregnancy is about 20% points higher for
rural areas (60.5%) than urban areas (38.8%) (Table
3.1). Even while breastfeeding, a significant gap in
utilization pattern can be observed between rural
(55.1%) and urban (35.6%) settings. Similar pattern
emerges in case of any ICDS service received by
children (under six years) as well. For instance, about
59.6% of children from rural areas are receiving ay ICDS
benefits, whereas from urban areas, about 40.2% are
receiving same. This rural-urban gap is also evident
across all three broad services provided under ICDS for
both mothers (during pregnancy and breastfeeding)
(i.e. supplementary food, health check-ups and health
and nutrition education) as well as for children (i.e.
supplementary food, health check-up, immunization
and early child Care). 16EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Among all the broad services under ICDS, service
uptake for supplementary food is highest for mothers
during pregnancy both in rural (57.4%) and urban
households (36.4%) areas. Similarly, supplementary
food services are most popular among children as
well. On the contrary, the uptake for health and
nutrition education is lowest during breastfeeding. For
example, in rural areas, only 41.9% of mothers during
pregnancy and 38.0% of mother while breastfeeding
has received health and nutrition education under
ICDS. Importantly, only 42.4% of children in rural areas
and 28.2% in urban areas are receiving early child care
(preschool).
Across states, Chhattisgarh has the highest percentage
of mothers receiving ICDS benefits during pregnancy
both in rural (92.8%) as well as urban areas (73.8%)
(Figure 3.1). Whereas, it was lowest in Nagaland (Rural:
11.3%; Urban 4.5%) followed by Arunachal Pradesh
(Rural: 15.9%; Urban 6.0%). The service utilization
by children is highest for Chandigarh (Rural: 100%;
Urban 51.3%) followed by West Bengal (Rural: 82.6%;
Urban 54.9%) and lowest in Arunachal Pradesh (Rural:
8.4%; Urban 7.7%). Importantly, service utilization by
mothers in undernutrition burdened states like Uttar
Pradesh (Rural: 44.7%; Urban 20.7%) and Bihar (Rural:
39.2%; Urban 30.8%) is very low.
Rural India Urban India
During Pregnancy
Any Services60.538.8
Supplementary Food57.436.4
Health Check-up47.331.6
Health and Nutrition Education41.929.7
While Breastfeeding
Any Services55.135.6
Supplementary Food53.133.7
Health Check-up40.528.4
Health and Nutrition Education38.027.6
By Child
Any Services59.640.2
Supplementary Food53.135.6
Health Check-up43.230.9
Immunization44.328.6
Early Child Care42.428.2
Table 3.1: Utilization of ICDS services by mothers (during pregnancy and while breastfeeding)
and child under six years, India, NFHS, 2016
Source: Study Team based on NFHS 2015-16
Across social groups, mothers from scheduled caste
households have significantly higher utilization of ICDS
services (any) during pregnancy and breastfeeding,
both in rural as well as urban areas (Table 3.2).
Compared to other social groups (54.6%), the uptake
for ICDS benefits (any) during pregnancy is about
10 percentage points higher for scheduled castes
households (65.5%) in rural settings. This gap is
relatively higher for urban areas as utilization among
scheduled castes mothers during pregnancy is about
19 percentage points higher than others. Also, the
magnitude of service uptake among scheduled tribes
is comparable to mothers from scheduled castes. A
similar utilization pattern for ICDS benefits (any)
was observed among mothers while breastfeeding
across social groups. Among children also, the service
utilization is higher for scheduled castes (63.4%) and
scheduled tribes (66.1%) in rural areas. Similar gap
across social categories exist among urban children.
In rural areas, service uptake is relatively higher
among mothers from middle income groups (Table
3.2). For instance, 60.8%, 65.2% and 65.7% of mothers
from second, third and fourth wealth quintile are
receiving any ICDS benefits respectively. On the
contrary, estimates for urban areas reveal a clear 17EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
socioeconomic gradient in service utilization with
higher utilization among mothers (and children)
from lower income households. For example, during
pregnancy, 49.8% of mothers from lowest wealth
quintile have received any ICDS benefits against just
19.8% of those from highest wealth quintile. Similarly,
compared to richest quintile, service utilization (any)
among poorest children is about 28 percentage points
higher.Compared to Hindu households, a relatively
lower proportion of Muslim mothers (during pregnancy
and breastfeeding) have received any benefits both in
rural as well as urban areas (Table 3.2).
Table 3.2: Utilization of ICDS services by mothers (during pregnancy and while breastfeeding)
and child under six years, India by socioeconomic background, NFHS, 2016
Rural IndiaDuring Pregnancy While Breastfeeding By Child
Social Group
Schedule Caste65.559.763.4
Schedule Tribes68.964.166.1
OBC57.752.356.8
General54.649.456.7
Wealth Quintile
Lowest54.449.854.7
Second60.855.359.9
Third65.259.363.0
Fourth65.760.263.9
Highest57.852.257.5
Religion
Hindu62.156.760.7
Muslim48.944.151.5
Others67.561.365.1
Urban IndiaDuring Pregnancy While Breastfeeding By Child
Social Group
Schedule Caste46.242.647.1
Schedule Tribes50.647.150.9
OBC41.537.842.4
General28.926.431.0
Wealth Quintile
Lowest49.846.350.6
Second46.642.947.5
Third38.935.339.9
Fourth29.727.232.2
Highest19.817.622.2
Religion
Hindu40.337.040.8
Muslim34.431.838.3
Others38.233.240.4
Source: Study Team based on NFHS 2015-16 18EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
To understand the continuum in receiving ICDS
benefits, Figure 3.2 shows the percentage distribution
of mothers by utilization at different points of time
(i.e. during pregnancy, while breastfeeding and
by their children). In rural areas, about 42.4% of
mothers have received benefits at all points. On the
contrary, more than one-fourth are those who have
not received services at any point. The proportion of
mothers utilizing services only once is very low i.e.
3.6% during pregnancy, 8.6% while breastfeeding and
just 1.5% who availed services only for child. Similar
distributional pattern was observed in urban areas
as well with more than half of mothers receiving no
benefits and about 26.2% receiving services at all three
points.In other words, the likelihood of continuum in
service utilization is higher if mothers have started
receiving benefits during pregnancy.
Figure 3.1: State-wise utilization of ICDS services by mothers (during pregnancy and
while breastfeeding) and child under six years, NFHS, 2016
Source: Study Team based on NFHS 2015-16
020406080100
4.5
11.3Nagaland
6
15.9Arunachal Pradesh
14.7
22.3Delhi
24.4
24.3Manipur
19.5
29.3Jammu and Kashmir
32.4
31.8Kerala
19.3
35.2Daman and Diu
30.8
39.2Bihar
20.7
44.7Uttar Pradesh
23.1
46.7Haryana
22
51.4
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
29.2
53.4Rajasthan
36.4
54.3Andaman and Nicobar
40.4
56.4Uttarakhand
28.7
58.9Meghalaya
25.2
59.1Maharashtra
36.8
60.1Tripura
35.9
60.5Assam
22.6
62Sikkim
40.7
68.7Gujarat
63.1
72Mizoram
53.6
73.6Tamil Nadu
63.6
74.1Madhya Pradesh
38.2
74.4Punjab
65.9
74.6Goa
57.4
75.2Puducherry
62.4
75.3Lakshadweep
48
76.2Jharkhand
44.7
77Karnataka
43.4
79.3Telangana
42.7
80.8Himachal Pradesh
50.5
83.1West Bengal
66.8
87.2Andhra Pradesh
45.6
90Chandigarh
72.3
90.8Odisha
73
92.8Chattisgarh
Utilization During Pregnancy (%)
Rural Urban
020406080100
Utilization While Breastfeeding (%)
Rural Urban
020406080100
10
0Delhi
18.7
7.7Delhi
7.4
9.2Nagaland
8.4
23.5Arunachal Pradesh
6.3
18.7Arunachal Pradesh
26.3
30.4Manipur
20.7
20Manipur
27.4
35.4Jammu and Kashmir
16
22.6Jammu and Kashmir
20.2
41.2Nagaland
13.4
25Daman and Diu
26.6
42.5Rajasthan
23.3
25.3Kerala
23.9
43Daman and Diu
13.2
29.6Dadra and Nagar Haveli
24
43.6Uttar Pradesh
16.2
36.6Uttar Pradesh
39.4
50.6Bihar
30.4
37Bihar
44.6
53Kerala
20.8
39.4Haryana
29.5
53.3Haryana
23.1
43.1Rajasthan
38.2
54.7Andaman and Nicobar
23.9
44.5Andaman and Nicobar
35.5
58.1Assam
22.2
54.2Maharashtra
37.6
59.8Jharkhand
33.5
54.3Assam
33.9
60Meghalaya
37.2
54.3Tripura
47.6
60.1Uttarakhand
56
55.1Lakshadweep
25.4
62.5Sikkim
24.5
56.4Meghalaya
27.6
63.2Dadra and Nagar Haveli
44.5
57.4Uttarakhand
29.7
64.8Maharashtra
18.8
60Sikkim
56.7
65.2Lakshadweep
35
61Gujarat
58
65.7Madhya Pradesh
58.6
64.8Mizoram
44.1
66.7Tripura
34.2
64.8Punjab
60.7
69.6Mizoram
40.3
67.4Karnataka
53.1
69.7Tamil Nadu
59.1
69.1Madhya Pradesh
51.5
70.5Goa
65.7
69.5Goa
42.7
71.4Punjab
39.6
70Chandigarh
45.1
71.6Gujarat
39.2
70.4Himachal Pradesh
45.3
72.1Karnataka
44.4
70.5Jharkhand
34.4
73Himachal Pradesh
51.1
71.3Tamil Nadu
39.4
74.6Telangana
57.5
75.3Puducherry
56.7
76.2Andhra Pradesh
41.2
76.1Telangana
54.3
77Puducherry
51.1
78.7West Bengal
65
80.7Chattisgarh
68.6
87.3Andhra Pradesh
63.7
81.4Odisha
71.2
87.6Odisha
54.9
82.6West Bengal
72.2
91.9Chattisgarh
51.3
100Chandigarh
Utilization by Child (%)
Rural Urban 19EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Figure 3.2: Distribution (%) of mothers by utilization of ICDS services (any) during pregnancy,
while breastfeeding and by their child, India, NFHS, 2016
Figure 3.3: Trends in coverage of supplementary food in the Integrated Child Development Services
programme during pregnancy and childhood across states of India, 2006 and 2016
Source: Study Team based on NFHS 2015-16
Source: Suman Chakrabarti et al. 21EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
ICDS SERVICES AND
BENEFICIARY ASPIRATIONS
04.
4.1. ICDS BENEFICIARIES AND
COVERAGE
The information on number of beneficiaries enrolled
and obtaining services under the ICDS at different
administrative levels is compiled using ICDS MIS
through Monthly Progress Reports (MPRs). Figure 4.1
shows the number of ICDS beneficiaries at all India
level from financial year 2014-15 to 2018-19. Under
the Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP), in 2018-
19, the ICDS covered a total of 39.6 million children
aged 6 months to 3 years, 30.8 million children aged 3
years to 6 years and 17.2 million pregnant and lactating
women. Under the pre-school education component,
in 2018-19, the ICDS covered a total of 30.2 million
children aged 3 years to 6 years (15.0 million girls
and 15.2 million boys). However, it appears that the
ICDS coverage has decreased between 2014-15 and
2018-19. The numbers for the beneficiary groups for
2014-15 under SNP are as follows: 46 million children
aged 6 months to 3 years, 36.9 million children aged
3 years to 6 years and 19.3 million pregnant and
lactating women. Similarly, in 2014-15, the pre-school
education component covered a total of 36.5 million
children aged 3 years to 6 years (18.5 million boys and
18.0 million girls).
At the national level the reduction in the number
of SNP beneficiaries is 15% and 11% for children
(6 months to 6 years) and pregnant and lactating
women, respectively (Table 4.1). The reductions
indicate revisions in the number of beneficiaries
mostly reflected during 2017-18 (Figure 4.1). For child
beneficiaries under SNP component, Delhi, Bihar and
Uttar Pradesh show large reductions of 48%, 40% and
33% during the base period 2014-15 to recent period
2018-19, respectively. Whereas, Jammu and Kashmir
and Mizoram show considerable increment of 170% and
99%, respectively. In fact, the downward revisions of
the number of beneficiaries in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh
jointly accounts for 80% and 75% of the total beneficiary
reductions observed between 2014-15 and 2018-19.
For the comparison period 2014-15 and 2018-19, a total
28 States/UTs show a downward revision in the number
of child beneficiaries (6 months to 6 years) for the
SNP component. Among these, five States/UTs show a
decrease of greater than 25%. During the same period,
eight States/UTs show an increase in the number of
child beneficiaries. In case of the pregnant and lactating
women group, 25 States/UTs show a decrease in the
total number of beneficiaries whereas 11 States/UTs
show an increase. A reduction of over 25% is witnessed
in seven States/UTs including Uttar Pradesh. Annexure
Tables A1, A2 and A3 provide further details on the
state-wise number and share of SNP beneficiaries 6
months to 6 years, pregnant and lactating women and
pre-school education beneficiaries. Although Uttar
Pradesh has highest share among States/UTs, these
figures vary across beneficiary groups.
Figure 4.1: Number of ICDS beneficiaries (in lakhs), 2014-15 to 2018-19
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 22EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Table 4.1: Beneficiaries under the SNP component of ICDS, 2014-15 and 2018-19
State
Children (6 months to 6 years) Pregnant and Lactating Women
2014-15 2018-19 % Change 2014-15 2018-19 % Change
Andhra Pradesh2382866 2264402 -5.0 805143 654975 -18.7
Arunachal Pradesh 222956 189060 -15.2 30233 24517 -18.9
Assam3310885 3030677 -8.5 691237 594296 -14.0
Bihar9967439 5969856 -40.1 1716981 1404672 -18.2
Chhattisgarh2055307 2216000 7.8 493718 493800 0.0
Goa57419 52996 -7.7 15909 14637 -8.0
Gujarat3185697 3104693 -2.5 757219 744902 -1.6
Haryana1105095 839339 -24.0 316855 263553 -16.8
Himachal Pradesh 458955 398112 -13.3 102728 96365 -6.2
Jammu & Kashmir295039 798450 170.6 92021 159609 73.4
Jharkhand2840711 2744555 -3.4 706032 718337 1.7
Karnataka3997286 3948737 -1.2 993802 895465 -9.9
Kerala856427 815494 -4.8 159801 304349 90.5
Madhya Pradesh5935835 6571443 10.7 1340084 1426266 6.4
Maharashtra5983249 5196154 -13.2 1126895 961743 -14.7
Manipur355176 340984 -4.0 75010 67208 -10.4
Meghalaya440399 454119 3.1 78538 73879 -5.9
Mizoram77974 155222 99.1 20313 28150 38.6
Nagaland302940 278810 -8.0 62508 34366 -45.0
Odisha3872777 3918422 1.2 793324 725129 -8.6
Punjab937773 671496 -28.4 261844 186289 -28.9
Rajasthan2868934 2667157 -7.0 892369 875613 -1.9
Sikkim23288 24500 5.2 4441 5800 30.6
Tamil Nadu2452140 2440152 -0.5 670337 732488 9.3
Telangana1691079 1500000 -11.3 466985 400000 -14.3
Tripura299116 332353 11.1 77264 69304 -10.3
Uttar Pradesh18445336 12392606 -32.8 4853101 3548330 -26.9
Uttarakhand632102 597062 -5.5 162684 177003 8.8
West Bengal6871904 5911318 -14.0 1374924 1366355 -0.6
A & N Islands12550 9591 -23.6 3277 2375 -27.5
Chandigarh55806 48547 -13.0 10415 7231 -30.6
Delhi846467 437046 -48.4 162462 114264 -29.7
Dadra & N Haveli19725 19363 -1.8 3177 3523 10.9
Daman & Diu6308 5150 -18.4 1103 1451 31.6
Lakshadweep4652 3450 -25.8 1666 1148 -31.1
Puducherry27812 26806 -3.6 9205 9157 -0.5
All India 82899424 70374122 -15.1 19333605 17186549 -11.1
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS Data 23EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
The Annual Report 2018-19 of the MoWCD shows that in
2018-19 there are about 1.37 million operational AWCs
in India. It may be noted that in 2018-19 about 1.9%
of the total sanctioned AWCs are not yet operational.
In Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir about 13% and 7% of
the sanctioned AWCs are not operational. The total
number of SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries
are 87.5 million and 30.2 million, respectively.
The beneficiaries were increasing till 2013-14 and
thereafter started decreasing gradually. The average
number of SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries
per operational AWC is estimated to be 64 and 22,
respectively.
Table 4.3 provides state-wise average number of
SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries per
operational AWC for 2018-19. For SNP component,
child beneficiaries range from 13 per operational AWC
in Andaman & Nicobar Islands to 108 per operational
AWC in Chandigarh. The PLM beneficiaries range from
3 in Andaman & Nicobar Islands to 19 in Uttar Pradesh.
The pre-school education beneficiaries range from 3
in both Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry to
60 in Chandigarh.
Table 4.4 compares the reported number of ICDS
SNP beneficiaries (both children 6 months to 6
years and pregnant and lactating women) with
respective expected populations estimated based
on the population projections of India (RGI 2019).
At the national level, the coverage among children
(6 months to 6 years) and pregnant and lactating
women is estimated to be 46% and 37%, respectively.
Among children, the coverage is estimated to be
highest (almost 100%) among the north-eastern
states of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal
Pradesh whereas it is below 20% in Daman & Diu and
Puducherry. Among pregnant and lactating women,
the coverage is highest in Manipur whereas it is low
among all the UTs (except Lakshadweep). Among
major states, Odisha has the highest coverage of
84% among children. Among pregnant and lactating
women, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal have
about 48% coverage.
Table 4.2: SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries per operational AWC, 2001-19
Source: MoWCD Annual Report 2018-19
Year
Operational
AWCs
Beneficiaries (in lakh) Beneficiaries per Operational AWC
SNP
(Children & PLM)
Pre-School
Education
SNP
(Children & PLM)
Pre-School
Education
2001-02 545714 375.10 166.566931
2002-03 600391 387.84 188.026531
2003-04 649307 415.08 204.386431
2004-05 706872 484.42 218.416931
2005-06 748229 562.18 244.927533
2006-07 844743 705.43 300.818436
2007-08 1013337 843.26 339.118333
2008-09 1044269 873.43 340.608433
2009-10 1142029 884.34 354.937731
2010-11 1262267 959.47 366.237629
2011-12 1304611 972.49 358.227527
2012-13 1338732 956.12 353.297126
2013-14 1342146 1045.09 370.717828
2014-15 1346186 1022.33 365.447627
2015-16 1349563 1021.30 350.357626
2016-17 1354792 983.42 340.527325
2017-18 1363021 892.77 325.916524
2018-19 1372872 875.61 301.926422 24EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Table 4.3: Average SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries per operational AWC, 2018-19
States/UTs
Operational
AWCs
SNP Beneficiaries per Operational AWC
Pre-school Education
Beneficiaries
(3 years to 6 years)
(Children, 6
months to 6 years)
(Pregnant &
Lactating Mothers)
Andhra Pradesh55607 40.711.815.4
Telangana35634 42.111.217.9
Arunachal Pradesh6225 30.43.915.5
Assam62153 48.89.625.3
Bihar99583 59.914.126.9
Chhattisgarh51215 43.39.615.1
Goa1262 42.011.613.3
Gujarat53029 58.514.027.2
Haryana25962 32.310.210.3
Himachal Pradesh18925 21.05.15.4
Jammu & Kashmir29599 27.05.48.9
Jharkhand38432 71.418.732.1
Karnataka65911 59.913.623.0
Kerala33244 24.59.211.5
Madhya Pradesh97135 67.714.736.5
Maharashtra110219 47.18.723.0
Manipur11510 29.65.815.4
Meghalaya5896 77.012.532.7
Mizoram2244 69.212.525.1
Nagaland3980 70.18.636.2
Odisha72587 54.010.028.2
Punjab27279 24.66.810.1
Rajasthan61974 43.014.115.7
Sikkim1308 18.74.49.6
Tamil Nadu54439 44.813.520.2
Tripura9911 33.57.017.3
Uttar Pradesh187997 65.918.921.6
Uttarakhand20067 29.88.87.9
West Bengal116107 50.911.823.5
A & N Islands720 13.33.33.0
Chandigarh450 107.916.159.8
Delhi10897 40.110.512.3
Dadra & N Haveli302 64.111.734.7
Daman & Diu107 48.113.622.3
Lakshadweep107 32.210.77.9
Puducherry855 31.410.73.0
All India 1372872 51.312.522.0
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 25EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Table 4.4: Coverage estimates: (comparing ICDS beneficiaries with population*), 2018-19
States/UTs
Children (6 months to 6 years) Pregnant and Lactating Women
ICDSPopulation*% Coverage ICDSPopulation*% Coverage
Andhra Pradesh2264402 4770045 47.5 654975 1528196 42.9
ArunachalPradesh 189060 192676 98.1 24517 58008 42.3
Assam3030677 4327123 70.0 594296 1291259 46.0
Bihar5969856 18183131 32.8 1404672 4989265 28.2
Chhattisgarh2216000 3491216 63.5 493800 1086932 45.4
Goa52996 130219 40.7 14637 42466 34.5
Gujarat3104693 7469961 41.6 744902 2338445 31.9
Haryana839339 3260060 25.7 263553 1057760 24.9
Himachal Pradesh 398112 704693 56.5 96365 229435 42.0
Jammu & Kashmir798450 1848803 43.2 159609 591551 27.0
Jharkhand2744555 5116369 53.6 718337 1482573 48.5
Karnataka3948737 6606198 59.8 895465 2101518 42.6
Kerala815494 3118385 26.2 304349 1033260 29.5
Madhya Pradesh6571443 10351397 63.5 1426266 3233224 44.1
Maharashtra5196154 12362020 42.0 961743 4024037 23.9
Manipur340984 343094 99.4 67208 111462 60.3
Meghalaya454119 529589 85.7 73879 182075 40.6
Mizoram155222 157623 98.5 28150 57192 49.2
Nagaland278810 263950 105.6 34366 79987 43.0
Odisha3918422 4662287 84.0 725129 1498977 48.4
Punjab671496 2811509 23.9 186289 908979 20.5
Rajasthan2667157 10154286 26.3 875613 3074012 28.5
Sikkim24500 57524 42.6 5800 17260 33.6
Tamil Nadu2440152 6670858 36.6 732488 2186153 33.5
Telangana1500000 3399802 44.1 400000 1089207 36.7
Tripura332353 425706 78.1 69304 130806 53.0
Uttar Pradesh12392606 28870253 42.9 3548330 8038504 44.1
Uttarakhand597062 1262446 47.3 177003 386360 45.8
West Bengal5911318 9568867 61.8 1366355 2847500 48.0
A & N Islands9591 36219 26.5 2375 11866 20.0
Chandigarh48547 112843 43.0 7231 35162 20.6
Delhi437046 2011329 21.7 114264 621220 18.4
Dadra & N Haveli19363 69877 27.7 3523 21668 16.3
Daman & Diu5150 39302 13.1 1451 11956 12.1
Lakshadweep3450 6525 52.9 1148 2229 51.5
Puducherry26806 136175 19.7 9157 46098 19.9
All India 70374122 152857147 46.0 17186549 46306409 37.1
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS data and RGI population projections report (2019)
Note: *Population is based on estimates from the RGI population projections for 2019 26EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
4.2. SUPPLEMENTARY NUTRITION
PROGRAM (SNP)
SNP Coverage: The estimated coverage for
supplementary nutrition (SNP) in 2018-19 is 46% for
children (aged 0-71 months) and 37% for pregnant
women & lactating mothers (PLM). Between 2014-
15 and 2018-19, the SNP coverage among children
reduced by 15.1% (from 8.29 crores to 7.04 crores)
and among PLM reduced by 11.1% (from 1.93 crore
to 1.72 crore). These reductions are mainly observed
in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and indicate revisions of
beneficiary counts. Most of the north-eastern states
have reported beneficiary numbers which are more
or less equal to the entire child population aged 6-71
months. However, as per NFHS 2015-16 the coverage
is much lower.
SNP Preference and Costing: SNP lacks the necessary
diversity and quality. Beneficiary preferences for
food items and taste vary both between and within
States. Demand for milk and eggs under SNP is noted
but cannot be sustained because of low unit costs of
SNP as per the ICDS norms. Some States provide dry
ration whereas others supply powdered mix under
take-home ration (THR). The distribution schedule
also varies across States (from weekly to monthly).
THR Quality and Procurement: It is important to strike
a balance between decentralization of THR supplies
and economies of scale in providing quality THR. The
quality standards of THR mix is questionable because
of complaints such as impurities (pebbles, insects
etc.). Widespread perception and evidence that the
THR is not consumed as intended and often finds its
way as cattle feed.
THR Distribution: THR distribution is irregular and is
severely affected in flood prone areas due to storage
and transportation issues. Low unit cost of THR also
implies lack of funds for transportation, high risk
premium (interests) and low financial viability of
suppliers. The THR unit cost declines substantially
once distribution-related costs are accounted for.
The THR distribution should be transparent with
community involvement in receipt and verification of
THR supplies at the AWCs.
The field visits revealed several important issues
associated with the performance of the SNP
component. Beneficiaries often come at irregular
times to collect the THR or they complain about the
quality of the rations given, and do not accept the
rations. Seasonal vegetables and greens are often
expensive, and the allowance provided for the fresh
produce under SNP is not enough to cover the costs
for such fruits and vegetables. Beneficiaries often—
willingly or otherwise—use up the THR as a part of
the common rations for the family instead of only the
beneficiaries consuming it. Preferences in terms of
food items and flavours vary across sub-regions of a
state (for instance, Gujarat). Maintenance of quality
and procurement are problems within the system
with no homogeneity in THR. It may be noted that
many of the beneficiaries do not necessarily follow
the guidelines for nutrition diversity. Children (6 to 59
months old) are also not interested in eating daliya/
khichadi every day, because there is no variety in
the menu.
Sometimes hot-cooked meals and THR are affected
due to delayed payment by the Anganwadi Vikas
Samiti or from higher up. This leads to beneficiaries
not getting rations and meals on time (such as in
Bihar). It is also difficult to ensure that beneficiaries
are the ones consuming the dry rations for THR being
given (in Bihar, for example), and not their families.
In rural Chhattisgarh, it was often observed that
the children who came to AWCs were frequently
accompanied by their older siblings, aged six years and
above (especially where the parents were farmers and
could not afford to accompany their children to the
AWCs). Here, it was observed that those siblings were
generally discriminated against or neglected while the
distribution of SNP took place during the AWC hours.
In Rajasthan, THR has not been supplied since last 6
months at AWCs due to pending payments in Jaisalmer
district. Due the shortage of funding, hot meal was
also not served at the AWCs. In Uttarakhand, AWWs/
AWHs reported that some social groups in the village
do not partake due to their practices and occupation.
In project Bagwada there are two communities:
Sardar and Canjad. For immunization and ANC check-
ups, members of the Canjad community do not visit
the AWC, which is established in the Sardar community.
Canjad community also does not follow the AWWs/
AWHs instructions to send their children to the AWC
for ECCE.
In Delhi, a proper recipe with the each and every
ingredient’s quantity specified is given to the kitchen
staff. According to them, the quantities specified in
the recipes is more than the ration provided to them
by the government. Sometimes, even the food gets
delivered late. It has been observed that at some
places breakfast and lunch are served together. Most
of the beneficiaries leave after having lunch. Due to
centralised cooking, delivery of food items to the AWC
is simultaneous for breakfast and lunch. This results in
children not receiving breakfast in a timely manner. 27EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
THR - Taste and Preference
In Andhra Pradesh, Balamrutham is the pre-mix that
is given out to beneficiaries. Many of them (as well
as AWWs) reported that the taste is not universally
appealing, since it is sweet and can only be cooked
in a limited number of ways. Beneficiaries also
reported that when prepared, the pre-mix only tastes
moderately alright while still hot. The taste changes
when the food grows cold, which is another reason
they do not prefer the pre-mix.
In Gujarat, the pre-mix THR given to the beneficiaries
has brought down the instances of beneficiaries’
families consuming THR instead of the ones for whom it
is supplied. However, since it is sweet and can only be
cooked in a limited number of ways. This is not appealing
to the beneficiaries. They instead ask for dry THR.
In Bihar’s Bahraich district, Take Home Ration (THR) is
distributed to pregnant women and lactating mother
on VHSND, Suposhan Swastha Mela, Bachpan Diwas
and Godbharai and Mamata Diwas days. The study
team observed during interaction with beneficiaries
that they like Poshahar and its taste; 80 recipes can
be made using it. AWCs distribute four packets of 1 kg
each of Poshahar to beneficiaries.
In Rajasthan, THR was distributed to the beneficiaries
regularly in the Udaipur district. The main issue
reported in THR was that beneficiary is not always
the sole consumer of it; other family members often
consume it.
In Uttarakhand, THR and cooked meals are given to
children aged 3 to 6 years. AWCs also provide panjiri
to malnourished children. The AWCs distribute THR
on days like VHSND, Poshan Diwas and Annaprashan.
AWWs give 1 kg moong dal (chhilke wali), 1 kg dalia,
1 kg iodised salt, 250 gm black gram to pregnant
beneficiaries. For the children, it is 1.5 kg dalia, 500
gm moong dal, 250 gm roasted gram, 1 kg suji and
100gm raisins in a month. These ration items are
supplied at AWCs with help of the SHGs in the area.
AWCs also provide rajma chawal one day every week
for children (aged 3 to 6 years old).
SMART INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, UTTAR PRADESH
Uttar Pradesh has developed a Smart Inventory Management System (SIMS) to improve distribution and
monitoring of THR from procurement to last mile delivery. There are several important steps in the
work flow design of SIMS which has to be implemented by the ICDS officials and the NIC. These steps
are designed to improve the delivery of THR and reduce the leakages through greater participation of
stakeholders in the distribution process. The specific steps are as follows:
THR requirement or indent is prepared by the AWWs and submitted to the CDPO
The CDPO reviews the indent and forwards it to the DPO
The DPO further reviews the indent and submits to the Directorate
The Directorate than places procurement order from the selected suppliers
The suppliers are required to provide daily targets for delivery
The supplier must ensure bar-coding and QR code on THR packets / bags
The THR product packet is labelled with the code
The supplier has to ensure production entry as per the proposed target
The supplier has to load the vehicles with THR packets
Each vehicle receives a gate pass as per the route chart which has to be shown to the ICDS officials
The route chart has details about the AWC supervisor, AWW and AWC route and direction from the
relevant ICDS Project office in the District
The THR packets will be received at the ICDS office in the presence of ICDS officials, SDM / BDO
and then stored in the warehouse
The supplier has to supply the packets to the AWC and has to be verified by AWW and Gram
Panchayat President 28EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
In Chhattisgarh, no issue has been reported for
distribution of THR. It is received and distributed
timely to the beneficiaries in all the sampled districts.
4.3. EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND
EDUCATION (ECCE)
PSE component and Schooling: There is increasing
aspiration among parents to send the children to pre-
primary or nurseries with focus on English language
skills. Also, lack of clarity in guidelines about
admission of 5-year-old children in schools often
means they lose out on supplementary nutrition and/
or elementary education as they have to be put either
in the AWC or the primary school. Private nurseries
and kindergartens are perceived to be better than
AWCs by beneficiaries. Parents also send children to
primary school at the age of 5, thus cutting short their
time at the AWC by a year or so.
ECCE for children below 3 years: The Draft New
Education Policy 2019 takes cognizance of the
learning needs of the children below 3 years of
age. This includes aspects such as cognitive and
emotional stimulation of the infant through talking,
playing, moving, listening to music and sounds, and
stimulating all the other senses particularly sight and
touch. Exposure to languages, numbers, and simple
problem-solving is also considered important during
this period. Under ICDS, there is no clear strategy on
psycho-social stimulation of children below 3 years
through counselling of parents. It is critical that the
ICDS should devise strategies to cover children below
3 years under the early childhood care and education
component. Counselling material and guidelines
should be developed to focus on this component with
adequate arrangements for training and capacity
building of the Anganwadi Workers (AWWs).
Perception on Pre-School Education: The community
lacks awareness about the role of an AWC and the
services offered by AWC. Moreover, the AWC have a
perception of poor service delivery in terms of SNP
or PSE. The image of the AWC and the AWW has low
community recognition as an agency.
AWWs alone are not skilled enough to provide the
play-based, non-formal training required for children
aged 0-6 years. Even though there are course books
and toys now provided to the AWCs (which were
observed in field visits across states), need to pay
more attention on the ECCE component.
There are several other concerns associated with the
ECE component. A large indoor and outdoor space is
advised by the guidelines, but this is almost never
available due to a lack of proper infrastructure. Many
AWCs, especially in urban areas, are cramped and
poorly ventilated. They do not have enough space for
the children to play and learn properly. Many AWCs do
not have equipment like swings, sand/water areas etc.
due to lack of space and/or funding. Separate interest
areas and activity corners are also not available in
most AWCs due to this lack of space. Modifications
to learning materials for children with special needs
were not observed in any of the AWCs.
Some AWCs, like the Urban Merging Centres, divide
the children into age-based groups as outlined by
the ECCE guidelines. However, this is not a common
practice and most AWCs cannot adhere to these
guidelines due to a lack of human resource and space.
As suggested by the guidelines, some naturally-
occurring materials are adapted by AWWs in their ECCE
activities (observed in Chhattisgarh, for example),
but this is not a common practice. More AWWs can
be trained in this respect to increase these numbers.
While most AWWs do follow the prescribed ECCE
course book to plan their activities and align their
long-, medium- and short-term goals, they often have
to neglect ECCE activities due to other tasks that are
expected of them (explored in detail in the state-wise
findings). Using the AWW as a universal government
program resource takes a toll on the ECCE component
of the ICDS scheme.
There is a need to provide the parents of these
beneficiaries with more information about the
rationale behind play-based learning, so that they may
understand that the goals of ECCE are not realised in
the manner of formal teaching (rote learning, pen-to-
paper methods, tests and exams etc). This is needed
to shift the parents’ aspirations to be more in line
with the ECCE goals, so that they do not feel that
play-based learning is in any way ‘lesser’ than formal
teaching (which is often what they use to judge their
child’s progress).
The prominent reasons for not sending children in
Anganwadis are regional differences. In Bihar for
example, Seemanchal is flood-affected; Gaya, Jamui,
Aurangabad are affected by poverty therefore it
is highly dependent on AWCs services; the lands
of North Bihar are fertile, so population there is
consequently less dependent on services. Caste and
familial affluence is also a major factor: uptake of
services is less with upper caste children, perhaps due
to food sufficiency, whereas children from resource-
poor/oppressed caste families are more dependent on
the ICDS for nutrition. Besides, some people assume 29EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
that services provided by AWCs are poor/not up to the
mark, and hence are not willing to send their children
to the AWCs.
Biggest challenge is the competition faced by AWCs in
the face of private nurseries and convent schools. In
Andhra Pradesh, for example, we found that parents
demand same facilities, infrastructure and syllabus
and this is difficult given limited funds and lack of
specially trained teachers who can successfully use
the play-based learning approach. This results in low
attendance at AWCs especially in urban areas.
According to AWWs, most of their time goes into child
activities of ECCE program and AWCs gets only 250
rupees in a month for ECCE program. They also do not
get separate funds for ECCE supplies like stationery.
There is no fund set aside for the ECCE program.
AWCs manage expenditure for ECCE activates at their
own level for teaching items, as pen pencil, crayons,
notebooks etc. There is no facility for ceiling/wall
fan in AWCs where the children play and learn, and
during hot weather they face discomfort because of
this. There is an issue with children safety because
AWCs are often situated outside of the villages and
parents do not want to send their children there.
AWWs are often burdened with the teaching aspect,
which needs formally trained teachers exclusively for
0-6 year old children. There is a need for a separate
Anganwadi Teacher post. Toys and teaching aids are
often in shortage. Many AWCs demand for TVs and
audio-visual aids for ECCE.
In Uttar Pradesh, ECCE is being successfully run in the
districts visited. The AWCs use charts, posters etc to
teach children 0 to 59 months. The AWCs makes toys
by hand to use in teaching. In addition, AWCs teach
children about hygienic practices like washing hands
before eating food, and after defecation. The English
and Hindi alphabet, pictures of animals, man, and
WASH pictures were on the wall in the AWCs.
In Bihar, though the ECCE activities were observed to
be happening, the AWW is engaged in other activities
and the work of register maintenance which affects
their work adversely, especially during the working
hours. In Nalanda, it was also observed that while
new AWCs receive ECCE materials, old AWCs do not.
There is a lack of egalitarian practices with respect
to distribution of resources across AWCs. Under the
Poshak Yojana, a lump sum amount of 400-500 rupees
is provided to the beneficiaries to purchase a uniform/
dress for their child, but some of the parents spend
the money on other things.
In Rajasthan, all the six services were available in the
sampled AWCs with fluctuations in the supply side in
Udaipur district. ECCE activities were also undertaken,
but there was no regular supply of its materials.
ECCE was well functioning in the Udaipur district.
AWWs deliver ECCE services on regular basis, but the
irregular supply of ECCE materials is affecting overall
functioning of the program. Some firms/companies
based in Udaipur have adopted some AWCs under their
CSR and provided the suitable materials on regular
basis for 2-3 years. At many AWCs the discontinuation
of these services has been reported.
Government has taken initiatives in the past to
promote ECCE. “Anganwadi Chalo Abhiyaan” was
launched in to order to bring all the un-registered
children to the AWC, based on the survey. With this,
“Kilkari”, “Umang and Tarang” books were launched
and distributed under this initiative. Also, the focus
has remained to deliver all the standard services at
AWCs, and to make them like private schools. Due to
all these initiatives the enrolment rate has increased
3 times, as reported by supervisors. Benches, uniform
and stationery (notebooks, pencils, and erasers) were
being provided from the donation at many AWCs.
In Jaisalmer, ECCE was not well functioning in the
district. Pre-school kits have not been supplied to the
AWCs for the past 3 years.
In Delhi, Aadhaar card is mandatory for enrolment in
AWCs. Some parents who have migrated from villages
do not have this with them. As for children (0-5 years),
MCP card and birth certificate are the requisites for
Aadhaar. Due to their resource-poor and uneducated
background, some parents do not understand the
importance of pre-school education.
4.4. OTHER ICDS SERVICES
Nutrition and Health Education: Many peripheral
programs are time-bound, with the AWWs given
limited time to complete the tasks. This means
that they have to sacrifice time and effort spent on
nutrition and health education activities. Even though
AWWs and Supervisors make regular home visits,
conduct VHSNDs and plan awareness activities, it is
sometimes difficult to physically reach beneficiaries
residing in very remote areas. Lack of hygiene at the
beneficiaries’ homes also at times puts the children
at risk of disease, despite the AWC being clean and
hygienic. Cultural differences, especially in the case
of tribal beneficiaries, can diminish the effect of
nutrition and health information being disseminated.
Health Check-up: No specific barriers have been
mentioned with respect to health check-up service.
However, private hospitals are preferred by
beneficiaries due to better hygiene in some cases. 30EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Referral Services: In case of health emergency or
health care need the AWW advises the beneficiary to
consult with the ANM and ASHA. Nevertheless, there
are problems in the health check-ups and referral
services mainly because the AWWs are not seen as
clinical persons. Instead, it would be useful to club
these three aspects into a single domain of nutrition
and health education and counselling.
Immunization: In Andhra Pradesh, immunization is
done at the PHC for urban AWCs. AWWs and ANMs
conduct home-visits (though not together). The
immunization is done on time in AWCs that were
observed. In Gujarat, it was reported that members
of certain communities (a very small number) choose
not to immunise their children due to religious and
cultural beliefs.
Other Activities: In Uttar Pradesh, various activities
and days like VHSND, Suposhan Swastha, Mela, NRC,
Kishori and Ladli Diwas, Bachpan Diwas and Godbharai
and Mamata Diwas etc are organised in Uttar Pradesh.
Identification of SAM / MAM children, categorization in
stunting / wasting / underweight children, antenatal
checkups, distribution of IFA tablets and monitoring
of their consumption, increasing awareness for
institutional delivery (ex: 102 Ambulance Service,
nearest hospital, monitoring Hb, growth, BMI of
girls and providing IFA Blue tablets). All these
services delivered on the abovementioned days and
programs.
In Barabanki, 73 of 118 SAM children were promoted
into green zone out of the red zone in July 2019.
260806 IFA blue tablets and 6702 packets of Poshahar
were distributed among 6702 dropout school girls
(11 to 14 years) in July 2019. More than two thirds
of the (5243 of 7680) pregnant beneficiaries had ANC
checkups. Improved anemia level was seen among 65
percent anaemic women in July 2019. More than 98
percent children were breastfed within one hour after
birth in Barabanki district.
In Bahraich, 251 out of 2032 SAM children were referred
to NRC, and 622 out of 8474 MAM children were referred
to CHC and NRC out in month of July-2019. The number
of anaemic girls in Bahraich district was found to
be 1872 (11 to 14 years) in July-2019. More than 90
percent (16888 out of 18220 target beneficiaries) of the
pregnant women benefited from antenatal checkups,
immunization, and distribution of IFA tablets. Under
VHSNDS, 52954 of 366689 children were immunized and
their growth was monitored in July-2019. In the same
period, 24876 children were weighed, 5577 children
immunized and 50521 beneficiaries had ANC checkups,
immunization and were given IFA tablets. In July 2019,
9356 girls (11 to 14 years) were given IFA tablets by
Suposhan Swastha Mela.
In Bihar, every Wednesday, VHSND day is held at
the AWCs where the ANMs provide health checkups,
immunization, and counselling to pregnant women.
NRC is not available at the block level, so parents are
not interested in sending their child to the district
NRC. Also, the district NRC in both Muzaffarpur and
Nalanda have no proper facilities.
In Udaipur, every Wednesday VHSND day is observed
at the AWCs, in which the ANMs conduct health check-
ups of the pregnant women, immunization, counselling
was provided to the women. There were no regular
health checkups conducted in the Jaisalmer district;
only immunization has been reported so far by AWWs
and beneficiaries.
In Uttarakhand, the beneficiaries (women and
children) are provided immunization at AWCs in Udham
Singh Nagar district. AWWs organize health awareness
meetings with pregnant and lactating mothers where
they speak about how to take care of the baby, where
they can go for their delivery etc. Usually, all the
women in the area attend these meetings. Rashtriya
Bal Swasthya (RBS) team visits twice a year for
distribution of deworming tablets, once in February
and once in November. AWCs distribute the IFA tablets
among women, adolescent girls and children; they
also provide ORS and zinc. AWWs/AWHs speak to
the beneficiaries about consuming green vegetables
throughout their pregnancy.
In Chhattisgarh, no issues have been reported related
to health and medication services provided at AWCs in
the sampled districts. Health services are delivered
by ANMs and ASHAs on every second Tuesday, and
beneficiaries are called based on their requirement
and scheduled services.
4.5. BENEFICIARY ASPIRATIONS
Emphasis on qualitative inquiry; details, anecdotes,
examples help understand the implementation process
and the challenges associated with it better. In an
administrative structure that is heavily top-down, this
kind of study gives us a chance to highlight the concerns
and issues faced by the field functionaries—something
that does not usually take place within the ICDS since
it does not have a robust feedback mechanism in place
for its frontline workers. By bringing to the fore their
experiences and suggestions, this study provides the
government an opportunity to address these hurdles
and improve the implementation of the ICDS from the
bottom up. 31EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Andhra Pradesh: AWWs were reported to be caring and
helpful; cash rewards during the first pregnancy were
received by all eligible interviewed beneficiaries.
Quality of rations and menu diversity needs to be
improved, according to the beneficiaries. Quality of
ECCE and AWC infrastructure is expected to be at par
with convent schools and private nurseries.
for sending the kids to the AWCs. Similarly, in migrant
communities and tribal belts, we see reduced uptake
of the ICDS services because of this mobility.
Rajasthan: Beneficiaries have reported that they
are not provided good health services at AWC. AWCs
were running in school buildings, with very limited
educational materials in Jaisalmer district.
Uttarakhand: The study team got a positive response
from beneficiaries in Udham Singh Nagar. Most of them
were housewives and agricultural workers who got
married between ages 18 to 24. They had no formal
education and at least two children. Their children
(3 to 6 years) attend the AWCs for the benefits of
the ECCE and other ICDS services like immunization,
ANC check-up, supplementary nutrition and medical
services. AWWs make home visits in case they are
unable to attend the health check-ups. They are also
referred to the hospital or dispensary if their child is
seriously ill. Their children learn numbers, alphabet,
and short poems and so on as part of their preschool
activities. Some of the beneficiaries had awareness
and knowledge about malnutrition/undernutrition.
Beneficiaries understand the importance of the AWCs
and its services. Women and children like the taste of
THR and the hot cooked meals provided. According
to the beneficiaries, there is no discrimination among
the beneficiaries at the hands of the AWWs.
Uttar Pradesh: Beneficiaries reported that AWWs
regularly provide them with information about
various programs/schemes of government; they
help beneficiaries benefit from the programs and
their behaviour is reported to be good. AWCs deliver
services as ANC check-up, immunization, child growth
monitoring and IFA tablets, THR and daliya khichadi
(hot-cooked meal) for children under 6 years. AWWs
and ANMs organize awareness meetings regarding
health and hygienic practices, and doctors visit
the AWCs from time-to-time. Quality and taste of
Poshahar is reported to be good and beneficiaries
make various recipes with it like Ladoo, Mal puwa,
Namkin Para, Mitha Para, Namkin Pakauri, Cake,
Namkin daliya ka Chila and etc. Beneficiaries also feel
that AWC reduces burden of childcare and that allows
them to use their time in other productive work.
There was no discrimination reported at AWC by the
beneficiaries. Beneficiaries gather at AWCs and share
their experience and information regarding health
and others issues. The study team observed through
interviews with beneficiaries that the AWWs play a
significant role in referral cases.
I enrolled my name in AWC in
4th month, that day on wards they
are providing milk and egg. Before that
they gave THR to my daughter but now
they are giving only milk, egg and food.
~ ICDS Beneficiary, Andhra Pradesh
I think it will be a very good thing
if they introduced teaching English
at the government school or the Anganwadi
School”.
~ ICDS Beneficiary, Andhra Pradesh
Bihar: There is a low level of registration in PMMVY
because of issues of proper documentation (frozen
accounts of beneficiaries, birth certificate issues,
Aadhaar correction, etc). As such, the beneficiaries
become disinterested due to strict documentation
procedure and do not register. Overall, the
beneficiaries reported that they were satisfied with
the ECCE program and the ICDS services provided;
the nutrition education for pregnant women was
especially received with enthusiasm.
Chhattisgarh: Beneficiaries reported the requirement
of chicken, fish milk, fruit and eggs as a part of the
supplementary nutrition. They also demand a proper
toilet facility and electric fans, wherever these are
not available. They also demand that a library/
collection of books should be available at AWCs.
Delhi: According to the beneficiaries, AWCs are
beneficial for their kids. The food is of good quality
and highly nutritious. AWWs teach children about
basic etiquette and discipline; they also prepare
children for primary education. This is satisfactory to
the beneficiaries.
Gujarat: In relatively poor localities in urban settings
parents are constantly mobile and there is no motivation 33EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
PROCESSES, TECHNICAL SUPPORT
AND MONITORING
05.
5.1. POLICY GOVERNANCE AND
MONITORING
Institutional mechanisms and processes established for
interactions between the various nodal authorities and
stakeholders are of critical relevance for the success of
a policy or program. These key components of policy
governance are to function collectively to achieve
certain desirable goals and objectives in keeping with
the socio-cultural norms. A review of policy governance
entails analysis of problems associated with the various
stakeholders (including authorities, program personnel
and beneficiary) and the implementation mechanism
including guidelines, monitoring mechanisms and
the sociocultural context. ICDS has well planned
administrative and organizational set up under the
aegis of Ministry of Women and Child Development with
structured program implementation and monitoring
mechanisms at district, block, sector and village/
cluster level. Digital platforms are also emerging as an
effective tool for monitoring of processes and impact.
India has over half a billion internet users, making
it one of the largest and fastest-growing markets
for digital consumers. Digital technologies such as
websites are widely used by the people to access
various information and knowledge around several
topics. Nevertheless, despite the many innovations and
constant improvements being made to the ICDS system,
there are certain barriers that exist in the path to
making the universal reach of the ICDS a reality. As with
any program, there is always room for improvement.
This section reviews key issues and concerns associated
with ICDS governance and service delivery.
5.2. ICDS WEBSITE OF STATES
A content analysis of the ICDS websites of all the states
in India presents vital insights for mutual learning and
ICDS website updation across states. We reviewed the
amount of information related to the ICDS scheme
on the official websites, frequency of updates, and
the language of the website. These parameters are
hypothesized to play crucial roles in access to ICDS
related information to the people. Among the states
visited as part of this study, ICDS website of Uttar
Pradesh opened up in Hindi (official language of the
state) when logged in for the first time. While basic
information (objectives and agendas) were clearly
mentioned, the updates (in terms of notices and
updated information) were missing in the website.
Similarly, Rajasthan had a Hindi style website
(although merged with women empowerment), but
with much more frequent updates. Website of Women
& Child Development (WCD) of Gujarat was available
in both English and Gujarati (without Google translate
option) and with regular updates only in terms of
notices and advertisements but not with performance
budgets. On the other hand, Assam had a website
(only in English) which had minimal information (the
objectives and agendas) with no recent updates.
Bihar, West Bengal and Maharashtra had the most
comprehensive and detailed websites of the ICDS
(WCD) in terms of details, content, and regular
updates. The ICDS website of Bihar was also functional
with details about disclosures related to program
personnel, the program components and services
being delivered. While the regularity in updates in
the case of West Bengal was not higher than that of
many states, it included portals to services like rapid
reporting system, online ISAC reporting system etc. It
also had an online official login link which gives private
access to the officials of ICDS. On the other hand,
Maharashtra ICDS website displayed details related
to the POSHAN Abhiyaan in the most comprehensive
manner incorporating online dashboard details, IEC
materials, and POSHAN guidelines.
Although the central WCD website had information
on the contact details of all AWCs and the projects,
most regional websites lack this information. Through
the content analysis we can suggest that the ICDS
websites of all Indian states, need to be: accessible to
the localities in regional languages; regularly updated
with on-going and upcoming events and notifications;
comprehensive with detailed information of the
objective, guidelines, and different benefits of the
scheme; have access to different related portals
(like CAS etc); have details of nearest AWCs and ICDS
offices. Success stories of each state needs to be
updated regularly making replicability easier. Official
login (as in West Bengal website) could be used by
officials of ICDS to access different information online. 34EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
5.3. SOCIAL AUDIT
Social audit is conducted by the intended beneficiaries
and stakeholders and therefore assumes high policy
relevance in monitoring of welfare programs. Following
the implementation of MGNREGA, social audits are
increasingly viewed as an effective tool to review
strengths and weaknesses in service delivery. A social
audit process involves the community for verification
of program output and results vis-à-vis the reports
and ground realities. Oral testimonies and evidence
is obtained from the community and are compared
with the official records. The social audit process is
effective to understand the alignment of priorities,
activities and fund utilization. The audit provides
vital information on usefulness of the initiatives as
well as the quality of service delivery.
MOTHER’S SUPPORT GROUP OR MATRI SAHAYAK GUT (ASSAM)
Background: With the objective that the programs and schemes focusing the development of Women & Children
are implemented effectively through the Anganwadi centres, it was felt that mothers of the primary beneficiaries
i.e. children below 6 years of age of the locality can be involved in management and operation of these schemes.
Against this backdrop, the State Government have initiated, vide notification no. SWD.617/2011/61 dated 2nd
March 2012, the constitution of ‘Mother’s Support Group (MSG) or Matri Sahayak Gut’ in each of the AWCs in all
the ICDS projects of Assam w.e.f. 1st April, 2012.
Rationale: The mothers as stakeholders will be fruitful if involved in management and supervision of the scheme,
mobilization of beneficiaries and counselling.
Objectives: To involve mothers as the primary stakeholders in the management and supervision of the AWCs in
addition to the Anganwadi Centre Management Committee.
Activities: Mothers of all the children registered at AWC, together form a group, designated as “Matri Mandal”.
This matri mandal elect 7 mothers out of their group to constitute “Matri Sahayak Gut” (MSG). The president and
the secretary will be made ex-officio members of VHSNC (under NRHM), and AWCMC. The Matri Mandal meeting
is to be held on 5th of each month, where MSG will discuss issues relating to AWC & performance of AWW. The
secretary of MSG shall be responsible to keep record of proceedings of meetings. State resources will provide
necessary funds for Matri Mandal meetings & events. Reports of performance of AWC shall be presented and
discussed at Gaon Sabha, VHSNC, AWCMC meetings. Performance of AWW & AWH to be assessed on parameters
relating to attendance of AWC, timely opening of AWC, provision of good quality morning snacks, hot cooked
meal & THR, maintenance of growth card/registers, VHND, RI etc on scale of outstanding, good and poor, and
reports shall be submitted to CDPO/DSWO through concerned supervisor by 10th of each succeeding month.
Main responsibilities of MSG
Management and supervision of ICDS scheme and mobilization of beneficiaries: The total beneficiary houses will
be divided among the MSG members to share responsibility of mobilization of beneficiary for registration and
availing services under AWC.
MSG members will also support AWW to organize monthly meeting of Matri Mandal and events viz. Prathom Aahar
at every 2nd month, Matri Amrit quarterly and bi annual demonstration of recipes will be organise to cover 12
months of year for one event every month.
MSG members also coordinate with ASHA & AWW to ensure attendance of beneficiaries in VHND, RI, NHED and
make people aware about facilities provided under ICDS through interpersonal communication & IEC via songs,
street play etc.
They will advise villagers on the matters like anemia, malnutrition, ARSH, early marriage & pregnancy.
MSG members are provided training under Sensitization programs organized by ICDS supervisors, CDPOs, DSWOs
by end of April, each year. The training programs are interactive and cover topics viz. supplementary nutrition,
Growth monitoring & use of MCP cards, , PSE and TLM from low cost no cost materials, common health problems
pertaining to that area, personal hygiene, nutritional value of different local foods, orientation to performance
assessment of AWW etc.
At the end of year MSG will assess their own performance, based on attendance of matri mitra, beneficiaries in
VHND, RI etc, participation of president & secretary in Gaon Sabha and AWCMC meetings. The DSWO on basis of
self-assessment report submitted by MSG will recommend top 5 best performing MSG for citation and recognition
by Deputy Commissioner on 15th August of each year.
Source: https://socialwelfare.assam.gov.in/portlet-innerpage/best-practices 35EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Under MGNREGA, the social audit process and
procedures are developed and overseen by a Social
Audit Unit (SAU) which is an independent organization,
identified or established by the State Government to
facilitate the conduct of social audit by Gram Sabhas.
The SAU comprises of key functionaries such as the
Social Auditor, Resource Persons (State, District and
Village level), District Program Coordinator and
Program Officer. The key objective of the social audit is
to promote transparency and accountability as well as
inform and educate the people about their rights and
entitlements. The social audit also provides a forum to
express the needs and grievances and helps increase
community participation for greater inclusiveness.
The social audit process under MGNREGA is well-
elaborate with guidelines and regulations around
human resources, social audit team composition and
trainings as well as database support for review of
program procedures and output. Alternatively the
ICDS could make use of the social audit recommended
under the VHSND and either ways the processes would
contribute to greater systemic accountability and
quality assurance.
Similar to MGNREGA, the ICDS also has a huge beneficiary
base and large-scale investment for provisioning of
SNP. With repeated claims of poor coverage and low
quality of SNP supplies it is important for ICDS to
establish a social audit mechanism. The social audit
can be developed independently or in convergence
with MGNREGA. Some States have formed Community-
level AWC Committees with a similar mandate. For
instance, ICDS Delhi has constituted Anganwadi
Support and Monitoring Committee (ASMC). ICDS
Assam has formed Mother’s Support Group or Matri
Sahayak Gut. The ICDS can strengthen such existing
initiatives by developing social audit guidelines and
procedures.
5.4. PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVE
Performance-based incentive is an important
approach to motivate employees to work productively
and achieve desirable goals and objectives. The
performance-based incentive can be linked to
individual performance on selected set of indicators.
The AWWs are offered honorarium for delivery of key
ICDS services. However, they can be motivated with
performance-based incentives to complete certain
tasks and achieve targets that are helpful for coverage
or quality improvement of the ICDS. The Government
of Uttar Pradesh has launched a Performance based
incentive program for AWWs.
Under this scheme, AWWs will be incentivized based
on their performance on a set of indicators. This
scheme aims at improving both quantity and quality
of efforts of AWWs by providing performance-based
financial incentives to effectively increase the
momentum in improving nutritional status of children
in Uttar Pradesh. Following two conditions should be
fulfilled to be eligible for incentives 1) Number of
working days in AWCs should be at least 25, and 2) List
of all the registered beneficiaries must be uploaded
and updated on the website, www. lakshyasuposhitup.
in. Based on the above, incentives are given on the
following:
A. Aadhaar Seeding of Beneficiaries: Following is the
classification for the criteria and amounts to be
given as incentives (in Rupees).
% Aadhaar
Seeding of
Beneficiaries
Incentives (in Rs)
AWW Mini AWW Helper
> 95% 800 600 400
85% - 95% 500 350 250
75% - 85% 200 100 100
% Child
Beneficiaries
Measured
Incentives (in Rs)
AWW Mini AWW Helper
> 85% 200 150 100
70% - 85% 150 100 75
B. Height and weight Measurement of Child
Beneficiaries (0-5 Years): Under this, following
is the classification of activities, and criteria for
incentive distribution:
Measurement of height and weight of children
aged 0 to 3 years must be done on the day of THR
distribution.
Measurement of height and weight of children
aged 3 to 5 years must be done on ‘Bachpan Diwas’
i.e. 5
th
day of every month.
C. Improvement in Child’s Nutrition Status: It is
estimated that about 45 lakh children in Uttar
Pradesh are undernourished out of which about
15 lakh suffer from Severe Malnutrition (SAM).
Given that the probability of mortality among
those suffering from SAM is much higher, it is
imperative to identify and improve the nutritional 36EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
AWC FeatureIncentive Points
1Room size min 225 square feet (equal of 15 ft X 15 ft), devoid of any land lord
furniture (for some areas, like say JJ Clusters where pucca accommodation is
not available, this criterion will have to be customized)
1
2Clean Toilet facility (with daily cleaning)
1
3Clean Drinking Water facility
1
4Interior cleanliness, painted walls
1
5Natural light and ventilation
1
6Adequate Electrical Lighting
1
7Working Fan
1
8Clean, clear and safe approach to Anganwadi
1
9Minimum 20 children (2.5 years and above) attending Anganwadi regularly
(6 days a week, 3.5 hrs/day) for ECE (with regular, timely and full duration
operation of Anganwadi by both Worker and Helper)
1
10
Fully functional Anganwadi Samiti (with complete membership structure and
regular meetings)
1
Total Points10
Point scoring scheme: A 10/10 score earns the team AWC Upgradation
status of SAM children at the outset. For this,
AWWs and other grass root level workers will be
provided with monetary incentives based on the
observed improvements in the nutritional status
of SAM children. Following are the criteria for
incentivization:
Target
Incentives (in Rs)
AWW Mini AWW Helper
From Red to
Green
500 500 250
From Yellow
to Green
300 300 150
The Government of Delhi has also developed a
scheme to incentivize AWW, Supervisor and ASMC
(Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee aka
Anganwadi Samiti) to work as a team and improve
the working of their Anganwadi. AWCs in Delhi
do not follow a uniform standard of operation or
service delivery. Consequently, AWCs range from
those with very basic and erratic service delivery to
a minority which stands out for their sincere effort
and commendable engagement with the community.
An incentivized approach to Anganwadi upgradation
can potentially ensure uniform, systematic and
informed raising of the bar across all AWCs in Delhi.
In addition, the graded and phased approach is
practical to implement and sustain in the long run.
In this approach MoWCD incentivizes the triangular
team of AWW – Supervisor – ASMC to score points for
their Anganwadi and earn the upgradation of their
AWC based on the points scored. By incentivizing
all three stakeholders we can ensure they together
feel the ownership and work as a team to uplift
their AWC. Based on the scores the AWC are entitled
for a set of furniture, playing set and toys as well as
other learning materials. 37EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
5.5. NGO AND CSR SUPPORT
In recent years, there has been increasing focus and
attention on nutrition and nutrition-related sectors
such as water, sanitation etc. National and international
developmental agencies and partners have contributed
toward improving the strategies and coverage of
nutrition interventions with greater involvement of
community to improve awareness, following of IYCF
practices and timely health care seeking.
UNICEF has been supporting the Government of India
in nutrition development through technical support
for various strategies being implemented under the
ICDS. In recent years, both have agreed on a five-
year Country Program Action Plans (CPAP) to provide
technical assistance in various initiatives of the
Ministry of Women and Child Development. Besides
UNICEF, several other international organizations and
development partners such as the Department for
International Development (DFID, United Kingdom),
World Food Program (WFP), and CARE India are
supporting the MWCD in achieving its objectives of
nutrition development and well-being.
In recent years, several initiatives under Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) are noted that have
contributed toward strengthening of ICDS infrastructure
and service delivery in various selected states. For
instance, the ICDS in Maharashtra has partnered with
a number of private sector companies under the
CSR drive and have attempted strengthening of ICDS
infrastructure and service coverage. Similarly, various
donor agencies, Trusts and Foundations have come
forward to support nutrition development through
the ICDS apparatus. In Maharashtra, the Tata Trusts
is providing technical support for Strengthening the
System for Convergence training amongst frontline
workers ANMs, AWWs and ASHAs (AAA). The initiative
also aims to sensitize the Panchayat Raj Institution
and draw attention towards convergence with ICDS
and their roles and responsibilities. The Tata Trusts
have also partnered with the Government of Rajasthan
to combat maternal and child undernutrition. In
particular, the Project Making It Happen supported
by the Trusts aims at realizing this potential through
optimizing implementation, utilization of services,
monitoring and delivery.
5.6. THR PRODUCTION MODELS
The Supreme Court issued orders with regard to ICDS
in 2001 and 2004, followed by a landmark judgment
in 2006 to ensure ‘universalization with quality’ in a
time-bound manner. The Supreme Court prescribed the
minimum nutrition provision that must be guaranteed
under ICDS. It further envisaged decentralization
of procurement by eliminating the involvement of
contractors and encouraging the engagement of local
SHGs and mahila mandals in supply and distribution.
The court order aimed to enhance transparency,
decrease leakage, and improve quality by increasing
local ownership of the program. The primary objective
is to decentralise the procurement method under
ICDS in order to eradicate problems of corruption and
non-supply. SHGs that meet quality and infrastructure
requirements are given the opportunity to produce,
distribute and supply THR in line with the above-
mentioned prescriptions.
Nevertheless, three models of THR production and
distribution exist across India: Centralized Production
Facilities, Decentralized Production Facilities and
Decentralized Self-Help Groups (Flanagan et al
2018). As described by Flanagan et al (2018), in the
Centralized Production Facility model (for example,
Telangana), one production facility is contracted to
produce and distribute THR for an entire state. These
facilities procure the raw ingredients for all orders,
often have in-house quality testing, and transport the
THR to communities (typically at the block level).
Centralized facilities can be run either by state
governments or private corporations.
In the Decentralized Production Facility model (for
example, Kerala), producers are typically contracted
to produce THR for AWCs across multiple communities
or at the Block level. These production facilities
are run by SHGs who are responsible for procuring
materials (in a consortium or individually) producing
the THR through an automated or semi-automated
process and transporting the THR to AWCs or the CDPO
office. In this model SHGs may also form federations
or consortia and work together for larger scale
production.
The Decentralized Self-Help Group model (for
example, Rajasthan), is the most decentralized
model. These SHGs are contracted to provide THR
typically to only one or two AWCs per SHG. SHGs
procure ingredients locally and produce THR often
with limited or no automation. There is limited to no
quality testing done in SHG models.
There are some challenges associated with each of
these models. In case of Centralized Production
Facilities, it has been observed that THR is not
reaching all beneficiaries, especially in rural areas.
Also, corruption and poor quality are rampant
in the private facilities. In case of Decentralized 38EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Production Facilities, the key challenges are: lack
of guaranteed contracts and demand from ICDS,
limited management experience in SHGs; and delayed
feedback from external quality testing leading to
limited impact of results on THR production. In case
of Decentralized Self-Help Groups, the challenges
are inability of SHGs to use fortified food products
and micronutrient premix in THR production; lack of
mechanism to improve skills of SHGs and quality of
THR; and financial viability concerns as economies of
scale are not realized due to small contracts.
There are, however, a number of areas for improving
the implementation of the THR production and
distribution. The review by Flanagan et al (2018)
suggests that all ICDS financial transactions should
be made digital and all steps of THR production and
distribution monitored through a logistics monitoring
and information system. The contracting of firms
of SHGs for THR production should meet minimum
technical qualifications to ensure quality control.
In view of the advantages and disadvantages of the
various models, it emerges that THR production
should follow a decentralized approach but the
contract quantity should be adequate enough to
ensure optimal production and satisfactory quality
without affecting the financial viability of the
firms. In this regard, supporting the development
of SHGs into food-processing industry is an area for
convergence of welfare programs with banking and
financial system.
5.7. AWC REPORTING FORMATS
The AWWs have to maintain a set of 11 registers which
has to regularly up-dated and reported to support
program monitoring. The AWWs have to also fill up
monthly and annual reporting forms. The Registers
are supposed to be printed and provided by the State
Governments. However, mostly the AWWs use simple
registers available in the market and prepare rows and
columns for necessary information as per the required
formats. The information reported in the registers
serve several purposes including helping the AWW
to locate and track all women and children in AWC
area. The records are helpful to identify who requires
which services, who have received services and who
are left out. The information reported in the register
is verified by the Supervisor and is useful to prepare
the monthly progress report (MPR) to understand the
status, progress and performance of the ICDS. The list
of registers and data recording sheets are as follows
(ICDS-MIS User’s Manual):
Register 1: Family Details
Register 2: Supplementary Food Stock
Register 3: Supplementary Food Distribution
Register 4: Pre-School Education
Register 5: Pregnancy and delivery
Register 6: Immunization & VHND
Register 7: Vitamin-A Bi-Annual Rounds
Register 8: Home Visits Planner
Register 9: Referrals
Register 10: Summaries (Monthly and Annual)
Register 11: Weight Record of Children
The Calendar Tool Book
Data Transfer Sheet
AWC Monthly Progress Report (AMPR)
AWC Annual Status Report (AASR)
The reporting and record maintenance can be
cumbersome, particularly when AWWs are being
involved in increasing number of community-based
events and activities. In this regard, the ICDS should
consider reviewing and reducing the reporting
requirements from AWWs. For example, Register 6
- Immunization and VHND is essentially coordinated
by the MoHFW, thus it is only reasonable that the
reporting of these indicators can be assigned to ANMs
and ASHAs, respectively. As such, the ANMs and ASHAs
also maintain a record of services offered through
them. Such duplication in data collection can be
reduced for efficiency gains in reporting and quality
improvements. Similarly, the reporting of information
in Register 7 on Vitamin-A Bi-Annual Rounds can be
assigned to the ANM. In fact, dosage for immunization
and Vitamin-A are supplied through the health system
and streamlining the reporting protocols can also lead
to improvements in program reporting.
Evidence from Time allocation studies (Kaur et al
2016) as well as our observations suggests that AWWs
play minimal role in referral services. In fact, the
referrals are only counted as an advice for visiting
a qualified provider in a public health facility. Also,
the AWW may not necessarily possess relevant skills
and qualifications. The Register 9 on Referrals
can be discontinued for simplifying the reporting
requirements. The Referrals can alternatively
be treated as counselling service for health care
utilization. 39EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
5.8. COMPARING ICDS WITH NHM
Compared to ICDS, the NHM is of recent origin
(launched in 2005) with huge budgetary allocation and
serves as an important measure to improve access to
maternal and child health care services, particularly
in rural India. Over the years, NHM has expanded its
coverage both physical (urban areas) as well as clinical
(non-communicable diseases etc.). The approach
toward administration and implementation of NHM,
however, varies considerably from ICDS. Moreover,
NHM is perceptibly more successful in achieving the
underlying objectives than ICDS.
Although, both ICDS and NHM focus on grass root
level service delivery by engaging community-level
functionaries yet they are markedly distinct in
implementation mechanisms. The NHM has established
a network of District and Block level program managers
who are directly appointed on a contractual basis by
the State Health Society (District Health Society)
under the aegis of Department of Health and Family
Welfare across states/UTs. Regular and frequent
review meetings and focus on NHM investments and
performance are also instrumental in ensuring general
social relevance. These aspects, along with greater
departmental autonomy in recruitments and financial
allocations have facilitated appointments at all levels
without long delays or major vacancies.
The NHM has a broad scope and accordingly has
included several items in the Program Implementation
Plan (PIP) for budgeting and implementation whereas
the Annual Program Implementation Plan (APIP) of
ICDS is limited to few aspects that are covered under
the program. Unlike NHM, ICDS has not demonstrated
any expansion in the scope and nature of activities.
For instance, the concept of untied fund under NHM
for various public health facilities is well defined
and implemented. Whereas, ICDS has not developed
adequate provisions for such untied fund or specific
line items to strengthen technical support for the
program. In fact, from an analytical perspective,
the NHM budget can be viewed to serve three broad
expenditure needs viz. salary and honorariums,
infrastructure upgradation and maintenance and drugs
& logistics. In comparison, ICDS is focused on two broad
expenditure needs related to salary/honorariums and
supplementary nutrition. Clearly, low emphasis and
resource allocations for infrastructure strengthening
(including facilities for learning component) has
remained a key weakness of the ICDS.
The NHM has streamlined financial reporting formats.
The budgeting procedures are broad based and take
into account a large number of schemes and initiatives
under the umbrella of NHM. The ICDS, however, is
less dynamic and is yet to envisage any new initiative
under the umbrella of ICDS. The NHM, for instance,
has a rigorous emphasis on upgrading the health
facilities to meet the IPHS standards. The ICDS lacks
initiatives to spell out adequate standards and norms
for infrastructure upgradation at all levels. Training
infrastructure is also an area deserving greater policy
focus under ICDS.
The data reporting system – Health Management
Information System (HMIS) - in NHM is streamlined with
clear reporting formats matched to the data portal and
adequate provision of data entry operators (DEOs) at
all levels. Across States, NHM has a systematic process
of data consolidation from lower health facilities
to higher administrative units. The burden of data
reporting on the grass root levels workers is relatively
less. In contrast, the AWWs have higher burden of
data reporting and maintenance of registers. There
is no systematic approach toward data consolidation
for in-built assessments at higher levels. The ICDS-CAS
is in its infancy and suffers from logistical as well as
capacity perspectives. Unlike HMIS, ICDS-CAS is not in
public domain and does not facilitate wider review of
program indicators at district, state or national level.
There is an urgent need to upgrade the data reporting
infrastructure and human resources under ICDS.
Finally, while the NHM is largely focused around
maternal and child health, the ICDS is unintentionally
associated with an important objective of women
empowerment, particularly through its human
resources as well as the SHGs model in SNP supplies.
The two components of SNP and SHGs are thus
inextricably linked but should be re-examined from
efficiency perspective by prioritizing the envisaged
goals of the ICDS.
5.9. COMPARISON WITH MGNREGA
The ICDS and MGNREGA works in convergence for
the construction of AWC buildings in rural areas. The
Gram Panchayat is the focal point for convergence
and can facilitate various infrastructure strengthening
activities through MGNREGA. The operational guidelines
of MGNREGA lists other relevant departments with
which the scheme converges: Ministry of Agriculture,
Ministry of Forest & Environment, Ministry of Water
Resources, Department of Rural Development,
Department of Land Resources and Department of
Drinking water and Sanitation. While such inter-
departmental convergence is seen in the ICDS as
well, but it seems to be stronger in the MGNREGA
due to large economic importance attached with the 40EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
program. This also implies that the Gram Panchayats
can have considerable leverage in strengthening
the AWC infrastructure through liaison with various
departments and the scope for availing funds through
Gram Panchayat Development Plans. The Convergence
Action Plan can emphasise on such possibilities and
explore opportunities for pooling funds to enhance
rural development and well-being. The MGNREGA also
involves the Gram Sabha to approve of the Annual
Plan and Labour Budget, which not only keeps the
village administration involved in the process, but also
holds them accountable. Social Audit is an important
and successful feature of the MGNREGA. This can
be adopted within the ICDS as well, which can help
institute some accountability and quality assurance in
the SNP delivered at the AWCs.
5.10. COMPARISON WITH NCS
While women in the organised sector can avail day
care for their children under various Acts and Schemes,
working mothers in the unorganised sector still face
a problem finding adequate day care facilities for
their children. This problem is compounded in urban
areas, where it is difficult for working women to leave
children alone at home or with neighbours due to added
concerns about safety and security of the child. Thus,
the erstwhile Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme
(RGNCS) is an essential scheme for such mothers to be
able to provide good care for their children while still
being able to work and earn a livelihood. The Steering
Committee on Women’s Agency and Child Rights for
the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-17) helmed by the
Planning Commission suggested that the AWCs may be
upgraded to AWC-cum-crèches; that norms should be
revised and more flexible models be adopted for the
scheme so that children can be provided with safe,
nurturing, community-based spaces for their growth
and development.
According to a July 2019 government press release, the
now-renamed National Crèche Scheme is a Centrally
Sponsored Scheme across all States/UTs “to provide
day care facilities to children (age group of 6 months-
6 years) of working mothers. The Scheme provides
supplementary nutrition, health care inputs like
immunization, polio drops, basic health monitoring,
sleeping facilities, early stimulation (below 3 years),
pre-school education for 3-6 yrs”. It is apparent that
most of these overlap with the objectives of the ICDS,
and immunization, health monitoring, and ECCE are
provided at AWCs in urban areas as well. While the AWCs
do have robust numbers of children in attendance,
there was no explicit mention of integration of the NCS
into the ICDS system (at grass root level or further up
the administration). In practice, these services were
being provided to all children who were registered at
the AWC.
A few problems, however, can be highlighted. Since
the AWC does not primarily function as a crèche, the
hours of its operation do not go beyond afternoon—
this means that while day care is being provided to the
children, they ultimately do return home after having
their mid-day meal. Working parents may find this to
be inadequate, since even in the unorganised sector,
working hours do extend well beyond the afternoon.
AWWs plan to conduct home visits in the afternoon,
which means they are unable to extend their hours
at the AWC for providing this extended day care.
Hiring of additional staff might be needed to tackle
this issue. One of the important services that the NCS
is to provide is sleeping facilities, but based on our
findings there is a clear lack of space in urban areas,
leading to cramped and congested AWCs. This can be
counterproductive to the NCS objectives. Thus, even
though in essence the AWCs under the ICDS do provide
some of the day care facilities envisaged by the NCS,
there is a definite need for more concerted efforts
to integrate the NCS with the ICDS. This will ensure
that working parents in urban areas can fully avail the
services of the NCS, as envisaged by the government.
5.11. PMMVY AND ICDS
STRENGTHENING
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
is a maternity benefit program implemented in
all the districts of India. PMMVY aims to support
pregnant and lactating women, particularly those
with disadvantaged socioeconomic background, by
providing partial compensation for the wage loss in
terms of cash incentives so that the woman can take
adequate rest before and after delivery of the first
living child. The cash incentive provided would lead
to improved health seeking behavior amongst the
Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM).
Under PMMVY, a cash incentive of Rs. 5000 is provided
directly to the Bank / Post Office Account of Pregnant
Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM) for first
living child of the family subject to fulfilling specific
conditions relating to Maternal and Child Health.
PMMVY is implemented using the platform of
Anganwadi Services scheme of Umbrella ICDS under
Ministry of Women and Child Development in respect
of States/ UTs implementing scheme through Women
and Child Development Department/ Social Welfare 41EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Department and through Health system in respect of
States/ UTs where scheme is implemented by Health
& Family Welfare Department. PMMVY is implemented
through a centrally deployed Web Based MIS Software
application and the focal point of implementation
would be the Anganwadi Centre (AWC) and ASHA/ ANM
workers.
PMMVY has a significant spillover effect on ICDS
strengthening. In particular, PMMVY is required to be
implemented through a centrally deployed Web Based
MIS Software application and the AWCs are identified
as a focal point of implementation. The eligible women
desirous of availing maternity benefits are required to
register under the scheme at the Anganwadi Centre
(AWC) if the PMMVY is implemented through the ICDS
apparatus.
This is reflected in the form of Master Data prepared
for the PMMVY whereby all AWCs should map with a
Village/ Town/ City and all AWCs should be reporting
into a Sector which is linked to a Block / Project. Such
verification process has helped to identify and digitize
the actual number of AWCs. This further enables the
ICDS system to be linked with escrow account and
Public Financial Management System (PFMS) for the
beneficiary payments.
Monitoring System (ICT-RTM) for improving the service
delivery and ensuring better supervision of schemes
by deploying the Common Application Software (CAS)
solution across the country covering all Anganwadi
Centers (AWCs). This monitoring system is based on
a common application software named ICDS-CAS
available in the smart phone provided to AWWs. The
ICDS-CAS is expected to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of AWWs by embedding job aids and
tools in their smart phones. The ICDS-CAS would
help populate the ICDS registers conveniently and
also facilitate growth chart generation. This will also
improve program monitoring because of real time
information and alerts to various stakeholders for
prompt action and decision making.
The ICDS-CAS thus has dual advantage and serves
both AWW as well as the ICDS monitoring staff. Since
ICDS-CAS has an individual focus, the data entry
requirements are large. In comparison, the NHM-
HMIS is utilized mainly for program review and course
correction. The NHM HMIS has witnessed significant IT
investments over the last 10 years and has emerged as
a successful pan-India network for key indicators on
public health system and services. The ICDS-CAS would
require substantial IT investments to create such
broad-based IT infrastructure and human resources
to make ICDS-CAS a tool for program monitoring and
review.
In its initial phases the HMIS had relied on physical
reporting from lower level facilities. The data was
mostly aggregated at the block or district level and
forwarded to State for validation and submission. The
physical reporting requirements are also limited in
case of HMIS and only aggregated data is required by
the system for progress reviews. However, the ICDS-
CAS is based on the concept of digital entry from the
AWC level. This is more challenging both from logistics
(mobile and connectivity) as well as human resources
(training and efficacy) perspective.
The ICDS-CAS, however, can be more useful for
program reviews if it integrates physical reporting
from lower level to digital reporting at block level.
The universal coverage of ICDS data is critical to draw
attention toward CAS. Allowing access to CAS data
and making the key indicators and data accessible is
another important area for CAS. The HMIS releases
the data and several analytical reports and key
indicators in the public domain. This also leads to
course correction as well as substantial improvements
in data quality and veracity.
Difficulty here is… reporting has
become more. Reporting in each
and every aspect. Like…Earlier it was
only monthly progress report was there in
ICDS. Now it has become so many reports.
Many schemes are there, so time to time
reporting has become more and from
the HOD side also, they keep asking for
reporting and while making the report
I have to be here in the office to submit
the report, there our time is getting cut.
Otherwise, if we are free from reporting
we can go to the field and we can meet our
goals like that.
~ CDPO, Andhra Pradesh
5.12. ICDS-CAS AND NHM-HMIS
The MoWCD has implemented the Information and
Communication Technology enabled Real Time 43EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
FINANCIAL ISSUES AND
MANAGEMENT
06.
6.1. ICDS FINANCIAL ALLOCATIONS
Table 6.1 and Figure 6.1 presents the ICDS budget for
the year 2019-20. The budget allocated for each major
item is also presented. The Central assistance for
2019-20 is Rs.1992779 lakh. Out of which, Honoraria
(47.0%), SNP (33.9%), and salary (6.5%) jointly account
for about 87.4% of the total Central assistance. About
7.5 per cent of the central assistance is allocated
toward infrastructure and rent. Infrastructure budget
includes expenditure on up gradation of AWCs,
provision of drinking water and toilet facility and
construction of AWCs under MGNREGA have received
4 per cent of total expenditure. The expected budget
comprising of both Central assistance and proposed
expenditure by State is Rs.3317195 lakhs. It may
be noted that the Centre-State expected budget is
estimated by combining the Central assistance with
minimum expected State/UTs contribution as per
the cost-sharing norms for salary, Anganwadi services
(General), SNP and infrastructure. However, certain
States may be allocating greater (or less) than
required normative budget for ICDS.
Table 6.2 below presents the State-wise Centre-
State combined expected budget for ICDS for the
year 2019-20. Since there is substantial variation
in number of children in the age group 6 months to
6 years across States and UTs, similar variation is
visible in the proposed budget. The lowest budget
is observed for Lakshadweep (206 lakh) and the
highest budget is observed for Uttar Pradesh (497323
Budget Item
Central Share Budget, 2019-20 Centre-State Expected Budget, 2019-20
Rs. (in Lakh) % Share Rs. (in Lakh) % Share
Salary1290836.537347811.3
Honoraria 67572833.9 105628931.8
POL / Hiring Vehicle109440.5170880.5
Uniform 128270.6200520.6
Medicine Kit 125990.6196870.6
PSE Kit436712.2684472.1
Rent 516742.6807932.4
Administrative Expenses 167500.8262490.8
SNP93681247.0 149325145.0
Training45970.269800.2
Infrastructure980944.91548804.7
Total1992779 100.0 3317195100.0
Table 6.1: ICDS budget (central share and centre-state combined), 2019-20
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Note: Centre-State Expected Budget is estimated by combining the Centre share with minimum expected State/UTs contribution as per the
cost-sharing norms for salary, Anganwadi service (General), SNP and infrastructure. Certain States may be allocating greater than required
normative budget for ICDS.
Anganwadi Service (General) includes the following items: Honoraria, Petrol, Oil and Lubricants (POL), vehicle hiring, uniform, medicine
kits, pre-school education (PSE) kit, rent, and other administrative services.
Infrastructure – This includes budget expenditure on upgradation of AWCs, provision of drinking water and toilet facility and construction
of AWCs under MGNREGA. 44EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
lakhs). More than 50 per cent of total budget across
Bihar, Chandigarh, Karnataka, Daman and Diu, Uttar
Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya and Nagaland
is reserved for the SNP component. The highest
allocations for salary are observed for Arunachal
Pradesh (31.2 per cent) and Sikkim (33.5 per cent).
States/UTs Salary
AW Services
(General)
SNP TrainingInfrastructure
Total
(Rs. In Lakh)
A &N Islands 14.9 48.7 26.0 1.4 9.11566
Andhra Pradesh 13.9 35.8 40.5 0.1 9.7147368
Arunachal Pradesh 31.2 36.6 25.5 0.8 5.916690
Assam10.2 43.6 42.2 0.3 3.7130378
Bihar8.2 38.8 51.4 0.2 1.4252278
Chandigarh11.7 35.8 52.4 0.1 0.01615
Chhattisgarh 14.9 38.9 40.5 0.3 5.3122719
D & N Haveli 14.4 46.2 27.3 0.0 12.1680
Daman & Diu8.4 32.1 59.5 0.0 0.0315
Delhi11.5 51.6 36.7 0.2 0.033780
Goa16.0 36.6 40.1 0.2 7.03513
Gujarat8.6 39.6 47.4 0.3 4.0125743
Haryana15.7 53.2 28.8 0.1 2.148713
Himachal Pradesh 16.8 55.4 25.0 0.5 2.334149
Jammu & Kashmir 17.4 69.3 10.8 0.3 2.248319
Jharkhand13.0 35.2 50.8 0.0 1.0105021
Karnataka10.2 35.7 52.1 0.2 1.8174578
Kerala15.8 50.0 29.5 0.5 4.267033
Lakshadweep0.0 46.5 53.5 0.0 0.0206
Madhya Pradesh 8.8 36.2 45.6 0.2 9.2254209
Maharashtra 13.6 41.7 43.0 0.2 1.5234953
Manipur16.8 36.7 37.5 0.5 8.529551
Meghalaya10.3 23.9 55.9 0.3 9.622903
Mizoram22.8 31.6 39.2 0.6 5.96998
Nagaland17.6 25.8 54.4 0.5 1.716277
Odisha12.1 34.4 45.2 0.2 8.0188120
Puducherry9.6 78.5 0.0 1.0 10.91220
Punjab10.8 33.9 16.9 0.3 38.181044
Rajasthan9.6 43.4 46.0 0.3 0.7132403
Sikkim33.5 45.0 21.0 0.4 0.13084
Tamil Nadu14.3 35.1 48.3 0.3 2.0135792
Telangana16.1 36.4 41.7 0.3 5.593039
Tripura14.6 40.3 41.8 0.4 2.823848
Uttar Pradesh 8.9 33.1 57.6 0.1 0.3497323
Uttarakhand 12.5 44.0 35.0 0.3 8.242222
West Bengal7.0 44.4 41.6 0.1 6.9239809
All India11.3 38.8 45.0 0.2 4.73317195
Table 6.2: State-wise centre-state combined expected budget, ICDS 2019-20
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Note: See Notes for Table 6.1 for budget items
The highest allocations for general services (excluding
salary) are observed for Jammu and Kashmir (69.3
per cent). The expenditure on training is negligible.
Table 6.3 presents the State-wise Centre-State
combined expected budget, number of beneficiaries
(both children as well as pregnant and lactating 45EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
mothers) and budget per beneficiary for ICDS for
the year 2019-20. The budget share is the highest
for Uttar Pradesh (15.0%), whereas Madhya Pradesh
(7.7%), Maharashtra (7.1%), Bihar (7.6%) and West
Bengal (7.2%) each have a share of over 7% in total
ICDS budget. The highest numbers of beneficiaries
States/UTs
Expected Budget
(Rs. in Lakh)
Budget Share
(%)
Beneficiaries
Beneficiary
Share (%)
Rs. Per
Beneficiary
A & N Island1566 0.05 9591 0.0 16327
Andhra Pradesh147368 4.44 2264402 3.2 6508
Arunachal Pradesh16690 0.50 189060 0.3 8828
Assam130378 3.93 3030677 4.3 4302
Bihar252278 7.60 5969856 8.5 4226
Chandigarh1615 0.05 48547 0.1 3326
Chhattisgarh122719 3.70 2216000 3.1 5538
D & N Haveli680 0.02 19363 0.0 3511
Daman & Diu315 0.01 5150 0.0 6108
Delhi33780 1.02 437046 0.6 7729
Goa3513 0.11 52996 0.1 6628
Gujarat125743 3.79 3104693 4.4 4050
Haryana48713 1.47 839339 1.2 5804
Himachal Pradesh34149 1.03 398112 0.6 8578
Jammu & Kashmir48319 1.46 798450 1.1 6052
Jharkhand105021 3.17 2744555 3.9 3827
Karnataka174578 5.26 3948737 5.6 4421
Kerala67033 2.02 815494 1.2 8220
Lakshadweep206 0.01 3450 0.0 5973
Madhya Pradesh254209 7.66 6571443 9.3 3868
Maharashtra234953 7.08 5196154 7.4 4522
Manipur29551 0.89 340984 0.5 8666
Meghalaya22903 0.69 454119 0.6 5043
Mizoram6998 0.21 155222 0.2 4509
Nagaland16277 0.49 278810 0.4 5838
Odisha188120 5.67 3918422 5.6 4801
Puducherry1220 0.04 26806 0.0 4552
Punjab81044 2.44 671496 1.0 12069
Rajasthan132403 3.99 2667157 3.8 4964
Sikkim3084 0.09 24500 0.0 12586
Tamil Nadu135792 4.09 2440152 3.5 5565
Telangana93039 2.80 1500000 2.1 6203
Tripura23848 0.72 332353 0.5 7175
Uttar Pradesh497323 14.99 12392606 17.6 4013
Uttarakhand42222 1.27 597062 0.8 7072
West Bengal239809 7.23 5911318 8.4 4057
India3317195 100.00 70374122 100.0 4714
Table 6.3: State-wise ICDS expected budget share and budget per beneficiary, ICDS 2019-20
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Note: See Notes for Table 6.1 for budget items
are observed for Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
West Bengal, Bihar and Maharashtra. The budget per
beneficiary per year is the highest for Andaman and
Nicobar Islands (16327) and lowest is for Chandigarh
(3326). The budget per beneficiary per year for Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar and Assam is around Rs. 4000. 46EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
6.2. FINANCIAL FLOWS
Financing and budget flows are an important part
of the implementation process in ICDS. States have
different structures of fund flows and this often has
direct effects on the service delivery in the state. This
section discusses fund flows, flexibility and financing.
The issue of incentivization of ICDS staff was also
discussed with the respondents, and the following
section presents these findings in some detail.
6.2.1. ICDS APIP Norms
The cost-sharing ratio between centre and States/
UTs for various components is presented in Table 6.4.
There is a greater burden of salaries on the States/UTs
with legislature. This is associated with large number
of vacancies of Supervisors and CDPOs. The unit costs
for various components of AW services (General)
as well as SNP are the same for all the States/UTs.
This approach of APIP development does not allow
deviation across States. The components of the APIP
are fixed and do not demonstrate testing of alternative
ideas for improving service delivery through new
programs and initiatives. Even in case of SNP the
cost norms do not account for the possible variation
in transportation costs associated with geographical
conditions. The APIP thus fails to integrate the local
needs and requirements.
6.2.2. ICDS Financing
In 2019-20, the Central share in ICDS budget amounts
to Rs.19927 crores. Honoraria (47.0%), SNP (33.9%),
and salary (6.5%) jointly account for about 87.4% of
the total Central assistance. About 7.5 per cent of the
central assistance is allocated toward infrastructure
(AWC construction, upgradation, drinking water,
toilet and rent). If corresponding State share as per
cost-sharing norms is included then the total ICDS
budget is expected to be at least Rs.33171 crores.
Figure 6.1: ICDS expenditure items and share (%) in Centre-State expected budget, 2019-20
States/UTs/
Particulars
AW
Services
(General)
Salaries SNP
Upgradation of
AWCs
Construction of toilets
and drinking water
facilities
States/UTs (with
Legislature)
60:40 25:75* 50:50 60:4060:40
NE / Himalayan States 90:10 90:10 90:10 90:1090:10
UTs (without Legislature) 100:0 100:0 100:0 100:0100:0
Source: MoWCD (No.14-4/2018-CD.II (e-66710) dated 25
th
March 2019)
Note: *Central assistance on salaries of select AWC functionaries only
Table 6.4: Cost sharing ratio between Centre and States/UTs for various components
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Note: See Notes for Table 6.1 for budget items 47EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
The minimum expected State budgets varies from
Rs.12586 per beneficiary per year in Sikkim to Rs.3827
per beneficiary per year in Jharkhand. Although, Uttar
Pradesh has a 15% share in total ICDS budget but it
also accounts for 17.6% share of beneficiaries. This
translates into Rs.4013 per beneficiary per year which
is much lower than several other States. The expected
PSE component budget is 75 paise per child per day.
Budgetary allocations are inadequate vis-à-vis the
expectations and requirements of the state. Poor
utilization of infrastructure funds/training funds was
reported in the states visited. In many cases, the
budget is deemed adequate to maintain status quo,
but as we approach the grass root level, we see that
this is not the case. Rules, regulations and norms for
flow/release of funds for infrastructure development
need to be reviewed and streamlined. There is scope
for convergence with GPDP.
In many states, CSR initiatives and NGO partnerships
are a source of funds. Organizations adopt AWCs
and beautify them and/or provide additional
infrastructure. However, this is not the ideal situation
since i) these funds are not perennial and can be
withdrawn in the future; ii) this creates an imbalance
among the AWCs in the area, where the AWCs that are
not adopted are not at par with the ones that are.
State innovations in programs are tilted toward
adolescents/women; not enough funds go towards
other aspects of the ICDS like ECCE and referrals.
Leakages also occur, for example, in Assam, where
there is no flexibility to use funds that are already
lying in ICDS accounts: a lot of paperwork must be
done and many political hoops that have to be jumped
through before these can be utilised. Currently, the
Program Officer is unable to talk to the DC to be able
to use these.
Rules, regulations and norms for flow/release of
funds for infrastructure development need to be
reviewed and streamlined. There is definitely scope
for convergence with departments at the district
level. For example, rent norms and allowances for
electricity and sweeper services are not sufficient.
There are no contingency funds made available to the
functionaries, due to which they often have to pay
out of their own pocket. These reimbursements are
also severely delayed and this demoralises the staff.
6.2.3. ICDS Society
The formation of ICDS society is of relevance to
expedite the flow of funds for ICDS activities. The ICDS
does not have a Society at the State and District level.
This is unlike National Health Mission (NHM) which has
established both State Health Society and District
Health Society as vertical support structures for
different national and state health programs. Through
this arrangement the DHSs can manage both treasury
and non-treasury sources of funds. Under NHM the DHS
is viewed as an addition to the district administrations
capacity, particularly for planning, budgeting and
budget analysis, development of operational policy
proposals, and financial management etc. Because it
is a legal entity, the DHS can set up its own office
which has adequate contingent of staff and experts
and can evolve its own rules and procedures for hiring
the staff and experts both from the open market as
well as on deputation from the Government. DHS is
thus established as a facilitating mechanism for the
district health administration as also the mechanism
for joint planning by NHM related sectors. The DHS
can receive grant-in-aid from the State Government
and/or State Health Society; grants-in-aid from
the Central Government, if it decides to give the
whole or part of grants directly to District Society
as well as grants and donations from trade, industry,
institutions and individuals. The DHS can also receive
funds from disposal of assets. Presently, the ICDS
follows a cumbersome process for fund transfers
through District or Block Development Officers.
There is no flexibility in terms of fund transfer and
expenditure which causes delays in procedures and
implementation. Formation of ICDS society can also
expedite issues related to appointment of contractual
staff for the activities.
It may be noted that to facilitate the implementation of
ICDS, Gujarat has registered State and District level ICDS
Society that function under the administrative control
of the Department of Women & Child Development.
The State ICDS society Management Unit (SISMU) is
responsible for implementing, monitoring, managing,
supervising, and guiding the day to day functions of
ICDS. Similarly, 26 District ICDS Society Management
Unit (DISMU) are registered for supporting SISMU
across the districts. The State ICDS Society, Gujarat,
Gandhinagar has received fund from Government of
Gujarat. The Integrated Child Development Services
Scheme is being implemented through 26 Districts in
all over Gujarat. The ICDS society conducts statutory
audit through CAG empanelled auditor.
6.2.4. Financial Incentives for ICDS
Functionaries
When asked about their thoughts on incentivization,
not many AWWs openly admitted to wanting
incentives; but this can be attributed more to their
hesitation than the idea itself. When probed further, 48EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
they revealed that even though AWWs are not in the
ICDS for the honorarium (which—compared to their
workload is modest—to put it mildly), performance
grants are definitely an appreciated idea among the
functionaries; it can be linked to AWC indicators /
Project indicators to motivate them on a collective
platform. Career trajectories should also be
considered for these incentives. Issues like pensions,
health insurance and other benefits were also brought
up by the functionaries interviewed.
6.2.5. Funding for Promotion of
AWW and Supervisors
The position of AWC Supervisor is vacant in many
situations. These are not filled and have risk of lapse.
The MoWCD has issued guidelines for promotion of
the eligible AWWs and Supervisors. This has also led
to increasing number of contractual appointments.
Also, there is shortage of skills and technical support
for ECCD as well as Nutrition counselling. Needs
assessment of AWC is also an important area for
planning training and capacity building.
6.2.6. Scope for ICDS Flexi-pool
The APIP offers limited scope for innovations in
community outreach activities and even infrastructure
development. It is reasonable that within a broad
framework of ICDS objectives and priorities, the States
should be provided flexibility to plan and implement
state specific action plans. The state PIP would spell out
the strategies and activities as well as the budgetary
requirements to achieve the outputs and outcomes.
This will have the advantage of strengthening local
planning at the district level and below.
Besides, the approval of State APIP would also imply
approval of the District APIP. The ICDS flexi-pool
should be particularly allowed for ICDS functionaries
at the block level and below to experiment scope
for a community worker or skill that can accelerate
reduction in undernutrition prevalence in the country.
Budget for IEC activities can also be considered under
a flexi-pool approach to boost innovative practices for
enhancing awareness on nutrition and health. Budget
for infrastructure strengthening under ICDS can also
be included under flexi-pool.
Notably, the guidelines issued by Ministry of Finance
(F.No.55(5)PF-II/2011 dated 6
th
September 2016) on
flexi-funds within centrally sponsored scheme (CSS)
allows States to set aside 25% of any CSS (Central
and State share combined for any given financial
year) as flexi-fund to be spent on any sub-scheme
or component or innovation that is in line with the
overall aim and objectives of the approved scheme.
However, this has to be specifically implemented and
States should be encouraged to present new ideas and
initiatives to achieve the objectives of ICDS.
6.2.7. ICDS Financial Management
and Reports
ICDS has developed various formats for submission of
utilization certificate and statement of expenditure.
However, the state-level financial management
reports, formats and procedures can be developed
for uniformity. Such an approach is followed by the
NHM which has formed Financial Management Group
(FMG) that functions under the NRHM Finance Division
of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The FMG is
involved in planning, budgeting, accounting, financial
reporting, internal controls including internal audit,
external audit, procurement, disbursement of funds
and monitoring the physical and financial performance
of the program, with the main aim of managing
resources efficiently and achieving pre-determined
objectives.
6.2.8. CAG Audit Observations
The audit of the ICDS program was carried out for the
period 2006-07 to 2010-11 to understand why it has not
achieved the desired goals. A total of 2730 Anganwadi
Centres from 273 project offices of 67 districts from
13 States (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal were selected for the audit.
The nutrition indicators from National Family Health
Survey 2005-06, population of the States and funds
released were the parameters used for identifying the
States. The performance was measured with respect
to three services: supplementary nutrition, pre-school
education and nutrition and health education under
the scheme. The findings indicate that the program
has been unable to address the nutrition health issues
and immunization coverage has remained low because
of absence of the monitoring mechanisms.
Lack of planning is clearly indicated by the fact
that the program did not assess the infrastructure
requirements or has been indifferent to the needs of
AWCs. More than 50 per cent of the buildings are built
on rented lands. Also, one-fourth of the buildings are
made of semi-pucca or kachcha material. It has been
observed that most of these buildings do not have
adequate space for the children. There are no kitchens
or space for outdoor activities for the children. Lack of
drinking water facilities and toilets is also observed. 49EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
The surroundings in which these AWCs are built can
itself lead to a number of preventable diseases among
children. It is not uncommon to come across AWCs
which have inadequate utensils and non-functional
equipments. Medicine kits are also not available at
the centres due to lack of co-ordination among the
stakeholders.
The identification of the beneficiaries and monitoring
of the program is inadequate which raises question
about the implementation process. Between 2006-07
and 2010-11, there was a gap of 33 to 45 per cent
between the eligible beneficiaries identified and
those receiving supplementary nutrition. Also, a
huge proportion of children were not weighed. There
were discrepancies with respect to data on nutrition
reported for the children. There was a shortfall in the
number of personnel trained under the State Training
Action Plan. The process to procure food from the
Ministry of Women and Child Development has also
suffered from co-ordination failure with the Ministry
being able to allocate only 78 per cent of food grains
demanded by State.
The major reason for the failure of the program other
than lack of co-ordination is the inability to use the
funds, especially, to recruit the functionaries who
could ensure smooth functioning of the program.
During the period 2009-11, 53 per cent AWCs did not
receive the flexi fund. The shortfall in expenditure
on SNP ranged from 15 per cent to 36 per cent during
2006-11. Clearly, the average daily expenditure per
beneficiary on SNP is low. The actual expenditure on
salary of ICDS functionaries is very high which leaves
very meager amount for other key components. Also,
the fund meant for ICDS is being parked in activities
such as civil deposits and personal ledger, which are not
permitted under the The monitoring and assessment
of services under the SNP and PSE is not adequate and
has led to lapses in successful implementation of the
scheme.
6.2.9. HR related Financing Issues
The AWWs usually devote more than 4 hours working
for the AWC activities. The working hours increase
further with additional tasks of VHNDs or in case of
unrelated activities such as election commission duty
or survey completion as mandated by local authorities.
The AWWs also find it frustrating when deterred from
primary role as AWW. The non-AWC work is a major
diversion and this additional work at times has time-
bound deliverables which become hindrance to ICDS
work. Also, the payment for the extra work is not
made on time. It is important to review the TA / DA
norms for various functionaries to attend trainings and
meeting. These should be timely released as often
reimbursements (transport, minor repairs in AWC)
take many months to reach the AWWs, which leads to
them having to borrow money/continue spending out
of their own pocket AWC.
Gap in salaries of the regular and contractual CDPOs or
AW Supervisors is a source of discontent. For instance,
in Assam, the salary of the regular CDPO is more than
twice that of the contractual CDPO. Also, some of
the CDPOs are working on the contractual position
for considerable number of years. As a consequence
of these issues, the CDPOs lack motivation to work
efficiently. Also, monetary problems can serve as
a hindrance in monitoring the AWC. There is also
mention of statistical assistant for the CDPOs but this
position is not functional.
Providing performance grant to AWWs is an appreciated
idea and can be linked to AWC indicators / Project
indicators. Moreover, while there is a scope for career
advancement under ICDS but only a handful are able
to progress from one position to a senior position
(such as from AWW to AW Supervisor or from CDPO to
DPO). The AWWs, AWHs and the AW Supervisors are the
most vulnerable and there should be social security
mechanisms for workers serving for a given duration
with the ICDS. Despite guidelines from the MoWCD
the progress on this front need further attention for
effective and speedy implementation.
Completeness and digitization of the identification
records of ICDS scheme employees and workers including
the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers is necessary to
improve transparency and knowledge about placements,
transfer postings and facilitate timely communication of
office orders. These are also necessary to ease financial
payments (salaries, honoraria, and incentives). Use of
PFMS should be universal for payments. All the States/
UTs are recommended to develop digital records
to facilitate systematic programmatic reviews and
monitoring of staff.
While time bound promotion could be explored;
performance parameters need to be aligned with the
program for this to be executed. There is irregularity in
promotions; functionaries are promoted to Supervisor/
CDPO posts without them having the required skill
set; there is also no formal procedure and guidelines
for promotions in the ICDS system. This needs to be
rectified as a priority. Although, procedures and norms
exist across States/UTs but timely implementation
is necessary to resist the notion of stagnancy in job
profile. Career trajectories should be considered to
attract skilled personnel toward the ICDS scheme. 50EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
6.3. STATE-LEVEL FINANCIAL ISSUES
AND CONCERNS
6.3.1. Andhra Pradesh
Insufficient budgets are provided for expenses like
electricity and sweeper etc. CDPOs pay out of their
own funds, and sometimes these amounts go up to
25,000 INR per year with no reimbursements in sight.
More funds are needed from the Centre, especially
to be used for improving AWC infrastructure. Since
AWC buildings are not viewed as eligible for subsided
electricity under the Electricity Department rules,
they cannot avail this facility and have to pay full
price for power supply. This can be easily rectified
by some targeted state-level convergence with the
Electricity department.
ICDS funds were frozen by State government in March
2019, which led to bills and reimbursements piling up
at the district and Project level. The machinery was
still reeling from this in May 2019.
Reimbursements are processed on the CFMS
(Comprehensive Financial Management System), but
it takes 2-3 months to reach the payee, which is a
significant delay. Salaries are also delayed for 2-3
months at a time. Similar delays are experienced
in receiving funds for vehicles, workers’ Travel
Allowance, rent and electricity bills. AWWs stated
that their current honorarium of 10,500 INR is low and
they expect a raise. Pensions are also sought by AWWs
who have dedicated their lives to the ICDS scheme.
Incentives are in place for use of CAS mobile,
increasing attendance of beneficiaries, and uploading
the growth monitoring data in a timely and complete
manner. Other suggestions for incentivization that
came from the functionaries were: ECCE activities,
motivating women to attend the AWC for community
building activities, stopping child marriage and abuse,
rescuing abandoned children.
6.3.2. Assam
The idea of performance-based incentives was greatly
welcomed by the functionaries at different levels in
Assam. In fact, a similar initiative of acknowledging
the works of better performing AWWs by giving small
gifts and certificates had previously helped in boosting
the competitiveness and confidence of the AWWs in
the districts of the state.
It was reported that there was no flexibility in using
previous funds of ICDS by the district level officials.
Moreover, the demoralization of the department
because of previous scams intensified such situation
of having accumulated funds in a district. On the
other hand at the State level, the functionaries used
the interest accumulated on previous funds to develop
model AWCs in several districts.
6.3.3. Bihar
There is a delayed allotment and receipt of funds from
the state. The central government norm to allocate the
money is same for all the states in which they direct
implementation accordingly. But all states do not have
the same capacity for implementation, wherein lies
the regional inequity. “There is difference in amount
of 1-2 rupees for those whose child are normal and
those whose child are SAM. This is a social problem
and needs social provision,” as one respondent put it.
In Bihar, the beneficiaries are told to purchase the
THR on their own and upon proof of purchase they
are transferred the amount by ICDS. The funds are
transferred to the account of Anganwadi Vikas Samiti
for purchase of THR and Hot cooked meal rations.
Delayed allotment of funds to the district introduces
a delay in payments at different levels within the
district.
CSR funds from organizations like Vedanta are used to
provide for infrastructural support and renovations.
Doctors for You has developed around 10 AWCs in
Muzaffarpur and Seikhpura from their own funds;
AXIS Bank financially supports around 500 AWCs.
Britannia works on the development of education and
communication in the state.
Salaries of the staff are pending and deposited in their
account after the gap of 3-4 months including AWWs
and AWHs. There is a need to provide increments in
salary, performance-based incentives, and pensions
after retirement.
6.3.4. Chhattisgarh
The ICDS department did not release any funds for
AWC maintenance, and AWWs were repairing the
buildings and furniture using their own money. As one
AWW reported, she once received 5000 rupees around
four years ago, but nothing has been given to her after
that. At one AWC in Ambikapur, there was no money
given for AWC building maintenance and the AWW was
spending money from her own pocket for this work.
She used to receive only 500 rupees annually as flexi-
fund, but that has also ceased coming to her for the
last two years. The annual amount allotted to AWCs
for maintenance and repair has not yet reached the
AWWs. AWWs are not happy with their salaries, they
demand more. There are no extra benefits were given 51EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
to the functionaries for the extra work that they are
asked to take up for both the ICDS requirements and
for the other associated departments. Also, there is
no fund allotment for maintenance of AWCs in some
cases.
6.3.5. Delhi
The budget assigned to rent a place for AWCs is
insufficient. Almost 5000 AWCs are functioning
in rented buildings currently. The rental norms
of Rs.6000/- per month do not allow renting a
reasonably hygienic room for the functioning of the
ICDS. Consequently, the AWCs function in slum areas
with poor water, sanitation and hygiene. To overcome
this constraint some of the AWCs are co-located and
function as a hub thereby deriving economies of scale
in financing. However, such concentration of AWCs
may imply that the distance and time to reach the
AWCs for some of the beneficiaries can increase.
6.3.6. Gujarat
AWWs function in areas where there is low household
income and the beneficiaries come from a resource-
poor socioeconomic background; lack of timely
reimbursement affects their functioning as well
as personal finances. Funds take a long time to get
approved, and inter-departmental dynamics get in
the way of smooth, quick transfer of funds in certain
cases. Development funds that can facilitate the
functioning of AWCs do not get used appropriately.
6.3.7. Rajasthan
There were issues reported in budget and funding:
utilization of funds was very low for ECCE training in
Jaisalmer district. Due to this, ECCE training was not
conducted everywhere in the district. Also, due to
delays in payments to SHGs, THR has not been supplied
at the AWCs for the past 6 months. No hot cooked
meal was provided at AWCs due to shortage of funds.
Limited funding had been allotted to Jaisalmer, which
makes delivering of basic ICDS services impossible
when the district runs out of funds.
6.3.8. Uttarakhand
Udham Singh Nagar district sometimes faces funding
issues as there are delays in budget sanctions. This
problem affects the implementation of the ICDS
program at the project level (Block and AWCs).
Vedanta NGO helps in constructing buildings for AWCs
in this district, but this is not a solution to the bigger
problem.
6.3.9. Uttar Pradesh
The districts get funds from states under three
categories: for district level staff management, for ICDS
scheme, and for child development Pushtahar director
and others expenses. There are many particulars
factored into these categories, for example, wage,
compensations, travel, and office expenditure, rent
for offices, medical expenses, uniforms for children,
computers, and office equipment.
In Bahraich, under the ICDS, 87.72 percent of the
allocated budget for 2018-19 was utilized. 61.26
percent of the funds were utilized on employment
compensation. 7 percent funds were used on
Pariyojana office rent and on other items, and about
6.5 percent was used for uniforms for children.
In Barabanki, more than 98 percent of the allocated
budget for 2018-19 was utilized. The proportion of
the utilized budget was mostly spent on the employee
compensation, compensation of inflation, office
expenditure, expenditure on uniforms, expenditure
on medical facility and others. According to DPO
Barabanki, the ICDS sometimes faces issues in
financing regarding particular programs and schemes.
There are no funds provided for the ECCE program.
6.4. KEY ISSUES IN FINANCING
Timely release of dues/honorarium is very important
to ensure that functionaries do not have to pay from
their own pocket, and are not demoralized by the
delays. Reimbursements should cover incidentals
that are locally required and seasonally required.
TA/DA norms should be revised and formalized for
various functionaries to attend trainings and meetings
regarding ICDS activities.
Recurring cost norms on AWC running expenses need
to be formalized and paid out regularly. Rental norms
should be revised in a timely manner to reflect and
account for inflation and current rental trends;
especially in urban areas, where renting AWC buildings
is the norm (and also one of the major expenses).
CSR initiatives cannot be relied upon as the sole source
of funds for beautification of AWCs. If the pilot program
in Andhra Pradesh (under APRIGP) is a success, it can
be replicated in other states for beautification and
maintenance of AWCs. There is definitely scope for
convergence with GPDP. There should be flexibility of
using other accumulated funds, like interest gathered,
even at the district level. As one of the functionaries
pointed out, there is a need to adopt the DBT (Cash
Transfer) based approach instead of equity-based
approach in providing supplementary nutrition to
SAM/MAM children. 53EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
HUMAN RESOURCES AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
07.
7.1. ICDS HR AND FUNCTIONARIES
The ICDS functionaries are the most crucial component
of the program to ensure effective coverage and
smooth delivery of the key services. Much of the
implementation and convergence process depends on
these frontline workers, therefore, it is important to
understand the problems of these human resources
(HR), and the suggestions they have to make to improve
the ICDS system. The following section discusses the
key findings on aspects related to training, staffing,
monitoring, evaluation and incentivization of the ICDS
staff. A section on the time-use by AWWs and notes
on capacity-building as reported by AWWs offers vital
insights about various HR concerns and grievances.
7.1.1. ICDS Vacancies
As of 2018-19, 30.1% of sanctioned positions for CDPOs
and 27.7% of sanctioned positions for Supervisors are
vacant across the country. Maharashtra, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka and Jharkhand had
more than 40% of CDPO vacant sanctioned posts.
Due to large vacancies there is an increased burden
of monitoring and review on the CDPOs and AW
Supervisors. About 6.9% of sanctioned positions for
AWWs and 7.6% of sanctioned positions for AWHs are
vacant across the country. Bihar has a vacancy of 17.1%
followed by Maharashtra, Telangana and Delhi which
had a vacancy of more than 10% among sanctioned
AWW positions.
7.1.2. HR Training and Capacity Building
With wide heterogeneities in AWW age and educational
background, there are several challenges in training
and capacity building efforts. Trainings are mostly
centralised with uniform syllabus and style rather
than innovating with local experiences and ground-
up approach. For instance, language barriers make
knowledge transfer harder as it might be difficult
to appropriately translate or find context-specific
examples for effective learning. Travelling is almost
necessary for all AWWs for attending these trainings
and consequently often quality control and monitoring
of sessions becomes difficult and trainings end up as
a formal exercise.
For example, the training on ECCE is critical but it also
requires considerable time allocation which is often
difficult to be worked out amidst the tight schedule of
the frontline functionaries. More intensive trainings
and capacity building is required for improving the
data quality and report preparations. Such limitations
result in slow improvements in data capture and are
associated with delays in report compilation at block,
district and state level. Besides, there is also a need
to check language compatibility for reporting (both
online and offline), especially in CAS.
Even with incremental learning approach (ILA), there is
a loss of knowledge due to the chain-transfer method;
by the time the module travels down the hierarchy to
the AWWs, a lot of important information is lost. State
and District Resource Groups (SRGs and DRGs) need to
work more closely to make sure that frontline workers
are able to absorb maximum amount of the contents of
the modules. Additionally, modules that are centrally
developed need more than language translation: they
need to be translated to suit the socio-cultural milieu
into which it is going to find application. This calls
for higher levels of translational requirements than
merely literal translation. For example, moringa
may be an excellent resource for iron and vitamins
in Chhattisgarh, but may not be available in certain
Himalayan states. Therefore, mere literal translations
may not serve the purpose.
Trainings need to be decentralised and localised
to enable better participation from female staff.
Suggestions have been made to provide the training to
the candidates who are in the second, third and fourth
positions in the merit list during selection for various
posts and promotions. This will help channelize the
functionaries’ experience and energy towards the
ICDS outreach, instead of giving rise to unhappiness
and negative attitudes due to rejection.
7.1.3. Staffing
Posts are lying vacant in most states, which lead to
overburdened functionaries. Current numbers of
vacancies are as follows: CDPOs and Supervisors (40-
50%); AWW and AWH (5-10%). This is a grave concern 54EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
for the efficiency and implementation of the ICDS
scheme. Supervisor positions are hugely vacant,
lapsed and/or contractual. Data Entry Operators and
Statistical Assistants are also missing in most states.
Existing staff is also overburdened with multiple
tasks over and above their core job chart (Aadhaar
work, various government schemes and campaigns,
mobilizing for Jan Andolan, election duty etc.)
This hardly permits the AWC supervisors and CDPOs
one visit to each AWC per month. The quality of
supervision thus suffers, and does not allow internal
communication and AWC development. Travelling is a
problem for the AWC supervisors in rural Assam and
tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh. Despite such difficult
geographical terrain there are limited provisions for
transportation allowances.
The Public Service Commissions (PSCs) functioning can
also cause delay in recruitment in states like Assam.
Vacancies are then filled on contractual basis. Delayed
and lesser salaries subsequently lead to mental
pressure and unhappiness among these contractual
staff. Long delays in hiring is also associated with
the large number of Lawsuits filed against ICDS (in
states like Assam) by contractual staff, that does the
same work as regular staff, but has a different pay
scale. As one respondent put it, ICDS administration
is subjected to around “1000 (litigation) cases in 6
months”.
There is also a lack of human resource for ECCE;
skilled pre-school teachers are needed to deliver non-
formal play-based learning to children below the age
of 6, as per the ECCE framework.
Minimum salary and honoraria norms for ICDS
functionaries (AWW, AWH, contractual CDPO and AWC
Supervisor) should be revised. The AWW honoraria
vary across States. An AWW in Bihar receives Rs.5650
per month whereas in Delhi and Andhra Pradesh she
receives Rs.9678 and Rs.11500 per month, respectively.
The monthly honoraria should be enhanced based
on service of AWWs. Variations are also noted for
contractual and regular CDPO and AWC Supervisor
salaries. For instance, in Assam a contractual CDPO
receives only about half of the salary of a regular
CDPO. The career progression and salary/incentive
issues if invested in can have positive impact of
motivation of FLWs to perform better.
7.1.4. Monitoring
There is a requirement for regional level governance
as well as improved governance at the project level.
In Assam for example, there is limited relationship
between the AWWs, Supervisors and the CDPOs. The
AWWs at times prefer to call the CDPOs for help
directly rather than approaching their supervisors.
This is mostly because the role of supervisors is not
clear to the AWWs. Office space does not exist for
Supervisors.
Constant requests for data and other non-ICDS
goals need to be met. This means that CDPOs and
Supervisors spend more time meeting these needs
than making field visits (15 days out of a month are
spent doing non-ICDS work in Gujarat, for example).
Data accuracy is very weak, and growth monitoring/
MIS/MPR is not digitised: this leads to a lot of
inaccuracies. Added to this is the fact that there are
no skilled employees or infrastructure for the digital
components of monitoring in ICDS yet.
Logistics planning proves difficult: THR and SNP
supplies have to be collected by the AWW from the
PDS shop. This transportation is time-consuming
and expensive. It also takes considerable effort to
distribute THR to beneficiaries who do not/cannot
come to the AWC. Homogeneity is thus needed across
states, even with regard to supply. For instance, in
Assam, the DPO processes demands for hot cooked
meals ration in batches, and waits for them to
accumulate. This leads to delays and lapses in supply.
7.1.5. Incentivization of ICDS Staff
Career trajectories should be considered: elderly
AWWs working in Assam have been protesting
against the retirement age. Pension scheme is to
be introduced, but other benefits should also be
considered for the field functionaries. Performance
grant is an appreciated idea amongst the respondents;
it can be linked to AWC / Project indicators. For
example, in order to escalate the efforts to reduce
the burden of child undernutrition at AWCs- level,
Performance Linked Incentive Scheme was launched
in Uttar Pradesh.
Under this scheme, AWWs will be incentivized based on
their performance. This scheme aims at improving both
quantity and quality of efforts of AWWs by providing
performance-based financial incentives to effectively
increase the momentum in improving nutritional
status of children in Uttar Pradesh. The incentives are
based on indicators such as Aadhaar seeding of the
beneficiaries, anthropometric measurement of child
beneficiaries and improvements in nutritional status
of MAM and SAM children.
In fact, there are several opportunities to extend
performance-based incentives for AWWs. For instance, 55EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
successful AWWs referrals and compliance with
NRC admissions is an important area with objective
assessment. Similarly, CAS uptake can also be further
incentivized even as the monetary incentives should be
met for those who have completed the CAS trainings.
7.1.6. AWW Working Hours and Time
Allocations
The AWWs are expected to work for about four and
half hours per day. Most of the AWWs work as per
the norm though sometimes trainings, meetings and
other duties increase the working hours. The AWWs,
however, are required to undertake diverse activities
during this period of 270 minutes. This has implications
for time allocation across activities. The handbook
for AWWs prepared by the National Institute for
Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD)
expects that an AWW would ideally spend about 270
minutes for the daily activities of the AWCs. The time
allocation is expected to be 2 hours for preschool
education, 30 minutes for preparation and distribution
of supplementary nutrition, 30 minutes for treatment
of common childhood illnesses, ailments & referrals,
30 minutes for filling up records and registers and 1
hour for making 2-3 home visits.
However, a study by Kaur et al (2016) on time
allocation of selected AWWs finds considerable
imbalance in terms of time allocation and program
priority (Table 7.1). It is noted that the AWWs end up
spending close to 90 minutes on record and register
entries and allocates much lower time on preschool
education. The AWW usually do not encounter cases
for treatment or cases of minor illness. The AWWs
spent considerably less time on home visits. In fact,
considerable time is spent on other activities such as
meetings as well as other unspecified (personal) tasks.
The time allocation patterns are also affected by
the tasks assigned to the AWCs. For instance, in
Chhattisgarh it was noted that the AWWs work more
than the recommended time. There is also imbalance in
time allocation across activities. In particular, a lot of
time is allocated toward preparation of supplementary
nutrition in Chhattisgarh. This is attributable to the
implementation of Mahatari Jatan Yojana (MJY) for
providing hot cooked meal to pregnant women at the
AWC. However, Rajasthan does not operate any such
hot cooked meal initiative; consequently the AWWs
are less burdened and spend about four and half hours
at the AWC.
Source: Kaur et al (2016)
Note: #Total % share of time spent on recommended activities
* no case was reported during the observation period
** health education to beneficiaries, listening to their problems, meeting with ANM, MO, training at CHC, pulse polio duty, talking with
other AWW on clarification of doubts, visiting other AWC
*** unspecified work includes tea time, coming late to AWW, going early from centre, going out for personal work
Table 7.1: Mean time spent by AWW against recommended time per activity per day
in selected AWCs in a northern city of India
Activity recommended by NIPCCD
Recommended time (minutes) Mean time spent (minutes)
Minutes % Share Minutes % Share
Preschool education120 44.42810
Supplementary nutrition3011.12810
Treatment of minor illness*3011.1——
Records3011.18331
Home visit6022.273
Total (recommended activities) 270 100# 14654#
Other activities**——7026
Unspecified work***——5420
Grand total270100271100 56EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
7.1.7. HR Structure of ICDS:
Insights from SNEHA Findings
A Study by the Society for Nutrition, Education and
Health Action (SNEHA) demonstrates that skill and
behavioral improvement training can lead to an
increase in motivation and willingness to perform at
an optimum level. Our findings suggest that while
more or less regular training in technical knowledge
(e.g. basics of nutrition, malnutrition, immunization)
was reported by most AWWs, they lacked training in
skill-based knowledge (e.g. effective home visits,
planning, time management). This is apparent
in the fact that they have to spend long hours
fulfilling reporting requirements, which diminishes
their efficiency as AWWs. While data duplication is
definitely an effect of the lack of a smooth transition
from manual to digital forms of reporting, some skill
building training might also help in making better
use of the time available. None of the respondents
interviewed for this study explicitly reported being
trained in skill-based knowledge.
In accordance with the SNEHA findings, these skills
training modules must include time management,
communication, giving and receiving feedback,
supervision and training of trainers (ToT), so that
field functionaries can build upon their skill and
confidence. The SNEHA study found a measurable
increase in the functionaries’ levels of general
motivation, conscientiousness, (decrease in) burnout,
intrinsic motivation, resource availability, supportive
supervision, extrinsic motivation and job satisfaction.
The SNEHA study also suggests that post trainings,
regular handholding and observation sessions need
to be conducted by the supervisor. This is missing in
our findings from the field; AWC Supervisors are so
burdened with monitoring multiple AWCs that they
hardly get time to provide constructive feedback to
the AWWs. We also see that there is a significant loss
of knowledge down the chain through the ILA method.
As suggested by the SNEHA protocol, the training
methodology must then be participatory in nature,
thus ensuring greater engagement and retention of
learning by the trainees.
As suggested by the SNEHA findings - and our
subsequent comparisons with on-ground findings —
there is a need to concentrate on capacity building
training of the functionaries. At the moment, apart
from being overburdened and underpaid, they are
also under-skilled, which often leads to a lack of
motivation and job satisfaction. By providing more
skill-based knowledge and following up with regular
handholding and observation sessions by Supervisors,
the functionaries’ levels of motivation and satisfaction
can be improved upon greatly. This will no doubt
have a positive impact upon their ability to fruitfully
contribute to the implementation of the ICDS at the
grass-root level.
7.1.8. Issues in Capacity Building
There is difficulty identified in adapting to the
digitization of reporting methods. Even after training,
older AWWs and/or the ones who are not formally
literate, find it difficult to understand and operate
smart phones. In fact, these AWWs have to depend on
someone from family/community to help them every
day with data entry.
The ILA method is not as effective due to reduced
knowledge transfer at each level. Refresher trainings
need to be conducted more often. Language is a barrier
sometimes, especially in remote/tribal projects. It is
also suggested that the AWWs require more training
on ECCE. Some administrative officials also perceive
that the ICDS does not seem to take any action or
interest in updating the training programs. The top-
down approach to training also means travelling and
staying in the district headquarters. This takes up
a lot of time and effort when AWWs have to go for
training. In their wake, the AWCs are run by AWHs who
are not trained for this job.
Too many apps are to be updated (often with the same
data). This takes a lot of time and effort from the
AWWs. Data duplication also occurs because manual
data reporting in registers is still expected. Frustration
is reported when AWWs are deterred from primary
role as an AWW due to multiple government programs
that they are told to cover at the grass root level.
AWWs are often demotivated and frustrated due to
the delays in payment of salaries and reimbursements
of various allowances. Electricity bills and other
expenses remain unpaid for months; insufficient funds
and slow reimbursements result in reduced efficiency.
The field functionaries’ morale takes a hit in such
cases and affects motivation and performance.
It was suggested by respondents across multiple
sampled states that the selection procedure of AWWs
and AWHs be changed; that it should be done through
conducting examinations that test their technical
competency. The training needs should thus include
locally relevant methods of operating that stem from
local experiences but also form a part of capacity
building that is locally relevant. 57EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
7.2. HUMAN RESOURCES FOR ICDS
The ICDS scheme is placed under the purview of
Women and Child Development Department usually
headed by a senior IAS officer of the Government of
India. The ICDS scheme is implemented through the
State/UT administration consisting of senior officials
of the State governments who assume charge for day-
to-day monitoring and review of various components
of ICDS scheme. At the district level, the ICDS scheme
is led by a District Program Officer. Each district
operates the program through a defined cluster of
AWCs referred to as the ICDS Projects. Each Project
is managed by a Child Development Project Officer
(CDPO). The CDPO is assisted by AW Supervisors who
are responsible for review and reporting of information
for about 25 AWCs. Each AWC has a dedicated AWW
and AWH. The AWH also assumes the role of cook for
the hot-cooked meal component of the ICDS. This
section presents information on vacant posts (in %) of
key ICDS functionaries by State/UTs in 2018-19.
Table 7.2 presents the posts vacant across the
States/UTs. There are a large number of vacancies
in posts for CDPOs and Supervisors. As of 2018-19,
30.1% of sanctioned positions for CDPOs and 27.7%
of sanctioned positions for Supervisors are vacant
across the country. There are significant inter-state
variations. Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,
Delhi, Karnataka and Jharkhand had more than 40% of
CDPO vacant sanctioned posts. 50% of posts in Dadra
and Nagar Haveli; and Daman and Diu are vacant,
while Lakshadweep also has no CDPO in place.
The other key post which is lying vacant in majority of
the States is that of supervisor. There are huge State
level variations. Pondicherry has a vacancy rate of 83%
followed by West Bengal which had a vacancy rate
of 67% among sanctioned Supervisor positions. More
than 40% of positions are vacant in Bihar, Tripura and
Tamil Nadu. Among Union territories receiving 100%
assistance from Central government, 50% of posts
in Daman and Diu are vacant, while 100% posts are
vacant in Lakshadweep.
The vacancies among AWWs and AWHs are relatively
low across States but nevertheless this also hampers
overall coverage and scope of the program. As of 2018-
19, 6.9% of sanctioned positions for AWWs and 7.6%
of sanctioned positions for AWHs were vacant across
the country. Bihar has a vacancy of 17.1% followed by
Maharashtra, Telangana and Delhi which had a vacancy
of more than 10% among sanctioned AWW positions. As
per the ICDS norms there should be one supervisor per
25 AWCs. This implies that either most of the workers
at the lower levels are working without supervision
or there is a lot of load on supervisors at the Centers
where a higher number of posts of supervisors are
vacant. Around 19% of the AWH positions are vacant
in Bihar followed by 15% in West Bengal, 11% in both
Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
Figure 7.1 presents the State-wise percentage vacant
posts of CDPOs/ACDPOs in 2014-15 and 2018-19.
Across most of the States and UTs the numbers of
vacant posts have come down. To elaborate, across
Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh where the
vacant posts of CDPOs were more than 40% in 2014-15,
are below 20% in 2018-19. The number of vacant posts
has increased across Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar
Haveli; Daman and Diu, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.
Figure 7.2 presents the State-wise percentage vacant
posts of Supervisors. The vacant posts for supervisors
have clearly declined between 2014-15 and 2018-
19. More than 40 per cent of seats are vacant in
Bihar, Tripura and Tamil Nadu. The highest increase
in number of vacant seats has been reported in case
of Lakshadweep. Figure 7.3 presents the State-wise
percentage vacant posts of AWWs. For some of the
States the number of vacant posts for AWWs have
increased from 2014-15. These States are Maharashtra,
Telangana and Delhi which had a vacancy rate of more
than 10% among sanctioned AWW positions in 2018-19.
For Bihar which has a vacancy rate of 17.1% in 2018-
19, the percentage of vacant posts was as high as
25% in 2014-15. For the position of AWHs presented in
figure 7.4, the vacant posts have come down for most
of the States. Only exception seems to be West Bengal
for which vacant posts have slightly increased to 15%.
Figure 7.5 presents the number of Operational AWCs
per CDPO/ACDPO by States/UTs (2018-19). The
number of AWCs per CDPO/ACDPO can vary across the
States because of the demographic characteristics
(population, geography, density) as well as the
existing vacancies in the ICDS department. The
number of AWCs per CDPO/ACDPO varies from 64 in
case of Arunachal Pradesh to 640 in case of Karnataka.
In major States like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West
Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Assam the CDPOs find
a high burden of AWCs for monitoring and review.
This is largely due to huge number of vacancies in
the department. Nevertheless, it is observed that for
most of the States, the number of AWCs per CDPO/
ACDPO is in range of 200 to 220. Figure 7.6 presents
the number of AWCs per AW supervisor by States/UTs
(2018-19). As of 2018-19, on an average there are 37
AWCs per AW supervisor in India. The number of AWCs
per AW supervisor varies from 24 in case of Jammu
and Kashmir to 171 in case of Puducherry. For most of
the States, the number of AWCs per AW supervisor is 58EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
GOI Share
in Salary
State/UTCDPOs Supervisors AWWs AWHs
25 Percent
Andhra Pradesh0.0 25.7 2.7 6.4
Bihar30.1 48.2 17.1 19.2
Chhattisgarh15.0 17.0 4.8 6.6
Goa0.0 0.0 2.1 1.8
Gujarat37.8 17.4 2.7 4.9
Haryana25.0 15.1 2.7 2.8
Jharkhand44.2 30.0 2.2 2.5
Karnataka49.5 31.6 2.0 4.4
Kerala3.1 0.1 0.6 0.6
Madhya Pradesh0.0 0.0 1.1 1.5
Maharashtra55.2 22.4 14.5 7.5
Odisha6.2 0.0 3.7 3.3
Punjab7.7 11.8 1.8 3.8
Rajasthan64.5 36.5 4.1 4.6
Tamil Nadu19.1 44.0 9.8 11.2
Telangana0.0 17.6 13.8 7.3
Uttar Pradesh49.5 43.0 8.7 11.0
West Bengal51.9 67.0 9.9 15.3
Delhi46.3 10.4 13.3 1.6
Pondicherry20.0 85.3 0.0 0.0
90 Percent
Himachal Pradesh 32.1 9.9 0.8 1.1
Jammu & Kashmir4.3 1.7 7.3 7.3
Uttarakhand18.1 17.7 3.6 5.1
Arunachal Pradesh 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Assam32.5 2.9 1.8 1.4
Manipur4.7 9.0 10.7 4.6
Meghalaya0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Mizoram0.0 4.4 0.0 3.9
Nagaland0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Sikkim0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Tripura33.9 42.4 2.3 2.3
100 Percent
A & N Islands0.0 10.7 0.1 0.0
Chandigarh0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Dadra & N Haveli 50.0 22.2 0.0 5.7
Daman & Diu50.0 50.0 4.7 4.7
Lakshadweep100.0 100.0 0.0 0.0
Total 30.1 27.7 6.9 7.6
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Based on information available for 1335524 AWCs
Table 7.2: Vacant posts (in %) of key ICDS functionaries by State/UTs, 2018-19 59EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
in range of 25 to 30. However, in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and West Bengal the number of AWCs
managed by AW Supervisors is almost twice than the
recommended norm. Table 7.3 presents the number of
beneficiaries per CDPO, AWS, AWW and AWH by State/
UTs for 2018-19. The highest numbers of beneficiaries
per CDPO, AWS, by are observed for Karnataka and
Figure 7.1: State-wise percentage vacant posts of CDPOs / ACDPOs, 2014-15 and 2018-19
Pondicherry respectively. The number of beneficiary
per AWW and AWH are highest across Chandigarh. This
confirms the increased burden on the CDPOs and the
AW Supervisors for quality monitoring and review of the
ICDS services. Given such high burden it is likely that
a large number of the AWCs and beneficiary services
may not be adequately reviewed and monitored.
Figure 7.3: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AWWs, 2014-15 and 2018-19
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Figure 7.2: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AW Supervisors, 2014-15 and 2018-19 60EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Figure 7.4: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AWHs, 2014-15 and 2018-19
Figure 7.5: Number of operational AWCs per CDPO/ACDPO by States/UTs, 2018-19
Figure 7.6: Number of operational AWCs per AW supervisor by States/UTs, 2018-19
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 61EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Table 7.3: Number of beneficiaries per CDPO, AWS, AWW and AWH by State/UTs, 2018-19
States/UTsPer CDPO Per AWS Per AWW Per AWH
A & N Islands23934791717
Andhra Pradesh1135920135464
Arunachal Pradesh21798583434
Assam2323716455965
Bihar1940732977785
Chandigarh185933099124124
Chhattisgarh1449117515462
Dadra & N Haveli2288632697698
Daman & Diu660133016565
Delhi1081014255851
Goa614813535555
Gujarat1841922757579
Haryana993612764445
Himachal Pradesh93307472627
Jammu & Kashmir70977633232
Jharkhand2770334499299
Karnataka4703128287581
Kerala44798443434
LakshadweepNANA4348
Madhya Pradesh1765523678396
Maharashtra2483020366568
Manipur995611284043
Meghalaya12878285490114
Mizoram679221328285
Nagaland522019707979
Odisha1464818216575
Puducherry899171934242
Punjab59989323234
Rajasthan3280324986067
Sikkim23315832323
Tamil Nadu903928616572
Telangana1275218186265
Tripura1085617164141
Uttar Pradesh35190416092107
Uttarakhand900115734055
West Bengal2627346156872
All India 1771023596774
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 62EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
7.3. STATE-LEVEL OBSERVATIONS ON
ICDS FUNCTIONARIES
7.3.1. Andhra Pradesh
In Andhra Pradesh, the AWWs are trained when
recruited, and subsequently are provided with
occasional refresher trainings. More recently, the ILA
modules have been introduced: 22 modules are covered
with the field functionaries. Training is sometimes
impeded by the fact that AWWs are not formally
literate in select areas, and also that in tribal areas
the language spoken differs. More technical training is
needed (how to navigate the apps, how to download
apps again if they get deleted due to lack space etc.).
Too many apps are to be updated (CAS, NutriTask,
Egg Barcoding etc); often, the same data has to be
duplicated in multiple apps. Older AWWs and/or the
ones who are not formally literate find it difficult to
understand and operate smart phones; they have to
depend on someone from family/community to help
them every day with data entry. This could result in
exploitation by those who help with such tasks.
Field functionaries as well as administrative officials,
at the level of the block all the way up to the District
level, have to undertake responsibilities for other
departments (e.g. they act as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan
officers, Aadhaar Enrolment Officers, Panchayati
Special Officers during elections etc). At the District
level, APD and PD both have Full Additional Charge
(FAC) of more than one position/department. This
burdens them excessively and results in their time
and efforts being divided and none of the work being
given proper attention as they have to rush through
everything they do to make time for everything to be
covered. Department dynamics negatively affect the
PD’s involvement in ICDS-related issues; a full time
PD should be appointed instead of carrying on with
FAC system. In terms of communication up and down
the chain of command, the Commissioner has a Video
Conference with field functionaries once a week to
relay important instructions and convey feedback.
In tribal areas, the issue of language and lack of
formal literacy act as barriers for the AWWs to
properly absorbing the capacity building trainings
being delivered. There is severe shortage of staff in
sanctioned positions: no Block Project Assistants or
District Coordinators have been appointed in the state
which leads to the burden of data compilation and
report creation to land upon AWWs and SUPERVISORs.
Data Entry Operators are needed at project level. A
minimum educational requirement of Intermediate
level (12
th
standard) is suggested to avoid the issue
of discomfort with technology and digital reporting
among AWWs. Frequent one-to-one training for all
cadres is deemed necessary by district level officials.
More feedback sessions are also suggested. Due to the
extreme heat in the region, it is strongly suggested by
AWWs that AWCs remain closed for the summer for the
well-being of the children and the AWW/AWH.
Not only are AWW salaries are delayed by months, the
service provider at the Giri Poshan Kendra Pakaluru
(satellite feeding station) has not been paid any
honorarium for more than 5 months (since she started
work), even though she teaches the children there
and also uses her personal utensils and firewood to
cook for the children. No compensation is provided
for these resources either.
7.3.2. Assam
There is a shortage of staff in the block level,
supervisors as well as CDPOs. There are 77 vacant
CDPO posts, for which the reason listed by the state
officials was that “a lot of scams happened. Almost
18 CDPOs have been working as contractual CDPOs
earning a salary which is less than 50 percent that of
a regular CDPO. Moreover, they reported a delay of 36
months in receiving their salary. They had informed
the State through several letters, but had not
received any response till the date of the interview.
Despite this, they had to travel to the sites (AWCs)
for monitoring and perform their work by spending
money out of their pockets (“which do not seem to
get filled”, as one of the respondents put it).
The frustration was observed during the interviews,
while they also reported the mental stress; they face
for their work without pay. The state level officials
reported that the delay in the recruitment process
is because it is being conducted by the Assam Public
Service Commission (which is another department
reported to have had several scams) and that “it takes
time”. The State on the other hand acknowledged that
it was difficult for them to motivate those working
on a contractual basis. Even at the grass root level,
there were several reports of AWWs who were working
beyond their retirement age (who would send in
their daughters-in-law to work). This creates several
problems in the training processes as well as proper
monitoring.
Travelling to the AWWs in rural and remote areas in
Assam was found to be problematic by the Supervisors
as this raised concerns related to their safety. They
had to take lifts/hitch rides with strangers (mostly
men) while returning from field during several
late evenings. They suggested that a vehicular
arrangement, especially for the Supervisors, would
help them in proper monitoring. 63EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
There is no digitalization of data happening in the
blocks or the districts. The district officials failed
to provide proper MPR reports for the last 2 years.
They have reported that the only digitalization that
took place was at the state level. There was a lack of
officials to do data entry or officials in the districts;
as a result, proper monitoring of the districts failed.
7.3.3. Bihar
The ICDS monitoring unit has been divided into 4 levels:
First, Anganwadi Vikas Samiti which consists of the
AWW Member Secretary, Ward Member, Beneficiaries
(the mothers who are literate; out of whom one is
Adhyaksh). Second is the AWC Supervisor; the third
level is CDPO, and the fourth one is DPO. DPO/CDPOs
are mostly engaged in work for other departments: 50%
of work they engage in is the law and order duty, and
meetings with different departments. They do not get
time to do their own work. AWWs are mostly engaged
in managing the registers for THR, immunization,
pregnancy, Bachpan Diwas, home visits to lactating
pregnant sabala, mahila mandal, God Bharai Program,
Annaprashan Diwas, Kanya Utthan Yojana, counseling,
and PMMVY. Apart from this, they are also engaged
in BLO duty, examination duty, health and education
surveys, census, polio campaign etc. This leaves them
little time to do their own work. Also, their salaries
do not compensate them for this scope of work. Due
to staff shortage, some of the Anganwadi Centers
function without AWWs. AWHs run these centers
alone, due to which the services provided are being
affected. The recruitment of AWWs is in the process
but, due to local political reasons the recruitment
process is delayed (case in point: Muzaffarpur). Just
one (or sometimes none) Data Entry Operator for the
district means that it is quite difficult to manage the
daily updating of records at the district and block
level; this affects the data quality and management.
“Angan App” (Real Time Monitoring) is equipped with
the functions of GPS and different functions. Supervisor
and CDPOs enter information during their AWC visits
(about attendance, food prepared or not, pictures of
the children, GPS location codes, beneficiary details
updated or not etc.) The app works offline as well,
which helps if there are network issues which do
affect the monitoring process. Discrepancies are
found in manually entered data in registers in AWCs,
and if the Supervisors and CDPOs do not regularly visit
the AWCs, the digital recordkeeping is also not done
properly by the AWWs. The same pattern of training is
often followed during the ECCE training sessions with
AWWs. Due to this, AWWs do not learn new things and
it diminishes their skills. Also, the trainings are not
organized at regular intervals. TOT training provided
to the CDPOs but they are much too busy in their
schedule to be able to train the Supervisors and AWWs
in turn. This creates a gap in knowledge.
To help decrease stunting rates, an incentive of
rupees 500 is given to the AWWs for first 6 months (of
an underweight beneficiary’s birth) to ensure the SAM
child comes under the normal category. If the AWW
maintains the growth of that child, an additional 500
rupees are given to the worker at the end of the year.
At the end of two years, 1000 rupees will be given to
the worker. So, the overall incentive provided to the
AWWs is rupees 2000 for each of the SAM children in
their care.
It has been reported that buildings and rooms are
rented out at great cost for the centre, but the
AWCs do not run for the whole day; instead, some
of these funds can be diverted towards increasing
the human resource and services of the ICDS for
better utilization. Suggestions have also been made
to change the selection procedure or criteria of the
AWWs and AWHs through conducting exam in which
their technical competency can be tested: presently,
the selection of AWW and AWH is done during Gram
Sabha meetings where local leaders and strongmen
influence the decisions made. Local conflicts and
court cases filed against factions delay the selection
further. No internal exams are conducted to promote
the CDPOs and DPOs either. They are in the same
rank for extended periods of time, which demotivates
them. Shortage of staff like Data Entry Operators,
Assistant CDPOs etc. also exists, which creates extra
burden on them.
7.3.4. Chhattisgarh
In Rajnandgaon, basic training for ECCE was given
to AWWs under “Sanskar Abhiyaan”. AWWs were
told about the importance of physical and mental
development in early childhood. They were also
taught the concept of “Learning through Play” and
were given training on its techniques. No issues have
been reported so far in this. The only problem reported
was regarding the materials given for children during
the training. The material is not proportionate to the
strength of children enrolled at AWC.
AWWs in Raipur have received basic training initially
and refresher training after every two years. They
have also received training under the Polio Eradication
Program. The only issue pertaining to training reported
by AWWs was that they were not provided with the
travelling allowance (TA). They have to a pay for their
transportation. Anganwadi workers reported that 64EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
they already have a very low salary and paying for
the transportation is an additional burden on them.
At one AWC in Ambikapur, due to the unavailability of
AWH the overall services were affected as the AWW
was not able to manage everything alone.
Overall, there is shortage of human resources.
Supervisors are being burdened with lot of work as
they have to monitor large number of centres. At
the AWW level, they have to carry out data entry
and maintain around 12 different registers for
beneficiaries’ records. This data entry/maintenance
process takes a lot of time and sometimes leads to a lot
of errors. The respondents suggest that the selection
procedure of AWWs and AWHs should be changed; it
should be done through conducting examinations
where their technical competency can be tested. No
internal examinations were conducted by the WCD,
Chhattisgarh to promote the CDPOs and DPOs. For a
long time now, they have been serving in the same
rank which affects their motivation levels.
As in Raipur district, CAS should be rolled out in other
districts as well to help reduce the burden on AWWs
and will bring efficiency in the monitoring process at
each level.
7.3.5. Delhi
The functioning of AWCs gets disrupted due to
biannual surveys. The AWWs are supposed to conduct
these surveys along with other responsibilities like
ECCE, THR distribution and home-visits. Thus, twice a
year, almost for a month ECCE delivery schedule gets
disturbed. Induction training has not been provided
to some Supervisors. However, other trainings like
NIPSIT, breast feeding, and trainings for 6 out of 21
dashboards have been provided.
At some places, an official WhatsApp group has been
formed where everyone including the AWWS shares
their live location everyday around 9:00-9:30 am.
All the locations are then forwarded to the senior
authorities. The Supervisors visit at least one center
every day for evaluating every process associated with
children and women, food and medicines. Registers
are maintained for all records. With some AWWs,
instructions need to be repeated multiple times
and individual focus is required. Shortage of staff is
definitely an issue, as every ICDS officer is managing
more than one project.
A sense of dissatisfaction has been observed in ICDS
staff. The contractual staff does not get any travelling
allowance. Sometimes, AWWs complain about the
difference in payment within the same program.
For instance, ASHAs get Rs. 2 out of the Rs. 6 for
distributing sanitary napkins under UDAAN scheme,
which is not the case for AWWs.
7.3.6. Gujarat
The AWW is treated as a universal program resource
for a number of government programs; the AWW
also has to take on role of ASHA and ANM (where
positions are vacant) in urban areas. This increases
her burden and thus gives her less time to focus on
her primary responsibility as AWW. There is a need for
higher level entry qualification to deal with multiple
responsibilities including paper work, online reporting
which is currently inadequate.
Poor connectivity in tribal areas leads to frustration
because of inability to communicate with AWWs and
CDPOs. The lack of skilled personnel for operating
online data entry results in delays in data flow and
information.
At CDPO and district level, functionaries reported
limited training for operating bureaucratic channels of
communication, knowledge of how to communicate,
regarding documentation and paper work. This not
only prolongs many processes, but also makes the
mid-level functionaries less effective as they cannot
provide good quality feedback into the program.
7.3.7. Rajasthan
In Udaipur district, ICDS workers have received
multiple trainings since they joined this program
and no issue has been reported in trainings so far.
However, no training has been conducted on record
maintenance in Jaisalmer district; training on ECCE
has been conducted in a few blocks only.
The monthly pay of AWW is approved by village
sarpanch in Jaisalmer district. Due to this, workers
are always pressurized for non-ICDS work. According
to respondents, in Jaisalmer the selection of AWWs
was done without any examination. The Panchayat
members of the village have a lot of control and
influence on AWWs to serve their own means.
The field level monitoring is done by the Supervisors in
Udaipur district. Overall, there is a shortage of human
resource in the district, so large numbers of AWCs are
supervised by a very small cadre of supervisors. There
are only 3 supervisors in the Jaisalmer district and
11 positions are still vacant. Due to this, no proper
monitoring was happening in the district and ICDS
services were not properly operational. It is very
difficult for a single supervisor to cover 50-60 AWCs
and the monitoring process become less effective.
There was no regular monitoring of AWCs reported 65EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
in the Jaisalmer district. The officials at district
level have reported about the funds limitations and
shortage of vehicles. Distance is another deterrent
factor in regular monitoring of AWCs.
Overall monitoring is done through “Rajdhara” mobile
app to track location and live data.
A lack of measurable targets at DPO and CDPOs level
was reported by the respondents. A need to fill the
vacant positions and making performance-based
incentives available to AWWs was suggested by the
functionaries.
7.3.8. Uttarakhand
Udham Singh Nagar district has one DPO, and 7 out of
10 sanctioned CDPO posts are filled at present. 77 out
of 85 sanctioned AWS posts are occupied right now.
The DPO, CDPO and Supervisors visit AWCs regularly
and check the assessment registers maintained
by the AWWs there. Records of beneficiaries’
information like pregnant women ANC check-ups,
Poshahar distribution, growth monitoring records are
maintained at the AWC. They also check the quality of
hot cooked meal given to children on a regular basis.
Supervisors reported visiting at least 2-3 AWCs in a
day.
The AWH / AWW / Supervisor / CDPO / DPO / State-level
officers have received training regarding ICDS services
delivery according to their roles in the ICDS program.
Most of them received induction training when they
joined posts. AWWs/AWHs do not get refresher training
in ECCE training and ICDS service delivery; they have
not received growth monitoring training either.
The AWWs report that their workload has now
increased. Earlier it was limited to providing children
and pregnant women with food and checking whether
they consumed it. It has now expanded to activities
beyond the boundaries of the AWC. But this has also
led to a vast network and connections; whenever a
new birth occurs in the area, the very first thing the
family does is getting their child registered with an
AWC. Pregnant ladies and adolescent girls, without
any hesitation or second thoughts, visit the AWWs in
the first place.
7.3.9. Uttar Pradesh
Bahraich is making its program functionaries more
effective by training (DPO, CDPO, AWS, and AWWs) to
plan and execute their tasks correctly and consistently
through the methodological, ongoing capacity building
approach of ILA. District level training for the DRG has
been covered 1 to 7 modules out of 21 modules of ILA.
Likewise, at the block level ILA training given 1 to 7
modules of ILA to block resource group, in which there
was 149 Block Resource Group (BRG) staff present and
rest of the BRG staff to be trained. While at sector
level, the group only covered 1 to 6 modules out of
21 modules of ILA training in 119 sectors in May 2019.
Similarly, 2895 functionaries have been trained the
first 7 modules of ILA out of the total 21 July 2019,
and rest of the functionaries will be trained in next
month of the year.
Bahraich has one DPO, one Statistical Officer, one
Administrative officer and 15 CDPOs. 96 out of 103
posts for Mukhya Sevika are occupied in the district,
while 1 post for Pradhan Sahayak and Kanishk Sahayak
is vacant. 199 of 3094 sanctioned AWWs posts are
vacant. 2394 out of 2619 AWHs posts sanctioned
are currently occupied. A total of 431 posts in ICDS
department are vacant in Bahraich.
In Barabanki, district level training conducted by the
DRG has covered all modules of the ILA. Similarly, at
the block level also all modules have been completed,
for which 73-76 percent of the BRG was present. At
sector level, AWWs participation was more than 99
percent in ILA modules training; one of the AWWs
informed the team that she had attended various
training sessions and had received 20 -23 days training
in the last financial year.
Barabanki has one DPO, One Statistical Officer and
one Administrative officer, and 12 CDPOs out of 16
sanctioned posts. 93 out of 112 posts of Mukhya Sevika
are occupied, while 12 of the 17-post sanctioned for
Pradhan Sahayak and Kanishk Sahayak are occupied.
2653 out of 2799 AWWs sanctioned posts are currently
occupied and 17 Mini AWWs posts are vacant. Similarly,
for the fourth-grade posts as AWHs, 2575 posts are
occupied out of 2799 AWHs posts sanctioned. All 7
posts for drivers are vacant. A total 439 posts are
vacant in the ICDS department in Barabanki.
The DPOs, CDPO and Supervisors in both districts
regularly visit AWCs and check the assessment
registers in which AWWs record the beneficiaries’
information like ANC check-ups for pregnant women,
SNP distribution, and growth monitoring records.
They check the quality of hot cooked meal provided
to children on a regular basis. Supervisors reported
visiting at least 2-3 AWCs in a day. The CDPOs and DPOs
have not been promoted for a long time and their pay
scales are not proportionate to their experience and
workload. The AWWs promoted to Supervisors are not
skilled enough for this role. A departmental exam for
these promotions might be a good option. AWWs also
reported that they have to work on tasks for other 66EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
departments, which affects the ICDS services delivery.
AWWs think that they work hard for ICDS, but do not
get sufficient wages for the same.
7.4. SUMMARY OF KEY HR ISSUES
Sanctioned positions need to be filled at the earliest,
especially BPAs/DCs/DEOs and CDPOs.
ILA approach leads to leakage of knowledge when
transferred down the functionary hierarchy. Recruits
need to have the skill set required for an increasingly
digital job profile: to ensure this, a qualifying test
and/or intensive digital training needs to be given
before they join the ICDS. Administrative-level posts
like CDPOs and Supervisors should be regularised,
since regularization promises institutional memory
and knowledge about the functioning of the system,
as opposed to contractual hiring. This will bring
some much-needed stability to the ICDS middle
management. Recruitment of CDPOs and Supervisors
should also be conducted annually or once in two
years, through official examinations conducted by
State Universities or the Secondary School Education
Board, instead of through PSCs. This will save the
delays in recruitments which are common currently,
and will make sure that functionaries are not denied
promotions by virtue of them not having been selected
through the PSCs.
The Supervisor position needs strengthening,
expansion and capacity development. Offices should
be provided to them, and a clearer job chart will help
demarcate their scope of work. We suggest that a new
contractual post be instituted in the ICDS system: that
of a Child Development Program Assistant (CDPA).
The CDPA would be more mobile and dynamic in
the field compared to the CDPO, who is more static
given their reporting and management duties. The
CDPA will be the CDPO’s helping hand, with almost
similar responsibilities as the latter, and would be
well equipped with the skills of a statistical officer;
this will help in data-driven monitoring at the project
level.
There is much heterogeneity in AWWs’ skills
and trainings. There is a need for standardizing
recruitment norms as well as conducting induction
trainings. A better form of training needs to be
devised. Too many training sessions hinder the AWC’s
daily functioning since the AWW has to be away for
the duration of the training. Trainings can be clubbed
together so that fewer days are lost. Direct trainings
need to be provided to the Supervisors and AWWs in
order to reduce their dependency on the CDPOs. The
training program should be modified to provide regular
technical training to AWWs; this is important since
more and more of the reporting and recordkeeping
happens online now. AWWs skills in this regard come
across as poor. Most of them have only studied up
till matriculation and some of them are unable to
acquaint themselves with technology quickly.
Feedback and complaints from the field functionaries
(AWWs, Supervisors), though raised in front of the PD
and district officials (as observed in a review meeting
in Andhra Pradesh, for example), are dismissed
immediately as non-issues. The advice given is along
the lines of achieving targets and deliverables or “if
you want to save your jobs”. This is a very detrimental
approach to treating human resource and is harmful to
the health of the ICDS structure itself. Functionaries
need to be heard and their problems need to be
treated as seriously as the targets that have been set
by the government.
AWWs/AWHs honorarium should also be taken
into consideration: it should at least be raised to
a minimum subsistence level. We recommend an
increase of honoraria of AWWs every 5 years on the
basis of an assessment potentially based on reporting,
management of registers etc. (AP and Assam have
some such schemes for assessment which can be
modified and replicated). We also recommend regular
annual refresher training sessions for the AWWs, after
which the outcome can be measured through an
assessment: which in turn can contribute towards the
overall assessment framework used for deciding their
increase of honoraria (every 5 years). Some portions
of AWWs’ monthly honoraria should also be linked to
a Provident Fund for increased economic security.
This can actually make the position of the AWW more
lucrative to educated, dynamic young people who are
currently deterred from joining the ICDS due to the
meagre payment and lack of pension.
Introduction of a pension scheme might also help
reduce the number of such aged AWWs, a proposal has
been already made about a fixed pay after retirement;
proper policy guidelines regarding recruitment of
full time ICDS functionaries, preferably without the
involvement of PSCs.
Reducing the number of apps and data duplication will
save time and effort. Technical inputs and counseling
in ECCE is an urgent need. Needs assessment in both
these areas is an important issue to be tackled at the
earliest. There is also a need to improve the ILA, as
well as to update the training centers. 67EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
There is irregularity in promotions; functionaries are
promoted to AWS/CDPO posts without them having the
required skill set; there is also no formal procedure
and guidelines for promotions in the ICDS system. This
needs to be rectified as a priority. Digital validation
and referencing of AWW/AWH/AWC is needed to ensure
better data accuracy. While time bound promotion
could be explored; performance parameters need to
be aligned with the program for this to be executed.
Career trajectories should be considered. Old AWWs
working in Assam have been protesting against the
retirement age. Pension scheme is to be introduced,
but other benefits should also be considered for
the field functionaries. Performance grant is an
appreciated idea among the respondents; it can be
linked to AWC/Project indicators. Incentives can be
given to ASHAs/AWWs for referrals and compliance with
NRC admissions; CAS uptake motivation and incentives
need to align with the aspirations of the AWWs.
7.5. AWC INFRASTRUCTURE
Availability of drinking water facility and toilet facility
is a basic requirement of the AWCs. Figure 7.7 and 7.8
present the status of drinking water facility and toilet
facility across operational AWCs of various States/UTs
for the year 2018-19. At the all-India level, 86% and 69%
of operational AWCs report of having drinking water
facility and toilet facility, respectively. Availability of
drinking water facility is the lowest across Manipur
(21%), Arunachal Pradesh (29%) and Karnataka (54%).
Eight States/UTs, including Uttar Pradesh, report
100% coverage of drinking water facility. Across 11
States/UTs the availability varies from 50% to 80%.
Availability of toilet facility at AWCs is much neglected
aspect across States/UTs. In Manipur, only 27% of the
operational AWCs report of having a toilet facility.
19 States/UTs have less than 80% coverage of toilet
Figure 7.7: Percentage operational AWCs with drinking water facilities by States/UTs, 2018-19
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Figure 7.8: Percentage operational AWCs with toilet facilities by States/UTs, 2018-19 68EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
facility. Table S4 (Annexure 2) provides information
on changes in coverage of drinking water facility and
toilet facility between 2015-16 and 2018-19. At the
all-India level, there is a 20-percentage point and 16
percentage point increase in availability of drinking
water facility and toilet facility across operational
AWCs, respectively. Bihar reports highest change of
70 percentage point in provisioning of drinking water
facility at AWCs (from 20.5% in 2015-16 to 90.9% in 2018-
19). Telangana also registers remarkable increment
from 40% in 2015-16 to almost cent percent coverage
of drinking water facility in 2018-19. Chhattisgarh and
Uttarakhand also report considerable improvement
but still more than one-fourth of the operational AWCs
in these States lack drinking water facility. Nagaland,
Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh and
Meghalaya report negative change in drinking water
availability. Besides, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh
and Puducherry report lack of coverage expansion of
drinking water facility across AWCs between these
years. Change in toilet facility coverage needs further
attention even among States with highest progress
such as Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and
West Bengal (over 30 percentage point increase since
2015-16).
Table 7.4 shows the distribution of AWCs (with required
data) by type of building or place for functioning. In
2018-19, 43.5% of the AWCs were functioning from
government building, 26.6% from rented spaces, 17.8%
from school, 5.3% from Gram Panchayats whereas
remaining 6.8% were functioning in other community
areas including open space. Between 2015-16 and
2018-19, there is a gradual increase in the share of
AWCs with own government buildings. However, there
is a small reduction in the use of school premises for
AWCs. The proportion of AWCs operating in Kutcha
structures have reduced from 19.3% to 10.9%. Most of
these Kutcha structures are in rented AWCs. Table 7.5
reports the state-wise distribution of AWCs by type of
building or structure used for operations in 2018-19.
Over 90% of the AWCs in Arunachal Pradesh (mostly
Kutcha structures), Mizoram and Tripura are operating
from government buildings. In Jammu and Kashmir
and Delhi most of the AWCs are operating from rented
structures. In Uttar Pradesh about 60% of the AWCs
are operating in school premises. In Odisha, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Telangana, and Uttarakhand over 25% to
30% AWCS are functioning from schools. In Haryana
and Punjab about 20% to 25% AWCs are located within
GP building premises. In Meghalaya and Maharashtra,
7.9% and 3.6% of the AWCs, respectively, operate in
open community spaces.
Type of Building/Place for AWC (in %)2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Government Building
Kutcha 0.0 0.2 0.2 1.8
Pucca 30.8 34.2 35.7 41.6
Rented (at AWW/AWH House)
Kutcha 2.0 2.4 2.3 1.9
Pucca 4.9 2.3 2.3 3.3
Rented (at Others House)
Kutcha 13.2 13.6 5.1 6.0
Pucca 13.2 11.2 16.4 15.4
Community Space (School)
Kutcha 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.6
Pucca 20.7 21.1 21.7 17.2
Community Space (Gram Panchayat)
Kutcha 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.2
Pucca 4.8 5.1 5.3 5.1
Community Space (Other)
Kutcha 2.7 2.8 2.8 0.4
Pucca 6.2 5.3 6.4 6.1
Community Space (Open Space)
Kutcha 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.0
Pucca 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3
All AWCs (with data)
%100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
N1245642 1256090 1268822 1335524
Table 7.4: Type of building or place for AWCs, India 2015-16 to 2018-19
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 69EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Table 7.5: State-wise distribution of building or place for AWCs, 2018-19
States/UTs Government BuildingRented House School Gram Panchayat Others
Andhra Pradesh33.548.0 9.5 2.9 6.2
Arunachal Pradesh 93.26.1 0.5 0.3 0.0
Assam63.718.9 17.4 0.0 0.0
Bihar26.261.3 4.0 8.5 0.0
Chhattisgarh66.926.1 2.5 1.8 2.7
Goa11.259.6 23.0 2.0 4.3
Gujarat78.814.1 1.1 0.7 5.3
Haryana41.225.5 9.2 24.2 0.0
Himachal Pradesh 10.749.6 16.5 1.9 21.3
Jammu & Kashmir2.696.4 0.9 0.1 0.1
Jharkhand56.436.4 3.3 1.6 2.3
Karnataka60.017.0 6.8 2.3 14.0
Kerala68.925.0 1.3 2.3 2.5
Madhya Pradesh71.827.3 0.3 0.1 0.5
Maharashtra53.118.6 15.2 0.0 13.1
Manipur39.328.3 5.1 12.1 15.2
Meghalaya44.63.4 25.0 19.1 7.9
Mizoram98.71.3 0.0 0.0 0.0
Nagaland75.719.3 0.0 0.0 5.0
Odisha24.721.8 25.8 10.2 17.5
Punjab5.212.0 28.5 21.9 32.4
Rajasthan42.017.1 30.3 6.4 4.2
Sikkim72.318.2 1.0 0.9 7.6
Tamil Nadu79.113.5 2.3 2.8 2.3
Telangana29.135.6 26.9 0.9 7.5
Tripura94.32.9 0.0 0.0 2.7
Uttar Pradesh15.212.2 60.4 12.2 0.0
Uttarakhand13.737.9 26.1 13.3 9.0
West Bengal47.017.5 12.3 2.6 20.6
A & N Islands23.631.7 1.1 32.7 10.8
Chandigarh29.862.2 0.2 4.2 3.6
Delhi0.499.4 0.0 0.1 0.2
Dadra & N Haveli 51.348.0 0.7 0.0 0.0
Daman & Diu74.516.7 0.0 3.9 4.9
Lakshadweep25.274.8 0.0 0.0 0.0
Puducherry43.252.0 0.4 3.6 0.8
All India43.526.6 17.8 5.3 6.8
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 70EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
7.6. ICDS INFRASTRUCTURE
Infrastructure is important for the AWCs and the ICDS
system overall to function. This includes both, physical
infrastructure like buildings, electricity, water,
storage, supplies etc., as well as digital infrastructure
like CAS, state-wise apps for growth monitoring, data
and voice network/connectivity, and technical know-
how. The following section discusses findings with
respect to these aspects of the ICDS.
7.6.1. AWC Infrastructure and Basic
Facilities
At the all-India level, 86% and 69% of operational AWCs
report of having drinking water facility and toilet
facility, respectively. No systematic data is available
on electricity connections. Besides, there is no policy
provision for ensuring electricity supply at all AWCs. In
Rajasthan, for instance, none of the AWCs operating in
own building have electricity connection. One in every
ten AWC is operating in a Kutcha structure whereas
every fourth AWC operates in a rented building.
Gram Panchayat: Recognition of link between
AWCs and PRIs is weak at the higher levels of
ICDS administration. Currently the linkages with
MGNREGA Work Plan are weak as a consequence the
developmental funds available with the GPs that can
facilitate the functioning of AWCs do not get used
appropriately.
AWC Requirements: It is common to observe that
the toilets are located outside the AWCs. Also, there
are a number of requirements related to availability
of running water inside the AWC, fences around the
AWC premises, more (and better toys) for children,
uniforms for children and AWW and AWH training
centers at taluka level.
7.6.2. Urban AWCs
AWC Clusters and economies of scale: since there is
often no space available in certain neighbourhoods for
the AWC, clustering is done wherever space is found.
However, this increases distance for beneficiaries.
Economic cost to the beneficiaries is increased because
of this clustering and having to pay for transport to be
able to access to it. Poor rental norms and abysmal
conditions of AWCs in urban slums result in sub-par
conditions for AWCs to function in often cramped and
improperly ventilated.
Office space of Supervisors/CDPOs: Proper office
space is needed for these functionaries; no vehicle
is available to them even when they have 2-3 blocks
under them, which are often far-flung. They then
have to hitchhike and this gives rise to monitoring and
safety issues in remote areas and states like Assam.
Training infrastructure for AWWs: Training often
happens out-of-state, which leads to a lack of proper
monitoring and quality control. Distance is an issue
for the functionaries to travel for these trainings.
Such training locations that are out of state have
implications for women workers who are burdened by
gendered responsibilities on the home front, and lack
the ability to negotiate new spaces and mechanisms
of reaching there.
Urban Conundrum: The ICDS suffers from lack of
administrative and logistics structures in urban areas
for AWCs. The lack of identified space for functioning
of AWCs is due to lack of regulatory mechanisms on
where and how to set it up in urban areas. Inability
therefore to identify persons responsible for this is
a major concern although to some extent Urban
Local Bodies do facilitate but specific regulations are
needed to overcome this weakness of ICDS in urban
areas. Although, some urban areas have experimented
with Community Hub models for AWCs in Urban areas
but these requires guidelines for practices/provisions.
The Community Hub models can undermine the
distance norms but have other benefits. There
is considerable migration among poor parents in
urban areas. In relatively poor localities in urban
settings parents are constantly mobile and there is
no motivation for sending the kids to the AWCs. This
also leads to less attendance for AWCs. There are
even greater existential threats to AWCs from private
nursery school operators in urban areas. Parental
aspirations in urban areas match with social positioning
in private nurseries. AWCs have to position themselves
in that market. There is the perception among the
beneficiaries that AWWs are not as qualified and
knowledgeable as the private teachers and are not
qualified to educate their children. As a consequence,
there is desired social mobility, obtained by sending
children to private nurseries.
7.6.3. Rural AWCs
There is poor provisioning of basic facilities like
water, electricity, toilets, play yard, access roads.
Flood prone areas, seismic zones, temperature, hilly
and remote areas (like Dalaivalasa in Andhra Pradesh)
become harder to access and deliver services in.
In terms of digital infrastructure and internet
connectivity, poor connectivity in rural areas also
deters many other reporting requirements. 71EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
E-governance for program data and financial flows is
seen in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for example, where
the CAS Dashboard enables everything to be digitally
monitored; especially areas like funding.
Funding challenges also arise, like lack of funding for
AWCs, and issues with other departments over land
and construction of AWCs (like in Gujarat). Inter-
departmental squabbles exacerbate issues.
ICDS should seek greater convergence and collaboration
with the Gram Panchayats in rural areas to facilitate
AWC related construction and maintenance activities
on a regular basis. For instance, the convergence
efforts at this level in rural areas warrants a
minimum resource commitment toward social
sector expenditure related to AWCs under the Gram
Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP). The procedures
(technical and financial) to facilitate convergence
should be streamlined to recognize a) convergence
in terms of different type of work contributions for
a particular activity and b) financial pooling across
funding source to facilitate completion of a particular
activity.
7.6.4. Tribal AWCs
Accessibility is a big issue in tribal areas, with hilltops
and other hindrances making it difficult to travel to
and from the AWCs. Supervisors are unable to pay
visits to far-flung areas since they have no transport
of their own and also have concerns over their safety
in such remote areas.
Infrastructure is often in shambles, with the salaries of
contractual employees remaining unpaid for months.
Often times, these employees have no way to raise
complaints or provide feedback to the district/state
administration.
Language, cultural beliefs and customs differ, which
may affect the uptake of services in the area (like in
Andhra Pradesh, where the tribal population did not
think of a high IMR as a cause for concern). Mobilizing
community is difficult in such cases. AWWs are often
not formally literate in these areas, which makes it
harder to teach them how to operate smart phones.
7.6.5. AWCs in 6th Schedule Areas
As per Article 244 of the Constitution of India, the 6
th
Schedule deals with the administration of the tribal
areas in the four north-eastern states of Assam,
Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Autonomous
District Councils (ADCs) under the Sixth Schedule
have authority over various legislative subjects
and are entitled to receive grants-in-aid from the
Consolidated Fund of India to meet development
expenditure on education, health care, education,
roads etc. The autonomy is expected to offer
greater opportunity for economic development and
ethnic well-being. However, they lack financial
autonomy as these ADCs significantly depend on
state governments for developmental funds and for
decisions regarding undertaking of developmental
activities. In Assam, we observed autonomy issues
hinder ICDS functioning and implementation in the
area. One way to alleviate this issue would be to
merge the ICDS department with Governor’s office
in order to ease the flow of funds and streamline
process.
7.6.6. Ecological Aspects of
Infrastructure
Regional variations like issues with storage space,
areas or AWCs being prone to animal infestations can
have an adverse effect on the implementation of the
scheme. Hilly areas, flood prone areas have their own
set of issues like accessibility, natural disasters and
safety concerns for the beneficiaries as well as the
field functionaries.
It is important that the ICDS budgeting for AWC
construction should be sensitive to regional variations –
storage/animal infestations, hilly areas, flood prone
areas, child friendly houses. It should take into account
ecological aspects (earthquake proof construction)
and climatic conditions (extreme winters etc) to
develop model design (Room + Kitchen + Toilet +
Playing Area). Meanwhile, the rental norms should
be informed based on local conditions and desired
quality of infrastructure.
7.6.7. ICDS CAS
CAS has been rolled out in many states in conjunction
with other state-based apps (like ‘NutriTask’ and
‘Rajdhara’). However, some problems continue to
plague this software rollout. AWWs often have trouble
using smart phones and/or navigating the apps; poor
network connectivity in tribal/remote areas makes
uploading data very difficult. Troubleshooting is
a big problem due to lack of technical know-how:
e.g. app gets deleted accidentally, or the phone
malfunctions. Added to this, sometimes AWWs’ family
members use up their mobile data packs on personal
use, leaving no data for actual work. AWWs who are
not formally literate cannot operate the phone/app
and depend on someone from their village to help 72EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
them upload and sync data, which leads to delays/
no-shows on the app. This accrues memos in their
names, even though they are doing their task of
growth monitoring and recording on time. The need
of the hour is to develop apps with critical inputs
from the field functionaries themselves, so that the
technology actually aids them in carrying out their
tasks—instead of them being subservient to the app
or smart phone because they have been kept out of
the design and brainstorming process.
CAS uptake should be motivated and incentivized as
the trainings and refreshers vary in intensity. Also,
AWWs who are less comfortable with mobile phones
pick up the application on their owAndhra Pradesh
has implemented CAS. Here it was noted that older
and illiterate AWWs have difficulty in operating
the app. This leads to incomplete records and thus
penalization of the AWW despite having carried out
growth monitoring. Some of the AWWs also complain
about the pace of training. On the other hand, there
is a tendency for complacency due to reliance on
apps. Also, there should be more frequent training
for the AWWs as things are new and forgettable.
These issues call for strengthening or establishing
District Training Centres with adequate staff for
regular training and capacity building of various ICDS
functionaries. Also, the trainings should be Projector
LCD based. The trainings should be followed up with
digital connectivity across areas.
While a lot of monitoring and supervision is done
digitally, network issues hinder smooth, real-time
reporting. With a shift toward digital reporting ICDS-
CAS, availability of electricity is a basic requirement
for the AWCs. However, poor connectivity in tribal
areas leads to frustration because of inability
to communicate with AWWs and CDPOs. As a
consequence, even though online uploading of
information and photos are a welcome move but it
is difficult to achieve because of IT issues. Limited
training for operating bureaucratic channels of
communication, knowledge of how to communicate
and documentation as well as paper work can lead
to poor quality feedback from mid-level officials into
the program. This calls for improved governance at
Project level. In particular, the AWC Supervisors needs
strengthening, expansion and capacity development.
In some cases (such as in Assam), there is limitation
of understanding the relationships among the AWW,
supervisors and the CDPOs, the AWWs at times
prefer to call the CDPOs for help rather than their
supervisors.
7.7. STATE-LEVEL OBSERVATIONS ON
ICDS INFRASTRUCTURE
7.7.1. Andhra Pradesh
With respect to physical infrastructure, in 2017-2019,
10,000 buildings for AWCs were reportedly built in
partnership with MGNREGA; incomplete buildings
were also sought to be completed. If the PRI has space
available, it provides rent-free buildings to the ICDS
for AWCs. A pilot program under APRIGP is testing out
beautification of AWCs in 12 mandals. No separate
toilets for girls exist in the AWCs. Hilltop and tribal
areas have accessibility issues; Supervisors find it
tough to reach, often having to make the journey on
foot. In urban areas, Urban Merging Centres have been
created as a response to the beneficiaries’ aspirations
of sending their children to convent schools and
private nurseries.
The transportation of the THR supply from the PDS
shop to the AWC is to be paid for by the AWC and is
often times expensive for her. Reimbursements, if at
all made, are severely delayed.
NutriTask app has issues with interface, uploading
etc. Apps often get deleted from the AWWs phones
and they have to go down to the Sector office to get
them restored.
CAS has been rolled out in entire state. However,
CAS smart phones tend to get damaged quickly, and
no replacement is made by the government. Hence,
AWWs have to buy new phones from their personal
funds. Laptops have been promised to the CDPOs and
Supervisors, but they are yet to receive the same.
District officials have also encouraged AWWs to take
the help of relatives and young community members
to upload the data on CAS and NutriTask. However,
this does not address the issue of capacity building in
AWWs, and increases their dependence on others for
a vital growth monitoring process.
Network connectivity is a huge issue, especially in
tribal/hilltop areas. Faster network operators are
needed, instead of BSNL which is the only choice
currently. At a review meeting the district officials
responded to this complaint by field functionaries
by dismissing it as a non-issue, adding “data can be
uploaded offline and synced later”. But this is not a
proper solution since this means the AWW has to travel
every day to the place where she does get network
(often many kilometres away). 73EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
7.7.2. Assam
The infrastructure of many of the sampled urban AWCs
visited was extremely poor. The AWWs failed to get
a proper rented place in the urban areas: the reason
stated was the irregularity in receiving the rent grant
from the government. The local people did not prefer
renting out their compounds to the AWC as there is no
guarantee/security of being paid rent. As a result, the
AWCs rely on temple spaces and verandas of benevolent
localities to conduct their AWC activities temporarily. It
was also reported by the state officials that the funds
only cover the construction of AWCs but there were no
specific funds for the maintenance of the AWCs.
Most of the tribal AWCs which were prone to floods and
rains remained in poorer conditions despite several
notices to the higher authorities of the system. They
then receive support from the tribal community
members in terms of shelter and food.
The weighing machines received from the State
government were not well-functioning and did not
give accurate measurements. “The entire goal of ICDS
fails when you fail to record their accurate weight and
height”, as pointed out by one of the respondents.
7.7.3. Bihar
There are no proper offices for DPO & CDPOs; almost
half of the AWCs run in school buildings & community
halls where basic amenities like toilets and drinking
water facilities are not available. No meeting halls
are available either, so they totally depend on the
district office for these venues. No storage rooms
are available for ICDS materials; all of which are
kept in the CDPOs office. The rent rates as per ICDS
guidelines are not sufficient, in which case it is very
difficult to manage the building or room and necessary
facilities for the sanctioned amount in urban areas.
Only wiring is available at some AWCs, electricity
connection is unavailable. Also, there is no support
provided from the local community in any form (by
the Gram Panchayat and the local leaders), whether
for buildings, funds and basic amenities. No funds
come from the ICDS for electricity bills. Functionaries
suggest that the ICDS develop its own infrastructure
(buildings), revise the ICDS guidelines with respect
to rent rates, provide the administrative cadre with
their own offices, and provide storage rooms.
CAS is fully operational in 6 districts. However, in 11
districts only 1
st
phase of CAS training is completed. In
Muzaffarpur, the first phase of CAS training has been
completed, and topics covered under the training
were mostly related to survey entries and the handling
of the app, e.g. how to operate the CAS mobile app,
real time monitoring, mobile surveys, how to feed in
the details of pregnant and lactating mothers, and the
home visit app. Nalanda district still does not have an
operational CAS.
7.7.4. Chhattisgarh
AWWs reported that infrastructure at AWCs certainly
needs improvement: the storage space constraint has
been an issue at every AWC. AWWs use their own funds
even for repair work needed at the AWCs. The jars/
boxes for storing dal, flour, spices etc. are purchased
by AWWs and no reimbursements for these expenses
have been made to them. All the AWWs demand new,
better quality toys for students. Government has
distributed LPG gas cylinders to few AWCs, but other
AWCs are waiting for the same. In sampled AWCs in
Rajnandgaon district, there was no provision of lights
and fans.
CAS has been rolled out in Raipur district but the
quality is quite compromised, as reported by AWWs.
At the time of the survey, AWWs were facing problems
of smart phones hanging and issues related to validity
of the SIM cards. CAS has not been rolled out in
Ambikapur and Rajnandgaon districts.
7.7.5. Delhi
Lack of infrastructure is one of the major barriers for
optimum execution. It has been reported that very
small areas are available to rent out for AWC buildings.
At most of the centres, weighing machine for infants
(0-11 months) is not available. They have been asked
by the higher authorities to share them with the
nearby AWCs. The maximum rent amount assigned is
very less (Rs.6000 per AWC) and the owners generally
do not agree to include water and electricity charges
in it. Hence, a very confined area is available for AWC
activities. Though the proposal of hub centres is under
implementation, finding a larger area is difficult as
most of the 22 square yard area is taken up by the
families residing there already. Even schools do not
agree to rent out their classrooms.
7.7.6. Gujarat
In urban areas, rented AWCs are very congested and
often need to be shifted elsewhere. This means that
the AWC often does not remain in the community
anymore, but further away depending on where there
is place found. This runs the risk of discouraging some
beneficiaries from commuting all the way to the AWC.
Some of these AWCs are “smart AWCs” which have 74EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
TVs as digital teaching aids: this came across as an
aspiration among AWWs who did not run smart AWCs.
There is a lack of identified space for functioning of
AWCs due to lack of regulatory mechanisms on where
and how to set it up in urban areas. This leads to
an inability to identify persons responsible for this.
To some extent Urban Local Bodies do facilitate the
process, but regulations are needed since functioning
of AWCs is weakened because of this.
Online uploading of information and photographs is a
welcome move, but it is difficult to achieve because
of IT issues like the lack of know-how among AWWs
about operating smart phones, connectivity issues
etc. However, informal platforms of reporting and
monitoring, like WhatsApp, are used widely in a move
towards digitalization of the scheme.
7.7.7. Rajasthan
In Jaisalmer district, services at AWCs are very limited
due to the irregular monitoring and geographical
constraints in the district. On the demand side, major
constraints are shortage of drinking water, and limited
distribution of raw materials for food preparation.
The supply side barriers are shortage of vehicles for
regular monitoring, long distance between AWCs, very
limited fund allocation, unavailability of workers,
and frequent changes in human resources at district
and block level. All the sampled AWCs in Jaisalmer
district had no proper infrastructure. AWCs are run in
school campuses mostly, and are given small rooms
in a corner without any maintenance at all. GPs have
constructed AWC building in many villages but the
quality and location of the buildings has remained
compromised similarly. In Udaipur district, Vedanta
Zinc International has adopted around 270 AWCs
in Girwa block. All the adopted centres have good
physical and digital infrastructure. LED televisions,
solar lights, water connection, necessary stationery,
sitting benches and water purifiers are provided there.
The motive has remained to bring AWCs up to the
level of private schools by providing all the necessary
infrastructure and design. They have adopted many
other AWCs in other blocks in the district.
The average distance from one GP to other is around
30 kms, which is a big hurdle for the district officials
to regularly visit AWCs. The shortage of vehicles is also
reported there. Distribution of Iron supplements and
other related materials; regular monitoring of AWCs
by supervisors; distribution of hot cooked meal for
3-6 years children; distribution of THR; and regular
attendance of beneficiaries at AWCs are all affected
due to the great distances.
CAS is fully operational in Udaipur district. AWWs
were given the training of CAS and supervisors are
always available in case of any issues that arise in
operating CAS for the AWW. In training, mainly the
areas covered were e.g. how to operate CAS, data
entry, registrations, real time monitoring etc. The
AWWs who were less qualified or who never used
smart phone reported facing a problem in operating
CAS initially. CAS was not introduced in the sampled
blocks in Jaisalmer district.
7.7.8. Uttarakhand
The study team observed that the infrastructure
was poor at one of the AWCs in Udham Singh Nagar
district. The team witnessed ceiling was falling in,
the walls of the AWC building were not plastered and
there was no facility for electricity and fans in the
AWC. There is no vehicle facility in many blocks, and
where it is available, the sanctioned vehicle fare is
very low. According to CDPOs, there is not enough
space in CDPO Bhawan, and the rooms are very
small. Infrastructure of AWCs is a big concern during
monsoon. There is a need for more facilities such as
more swings, other than just toys; this will bring AWCs
at par with a typical play school.
CAS is helpful for AWWs to the maintain records and
it saves them time while maintaining and comparing
manual records. However, AWWs are expected to
maintain both digital and manual records, which is
a tedious task to undertake. Most of the AWWs have
received CAS training for feeding beneficiary records
into the software.
7.7.9. Uttar Pradesh
There are a total of 3094 functional AWCs in Bahraich.
Only 1135 AWCs function in own buildings, while
1581 AWCs run in primary school premises, 139
AWCs in Panchayat Bhawan. 38 AWCs in the village
and 201 AWCs in urban areas have rented buildings.
Safe drinking water is available in 2966 AWCs. 2873
AWCs have toilet facility. Beside this, the study team
visited Lalpur and Pawhi AWCs observed that there
was no toilet for 0-59-month-old children, and while
electricity connection was present, electric fans were
not. Space for sitting and playing was insufficient in
the AWCs.
There are a total of 3052 functional AWCs in Barabanki.
Only 705 AWCs have their own buildings, while 1624
AWCs in primary school premises, and 359 AWCs in
Panchayat Bhawan. 9 AWCs in religious places, 2 AWCs
are in open space and 353 AWCs are rented. Safe 75EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
drinking water is available in all AWCs in the district.
2946 AWCs have toilet facility; only 1151 AWCs have
kitchen facility, and 1312 AWCs have proper storage
facility. 2457 AWCs have adequate indoor space for
preschool children, 2636 AWCs have adequate outdoor
space for preschool children, while both adequate
outdoor and indoor space for preschool children is
available in 2470 AWCs. All AWCs are running in pucca
and semi pucca houses. The study team saw that
the sampled AWCs had well-maintained rooms and
separate kitchen room and storerooms. They also had
toilet and a safe drinking water facility.
CAS is used extensively by AWWs in Bahraich and
Barabanki districts. CAS reduces the burden of
maintaining of the physical register for the AWWs who
use it. CAS keeps records of all their beneficiaries:
pregnant women, SAM and MAM children, identification
of red and yellow grade children, calculation of when
pregnant women’s due date etc.
Implementation of CAS in Bahraich district: More than
92% AWCs (2855 AWCs out of 3094 AWCs) have received
devices with the block wise inventory sheet with IMEI
numbers. TSU Team and Block Transformation Officers
provide technical support to blocks in registering all
devices. 100% of these devices have been unboxed,
verified and distributed batch-wise along with
username and password to the Anganwadi Workers
(AWWs) with the labelling done on all of them. More
than 97% of the devices have been configured and used
at least once. Helpdesks have been set up at block
level itself in order to provide immediate response
to any bug found. More than 90% of the AWWs are
currently feeding the beneficiary list onto their
devices. More than 80% of the AWWs were found to
be happy to have a smartphone as this is the first one
they have ever operated. AWWs have been capturing
data with CAS in Bahraich since December 2018.
Implementation of CAS in Barabanki district: More
than 95% AWWs (2924 AWCs out of 3052 AWCs) have
received devices with the block wise inventory
sheet with IMEI numbers. TSU Team and Block
Transformation Officers provide technical support
to blocks in registering all devices. 100% of these
devices have been unboxed, verified and distributed
batch-wise along with username and password to the
Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) with the labelling done on
all of them. More than 97% of the devices have been
configured and used at least once. More than 98% of
AWWs are currently feeding beneficiary records into
devices. More than 98 % AWWs trained through four
phase of training. In some projects, 100% AWWs are
trained in CAS.
7.8. KEY ISSUES IN ICDS
INFRASTRUCTURE
The merging of urban AWCs in the form of Urban Merging
Centres (UMCs) in states like Andhra Pradesh seems
to have garnered good feedback from beneficiaries.
3 AWCs are merged, and the children are divided into
age-groups like in a nursery/private school: nursery,
LKG, UKG. Each AWW takes up teaching one group and
thus they learn according to their age. Some Smart
AWCs (like in Gujarat) also have TVs that are used
as teaching aids. These ideas can be implemented
in urban areas to align with beneficiary aspirations.
However, distance and commuting time should be kept
in time when clustering AWCs. AWCs need more toys
and educational aids. Also, mats, fans, chairs, hand
towels, hand wash, first aid kits need to be provided
to each AWC to ensure that physical infrastructure
is in place for the ECCE component to be carried
out properly. If the material cannot be provided, at
least funds for the same should be budgeted for. A
competitive program can be created for beautification
of the AWC with the help of the PRI. The prize will be
instituted by State Govt for the concerned PRI and
AWC.
The policy makers should lay special emphasis on the
AWCs located in the flood prone areas. The state level
officials reported of successful mobile AWCs during the
floods. Some of these initiatives could be expanded to
other localities which are minimally but still affected
by floods and rains; proper monitoring and quality
check in delivery and the products is required.
Conveyance for Supervisors is needed to access
remote areas and projects. However, as one Supervisor
pointed out, even mopeds/scooters will not be of
much use in hilly areas since the journey up to the
hilltop has to be made by foot due to lack of roads
and accessibility. This requires longer-term planning
and convergence with other relevant departments-
geographic inaccessibility is a challenge in remote
areas which potentially affect the delivery of services
across departments.
Network connectivity issue needs to be resolved at
the earliest. Some sort of partnership with private
network operators who have stronger connectivity in
these areas can be one solution. Otherwise the field
functionaries have to spend hours every week travelling
down to areas with good reception just to upload and
sync their data. This leads to unnecessary waste of
effort, time and money which the functionaries can
use more productively by working on other aspects of
the ICDS. 77EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
CONVERGENCE AND
CONVERGENT ACTION
08.
8.1. CONCEPT OF CONVERGENCE
The National Nutrition Strategy (NITI Aayog 2017)
emphasises on strengthening convergence of State/
District Implementation Plans for ICDS, National Health
Mission (NHM) and Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and similar
other programs for jointly addressing the different
determinants of undernutrition. The Aspirational
Districts Program also calls for convergence between
different schemes and interventions across difference
governance levels. Convergence efforts essentially
seek to draw upon synergies in implementation of
government schemes. Further, convergence can ensure
greater complementarity between public initiatives
(Centrally Sponsored Schemes) and the private efforts
of a household. For this purpose, convergence action
plans are developed and executed across States and
Districts.
As such, convergence is identified as a critical theme
in organizational theory and is mostly referred to as
through concepts such as integration, collaboration,
coordination and cooperation
1
(Axelsson and
Axelsson 2006, Garrett and Natalicchio 2011, Kim
et al 2017). Convergence, however, can be viewed
from an operational perspective as – peripheral
convergence and core convergence. The former
refers to convergence in execution of activities or
services requiring minimal resource commitments of
the concerned line departments. The latter, however,
involves planning and decision-making for joint
implementation of selected processes and procedures
warranting substantial pooling of financial and non-
financial resources of the concerned line departments.
Convergence thus emerges as a multi-dimensional
concept having both vertical and horizontal layers.
1
Kim et al (2017) define these terms as follows: “Integration: the high-
est-order of relationships with shared structures or merged sectoral
remits. Collaboration: enhancing one another’s capacity and sharing
of some resources or personnel to facilitate strategic joint planning
and action on certain issues, while maintaining sectoral remits. Co-
ordination: altering one’s activities to achieve a common purpose;
interactions are often unstructured or based on a loose goal-oriented
agreement and working together on certain issues while maintain-
ing sectoral remits. Cooperation: sharing or exchanging information
or resources only; continuing to work in separate sectors with little
communication or strategic planning on issues”.
The vertical layers are identified as follows: Policy
layer, Implementation layer and Action layer. The
policy layer involves highest levels of decision-making
at the national-level or State-level and quintessentially
deals with conceptualizing the policy and outlining the
principles, norms and guidelines for policy execution.
The implementation layer is responsible for steering
and executing the plan and requires effective
stewardship to overcome roadblocks and supervision
in rolling out the initiatives. The action layer is
concerned with the functional part of undertaking
activities or delivering services as mandated by the
guidelines or as improvised by the program leaders.
Each of these layers is surrounded by horizontal
concerns viz. priorities, resources and capacities.
Convergence requires a set of common developmental
priorities or objectives of two or more ministries or
line departments or grass-root level functionaries.
Inability to identify a common objective disallows
commitment to devise policies that can harness the
convergence potential of two or more departments
across any vertical layer. Attitudes and inherent
attributes of the functionaries or the concerned
departments are instrumental in fostering convergent
action.
But despite consensus on needs and priorities, resource
constraints can emerge as a significant barrier for
convergence. The resources are both financial as well
as non-financial including human resource (technical
or managerial) and can be experienced at each of the
vertical layers. Finally, variations in capacities at each
level can decelerate the progress and even dilute the
impact of convergence initiatives. These capacities
are reflected in gaps in planning and logistics at the
highest levels to elementary aspects such as variations
in training and implementation capacities across line
departments and grass-root level functionaries.
8.2. PERIPHERAL AND CORE
CONVERGENCE
Peripheral convergence refers to synergies in execution
of activities or services requiring minimal resource 78EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
commitments of the concerned line departments,
particularly at the local level. Mostly the grass-root
level functionaries of the line departments including
the ICDS, NHM, Panchayati Raj (implementing MGNREGA
or various welfare schemes), and Education come
together to collaborate on goals of their respective
departments as well as those of the ICDS.
The following are some areas that illustrate peripheral
convergence:
1. Convergence Action Plan: Following the launch of
the POSHAN Abhiyaan, convergence action plan
(CAP) is developed from National to the Block
level for delivering nutrition related schemes.
The CAP committee is responsible for carrying
out all the work related to convergence such as
plan development, conducting periodic review,
work coordination, monitoring and evaluation,
identifying gaps and suggesting measures to fill
the gaps. However, CAP committee at lower levels
have greater focus on implementation whereas
they are less empowered to fill gaps related to
financial and operational challenges. Issues such
as provision of drinking water, electricity, toilet
or construction and refurbishments of AWCs are
difficult to be resolved without specific guidelines
from the Centre or the State.
2. AAA Community-based Events: Planning of
community-based events led by ANMs, AWWs
and ASHAs (AAA) has brought about significant
expansion in coverage of basic health and nutrition
services as well as increasing the frequency of
delivering behaviour change communication and
awareness services. The AAA platform – mainly led
by NHM - is an important example of peripheral
convergence that requires minimal resource
commitments of various line departments. The
Village Health and Nutrition Day (VHND) is planned
under various localized forms (such as Mamata
Divas) in a fixed day - fixed site format and
delivers key services like immunization. The AAA
also undertake home visits and conduct growth
monitoring and health and nutrition counselling.
3. Kitchen Gardens (Nutri-Garden): Widespread
uptake of kitchen garden initiative across AWCs
is observed in several States (including Andhra
Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat). The
kitchen garden is often developed in convergence
with MGNREGA, Department of Horticulture or
through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
initiatives. The kitchen gardens are mostly
developed in the AWC premises, or on a patch
of community land in the village. The produce is
used for the Hot Cooked Meals (HCM) at the AWC
to improve the quality and diversity of the meals.
4. Linkages with SHGs: Health layering is supported
through several Women-SHGs platform with
technical and financial support from government
or donor agencies. These initiatives are widespread
in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. These initiatives
actively engage the community health workers
(AAAs) to improve knowledge and utilization
of ANC, PNC services and family planning
methods, delivery under supervision of health
professionals, consumption of micronutrients,
dietary supplements, timely breastfeeding and
vaccination of children. The CAP guidelines also
call for greater involvement of SHGs and Cluster
Federations in VHSNDs to strengthen convergence
and monitoring and management of nutritional
status of women and children.
5. Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP): Minor
works for AWC building (such as refurbishments
or boundary wall construction etc) as well as
efforts for provision of drinking water and toilet
facility at the AWCs is considered under GPDP.
However, the GP priorities vary across States and
are also shaped by the State-specific guidelines
on work priorities and resource allocations. The
GP President and other Elected Representatives
(ER) are also expected to actively participate in
community-based events.
The following are some aspects that outline efforts
toward core convergence:
1. AWC and School co-location: Co-location of AWCs
within the premises of Government Primary School
is noted across several States and is very common
in Uttar Pradesh. However, greater efforts
are needed to ensure convergence of human
resources from the education department and
ICDS department, particularly the school teachers
and AWWS, respectively. The two departments
have to also resolve the issue with age overlaps
of students and beneficiaries (5-6 years old are
eligible for both school admission and ICDS pre-
school education component).
2. AWC building construction: Collaboration between
ICDS and MGNREGA is critical for construction of
AWCs. Besides, the GPs play an important role
in allocation of land for the AWC construction.
However, the construction requires operational
guidelines both from the Centre and the State while
deciding upon resource allocations. Although, the 79EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
MGNREGA convergence guidelines have allocated
up to Rs.5 Lakh for AWC construction but the
implementation has to be actively pursued at the
State and District level whereby additional cost
has to be borne by the State. It may be noted
that the GPs alone may not be empowered enough
to undertake such activities. Also, it is important
interpret that the cost-sharing ratios defined
for Centre-State funds (usually 60:40 for most
states) is not necessarily to be met at each and
every point of action. For instance, these can be
operationalized at District or Block levels for AWC
construction. Besides, the Central Government
guidelines allow using alternative sources of funds
(such as the State Finance Commission, Fourteenth
Finance Commission, Scheduled Castes Sub Plan
or Tribal Sub Plan) but State action is equally
important in facilitating funds utilization on
these activities. The pace of AWC construction is
accordingly affected by these various intricacies
associated with guidelines interpretations and
fund allocations.
3. Milk provision for children at AWCs: States have
displayed commitment to introduce milk item in
the ICDS food menu for children. For instance,
Mukhyamantri Amrit Yojana in Chhattisgarh aimed
at providing 100 ml milk to children at the AWCs.
However, the scheme was discontinued. A clear
coordination mechanism between the State
government (both Finance and ICDS departments)
as well as the milk union is critical to ensure
success of such initiatives.
4. Electricity, Drinking Water and Toilet Facilities:
Electricity, drinking water and toilet facilities are
among the basic provisions necessary in an AWC.
However, its provision varies considerably across
States. The ICDS Department in Rajasthan, for
instance, does not have a formal arrangement
with the Department of Power or the GPs
for installing electricity connection to AWCs.
Whereas, in Gujarat there is a centralized payment
mechanism for settlement of AWC electricity
charges. Similarly, in Andhra Pradesh free power
is provided to SC/ST households, but since AWC
buildings cannot be classified under this scheme,
the initiative to provide AWCs with free power
in collaboration with the Electricity Department
did not pan out. Besides, several AWCs operate in
rented buildings without appropriate piped water
connections or provisions. The AWW and AWH are
expected to make these arrangements. Toilet
construction and maintenance is the weakest
link in the infrastructure facilities for the AWC.
While the GPs usually are able to support toilet
construction but maintenance and solid waste
disposal remains a major challenge.
5. ICDS Recruitments: Recruitments of CDPOs and
AW Supervisors is mostly the responsibility of
the Public Service Commission of the respective
States. A significant proportion of these positions
are left vacant for years altogether leading
to added responsibility and burden among the
existing staff for managerial work of the ICDS. For
example, in Uttar Pradesh, despite requests from
the ICDS department, these delays in recruitment
can also occur due to delays in funding approvals
for the vacant positions and time-consuming
recruitment procedures including litigations.
8.3. INSIGHTS FROM FIELD VISITS
8.3.1. Andhra Pradesh
At the village and block level, we see convergence
in the form of kitchen gardens, which are run in
collaboration with MGNREGA, CSR initiatives etc.
MGNREGA helps with their construction, while CSR
initiatives distribute plant seeds and “nutri-baskets”
to AWCs and community members (in projects like
Gantyada and Bhogapuram). Akshay Patra scheme
is run in urban areas to supply hot cooked meals
to AWCs. AAA convergence happens at grass root
(PHC) level for immunization days, VHSNDs etc.
Convergence with MGNREGA and fast-tracking by
State has helped construct buildings for AWCs in many
districts. Also, convergence with departments like
RWS, Education, and PRI is sought for building AWCs.
AAA (ANM, Anganwadi worker and ASHA) convergence
meetings happen quarterly at Mandal level. AAA
team has house visits to malnourished and anaemic
beneficiaries. They are referred (if necessary under
SAM/MAM categories) and are provided Balsanjeevni.
ASHA goes along for deliveries. In the urban areas,
good amount of support was reported to be given by
the Municipal Council for AWCs. ITDA PO trains AWWs
in ECCE in tribal areas and hilltop projects.
Children from the AWCs are sent to
class 1 in various schools. For some
schools if rooms are vacant, they give to
the AWCs. In some schools the interested
primary teachers give training to the
AWWs.
~ CDPO, Andhra Pradesh 80EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
With respect to convergence around AWC construction,
Panchayat Raj Department contributes 50,000
rupees among the 7.5 lakh sanctioned per building.
They also provide utensils and electricity meters.
But there are problems with taking responsibility
as in-charge of the building construction, with a
lot of delays due to bureaucracy and paperwork/
red tape issues. A respondent commented that “A
building sanctioned in 2017 will get handed over in
2021.” Rural Water Supply (RWS) Department builds
toilets though no separate toilets for children are
provided. Education Department provides with vacant
classrooms for AWCs. The School Headmasters guide
the AWWs. After 5 years, the children join the schools.
Revenue Department helps with gathering sites for
buildings. Civil supplies are procured from the same
department.
At the district and state level, some examples of
convergence do come through: Chaitanya Rathams
(community awareness -mobiles/vehicles) and
Gana Jatras (community roadshows) planned in
collaboration with the District Collector Vizianagaram,
the Pregnant Women’s Hostel in Salur in convergence
with the ITDA. District Collector (Vizianagaram)
calls convergence meetings every Monday with ICDS
and Health, where PD, MO and others are present.
The District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO)
reported reviewing the 42 health indicators for the
district in these convergence meetings, after which
a joint action plan (JAP) is drawn. Immunization day
is arranged by the Health Department; ANM visits
the centre frequently. There is a good amount of
support for ICDS activities from the Vizianagaram
DC. Convergence was also found between WCD and
the Police and CWCs with regard to running One Stop
Centres, Ujjwala homes and Swadhar homes in urban
areas (especially in Vijayawada).
8.3.2. Assam
Convergence with Health Department was reported
to be strong at the block and the ground level, while
at the district level the emphasis was reflected only
on paper or was found to be superficial. However,
the custom of regular monthly review meetings of
convergence exists at the district level.
The field workers (even at the block level) relied
much on data collected by other departments
(mostly Health). The past scams of and related to
the Department of Social Welfare (of which ICDS is a
major component) has led to demoralization of the
Department in and around the government system.
This was also reflected in the conversations with
several AWWs and functionaries at higher levels, when
they mentioned how they (ICDS) have been looked
down upon by functionaries of other departments in
several occasions and events. This clearly lowered
their confidence and affected their reliance on their
own outputs.
The same was reflected in the interviews with the
Health Department officials. They mentioned that
they believe that the data collected by the ICDS to be
inaccurate. They also pointed out inefficiency in the
work done by ICDS functionaries and acknowledged
poor convergence at different levels. The Health
Department suggested looking at ICDS “not as a
scheme but as a Mission like the NHM”.
It was reported that service delivery for adolescent
girls were irregular compared to what is mentioned
in the ICDS guidelines. Ground level interviews
suggested a low emphasis from ICDS on this population
for around 5 years of time. Apart from the health
resources (iron tablets) there is an irregularity in the
delivery of all other services. This irregularity was also
seen in the functioning of the AWCs and one reason
for this was lack of attendance. The AWCs failed to
provide hot-cooked meals for a long time, for which
the children stopped coming to avail other services
from the AWCs.
The involvement of a Management Committee (MC)
(headed by the Sarpanch and the AWW) eases out the
decentralized process of THR procurement. Timely
supply in the funds to the MCs would ensure timely
distribution of the THR. The ICDS did not actively
take part on the special days (VHSND etc) as part of
convergence. They merely provided with the space and
the initiatives were taken by the Health Department.
It was reported that too many AWCs were proposed
and built previously (around 10-15 years back) in the
The AWCs are on rent, for urban
and we don’t have our own
buildings. We have to pay according to what
the owner’s demands. When the budget is
not on time, the AWW has to pay and then
she runs through trouble. They family,
husband beats her saying why will you pay.
At least for rent and honorarium we need
to have the budget in time. How long will
the workers wait for their pay?
~ CDPO, Andhra Pradesh 81EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
urban areas; the state level officials suggested that
these need to get cut down in the present day, as
monitoring and maintaining them was quite difficult.
The state does not hold any financial power in the
6
th
schedule areas (the tribal council has autonomy).
The ICDS could not review the service delivery in
those areas. Surprisingly, the tribal council had only
released the funds for the hot-cooked meals, but not
for the THR. The State also acknowledged that it was
not able to provide LPG connections in the AWCs. The
state team reported a break in the supply process
where accessibility is poor because of geographical
and topographical variations. Different mechanisms
of service and resource delivery should be applied in
these regions.
Because of the ongoing NRC scheme (National Register
of Citizens), almost 90% of the AWWs were involved
in NRC related work in the last year, which affected
the ICDS service delivery to a great extent (in terms
of providing almost all the services to beneficiaries).
Almost 80% of the supervisors were also involved in
such NRC-related activities which hindered their
monitoring and review work of ICDS.
8.3.3. Bihar
The ICDS is the parental department that approaches
other departments for collaboration in the state.
The stakeholder departments are Health, Education,
MoRD (consisting of the MGNREGA that constructs
the buildings for AWCs), Public Health Engineering
Department and Agriculture Department. Besides,
some of the schemes where convergence happens
are directly implemented through the Directorate
and their cooperation, like Kanya Utthan Yojana,
Poshak Yojana. Here, a template is prepared for the
convergence as per the guidelines of the central
government, the “State Convergence Action Plan”: 16
line departments are identified for the convergence
and roles and responsibilities are decided. The
“Nutrition Action Plan” for Poshan Abhiyaan is
implemented by Health Department.
Under the initiative, responsibilities are decided
for every SAM child case: the ANMs, ASHAs, AWWs
and AWHs are to identify the family of the child and
mentor them. Presently, there are approximately 2.5
lakh workers and 7.5 lakh SAM children in the state.
Each worker is responsible for 2-3 SAM children;
they concentrate purely on the child, observe their
growth, and counsel the family. Two approaches are
adopted: first, SAM children are identified at the time
of delivery, and second at the AWC or later.
Kanya Utthan Yojana is a scheme in convergence with
Education Department. In this scheme, an amount is
provided for the girl child in each stage. 1000 rupees
at birth, 2000 rupees at the age of one year, 1000
rupees after Aadhaar card is made, 2000 rupees if
she is enrolled in school, 5000 and 10000 rupees if
she passes 10th and 12th standard respectively, and
25000 rupees if she graduates. The total amount
provided to the girl child is 55000 rupees. This scheme
also bridges gap in the supplied materials: central
government provides pre-school education kits, but
not on a regular basis. UNICEF (supporting partner)
develops the guidelines, checklists, and provides
technical support.
At the ground level, Gramin Vikas Vibhag helps build
the AWCs under MGNREGA scheme, but not on a
large scale. Access to basic amenities like toilet and
safe drinking water is negligible, and does not get
any support from the Rural Department. Education
Department helps enrol the children in schools, and
for the “Kanya Utthan Scheme”.
With the support of Health Department, under
National Nutrition Mission campaign “Poshan Mela” is
celebrated in all blocks; participation and community
involvement is satisfactory. However, there is a lack
of interest from other departments, combined with
an overload of work for the ICDS functionaries, which
leads to less-than-satisfactory levels of convergence
at the district and block level.
8.3.4. Chhattisgarh
All health-related services are delivered by ANMs at
AWCs. The AWW has a list of beneficiaries based on
their health requirement or schedule. Accordingly,
she calls beneficiaries at her center once a month and
health services are provided by ANM as needed.
The AWWs reported that they have to do the work
of other departments as well as their own, and they
are not provided with any compensation for this
extra work. Many a times they have to pay for their
transportation, too. Very often, their time is used up
in Election duty and other panchayat work, leaving no
time for ICDS tasks.
In Raipur, there was an issue with maintenance in an
AWC: there was no boundary wall at the AWC and the
AWW has even requested at Panchayat to build it,
but nothing has been done so far. The toilet was also
broken at the AWC, with no repair work taking place.
In Ambikapur district, all the standard health services
are given on second Tuesday of the month by ANM 82EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
and ASHA at AWCs. Panchayat has made steel slabs
for THR storage and AWC; they have also arranged
for milk and protein powder to be distributed to
malnourished children at the AWC. In another AWC
however, convergence with Panchayat is not so great:
the water source was far from AWC and it was difficult
for the AWH to bring water to the AWC. The AWW has
requested the Panchayat to solve this issue multiple
times, but it has not been resolved yet.
8.3.5. Delhi
In Delhi, as it is an urban setting, space comes at a
premium. The ICDS in Delhi has envisaged cluster
AWCs which merge across smaller AWCs, which
enables pooling of rent and space to enable better
infrastructure and functioning of AWCs.
The ICDS scheme converges with the Health and
Education Departments. AWWs help with the
verification and documentation of children for the
admission process in schools. Some workers also
maintain contact with the doctors, ANMs, ASHA
workers and refer children and women to hospitals
and dispensaries.
Many of the AWCs have a Committee (samiti) of 12
representatives including a Chairperson, MLA, social
worker, beneficiaries, ANM, AWW, AWH, and ASHA. But
the frequency of these meetings has decreased over
the time. Moreover, the committee members keep on
changing due to people shifting to other places.
8.3.6. Gujarat
In Gujarat specifically, at the district and block level
other line departments were reported to not take the
ICDS and its officials seriously. They allegedly treat
the ICDS as a ‘lesser’ department, not treating the
requests from officials in the same pay grade with
enough respect and urgency. This has a negative
effect on the functionaries’ morale when it comes to
convergence with other departments.
In urban areas, better convergence with Municipal
Corporations is needed to ensure that AWCs do not
have to wait indefinitely for basic maintenance work
and support from the authorities. Currently, linkages
with MGNREGA Work Plan are weak in the state.
Multiple copies of the same information are collected
by AWW, ANM and ASHA. This leads to duplication
and sometimes even mismatch of data. Added to this
is the fact that all data needs to also be manually
entered into 11 registers: this means a lot of time
spent keeping records.
8.3.7. Rajasthan
In Udaipur district, convergence of ICDS was mainly
found with Health Department, PRI, and Education
Department. At ground level, the Panchayat has
supported ICDS to build and regular maintenance of
AWCs. No convergence activities or support from the
DDWS has been reported so far. Very often, AWWs
are given village related work e.g. MGNREGA survey,
Aadhaar card enrolment, ration card work: which
affects ICDS service delivery. Overall, in Jaisalmer
the convergence activities were not as strong as in
Udaipur. The distance between villages and the Block
Office remains a challenge.
According to a CDPO, Health Department is only
able to deliver immunization out of all the desired
services in Jaisalmer district. Some schools often cut
the electricity connection for room given to the AWC.
Convergence with GPs is very poor; if they construct
There is Rural development
department, like if we need to
construct a building for Anganwadi ,
MGNREGA grant will be used for that, so
we need support from Rural development
and WCD. Then there is health department
which works with ICDS like two sides
of a coin. Both of them can’t function
without each other. There is education
department, for pre-schooling for kids.
There is agriculture department, for
kitchen gardening. Food and civil supply,
food and consumer affairs, for the supply
and distribution of food. So there is a live
interaction with every department.
~ State Program Officer, Gujarat
When we need some construction
to be done or water supply needs to
be obtained. We speak to the committee
members about such needs, and ask them
to provide their funds for it, since we don’t
have the funds for it. We tell them it would
be good if they can get it done, since it
is for their own village. And we tell the
related branch officers to follow up about
it; we don’t go through the Magistrate. We
speak to them directly.
~ CDPO, Gujarat 83EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
building for AWCs it is always of very poor quality, or is
situated near a dumping ground/cremation grounds,
or very far from village. There should be instructions
and checks and balances from the top level authorities
so that convergence can be made stronger.
8.3.8. Uttarakhand
In Uttarakhand, ICDS is in convergence with other
department/institution like Health and Education
Departments, and PRI. Coordination with Panchayati
Raj at the sampled AWCs in Udham Singh Nagar was
good and it seems to be helping a lot in service
delivery. At many AWCs, the Panchayati Raj has
provided water facilities, toilet facilities, dustbins
etc. The Gram Pradhan participates in AWC activities
and meetings. The Education Department helps the
AWCs by enrolling girls who have dropped out of
school on behalf of AWCs. The department of Health
also supports the ICDS goals in this district.
The sense of solidarity that stems from communities
enables strong bonds within them. This works
to creation of grass roots level demand among
beneficiaries and also a sense of ownership and
pride. Such systems tend to create an environment
for better system functioning, be it ICDS or any other
such scheme for communities.
8.3.9. Uttar Pradesh
The district administration in Uttar Pradesh has a
good system of convergence in place to address issues
such as stunting, wasting, underweight and anemia in
children age 0-6 years, pregnant and lactating women,
adolescent girls and boys under Poshan Abhiyaan. In
order to make a “Malnutrition free Bahraich”, the ICDS
in the district has been converging with departments
like PRI, MoRD, Health, Education, NRLM, Department
of Electricity, Department of Food and Civil Supplies,
and WCD. The programs under which this convergence
happens are: Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
(PMMVY), Schemes for Adolescents Girls under MoWCD;
Janani Suraksha Yojana, National Health Mission,
Anemia Mukt Bharat, Indradhanush under MoHFW;
Swachh Bharat Mission of DDWS; Public Distribution
System of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and
Public Distribution; MGNREGA; and Urban Local
bodies through Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
under Poshan Abhiyaan. Other convergence activities
include Suposhan Swasthya Mela, Community Based
Events (Funded and Non-funded), Mukhyamantri
Suposhan Ghar, Model VHSNDs and etc.
Under convergence strategies in Bahraich, 99326
household of malnourished children have been
recognised by Rural Department. 130849 families
of malnourished children were provided ration card
by Department of Food and Civil Supplies. They are
targeting 100% issuance of these cards to all such
families within the next 6 months. 2844 out of 3094
AWCs (around 91 %) have drinking water facilities
provided by Jal Nigam under Panchayati Raj. Meanwhile
1053 villages are free from open defecation, and
102493 malnourished children households now have
toilets made by Panchayat Raj. 607 out of 3094 AWCs
have electricity connections. Apart from the above
departments, there is convergence with development
partners in the district as well.
In the district of Barabanki, Panchayati Raj has
constructed toilets for 41662 households of
malnourished children, and 2056 villages are free
from open defecation. 2737 AWCs facilitated with
safe drinking water with help of Panchayati Raj. The
Gram Pradhan participated in 1043 VHSND/Suposhan
Melas, and 1664 VHSND review meetings were held in
the last month of the year. 33868 job cards have been
issued for the household of malnourished children.
In addition, SHGs held discussions on the subject of
health and nutrition in 956 villages in the district.
Department of Food and Civil Supplies issued 63309
ration cards for household of malnourished children.
147225 boys and 65724 girls (6 to 12 class children)
received four IFA tablets; 150502 boys and 60547 girls
(6 to 12 class children) has been given health education
in the last month. There are 73 SAM children referred
to CHC, 2074 women have anemia, and 5242 women
have had ANC check-up in the last month of the year
in the district. 85EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
SUCCESS STORIES AND
BEST PRACTICES
09.
9.1. BEST PRACTICES ACROSS STATES
Despite several challenges before the ICDS, many
States have made local innovations and modifications
to the implementation process and achieved positive
results at the grass root level. These innovations
come in many forms: convergence with other
departments, service delivery in remote areas, and
responding to local challenges. Some of these success
stories are also documented by the MoWCD and the
National Institute for Public Cooperation and Child
Development (NIPCCD). This section discusses some
of the success stories and best practices based on
the local innovations. Before proceeding further,
however, it is useful to report the three important
community-based events recommended under the
ICDS ISSNIP Guidelines (No.17-1/2013-WBP, 30
th
Jul,
2014) to promote and support behaviour change to
improve maternal and child nutrition across all the
States/UTs.
Celebration of Forthcoming Motherhood
The related traditional event in Madhya Pradesh
is celebrated by the name of ‘Godbharai’, whereas
in Andhra Pradesh it is known as ‘Samoohika
Sreemanthalu’. The States may like to give a
suitable nomenclature to the event. Typically, this
is celebrated in the seventh month of pregnancy,
and also marks the event after which a lady departs
for her maternal home for delivery. While this is
traditionally celebrated at home with a few relatives
in attendance, we may use the existing traditional
practices and rituals prevalent in the community to
add cultural flavour to the celebration by having it
publicly, such as at the AWC, and inviting a wider
participation, particularly by other pregnant women
more or lesser advanced in pregnancy. Elders could also
be invited for blessing the women by offering flowers,
vermilion (sindoor), coconut, bangles etc, according
to local tradition, and being sensitive to religious and
community sentiments. An elderly woman from the
community may be requested to perform the lead
role. The pregnant women may then be honoured and
provided with necessary information for ensuring the
remaining antenatal care, a safe birth, a plan to act
swiftly in case of a medical emergency, information
about caring for the birth of a healthy baby at birth,
preparing for the next conception, and details of
various entitlements available for the woman and
her family and to make use ANC services provided by
ICDS. It may also include discussion on the importance
of health, hygiene, adequate rest and positive family
support.
Celebrating Initiation of Complementary
Feeding
The initiation of complementary feeding in children
six months of age is an important cultural event
and a critical point from a nutrition perspective.
When a child attains six months of age, breast milk
is no longer enough to meet its nutritional needs
and complementary foods should be included in
the diet of the child. This period of transition from
exclusive breastfeeding to complementary feeding
along with breastfeeding from 6 to 24 months of age
is a very vulnerable period, as it is the period when
malnutrition starts in many infants. In order to
highlight its relevance, a function celebrating the
initiation of complementary feeding for children on
the attainment six months of age is organized. In
this event, the mothers are provided with knowledge
about Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF)
practices, immunization schedule and care during
sickness. The event is celebrated with enthusiasm
and mothers advised about the variety of culturally
prevalent appropriate food items that can be added
in child’s diet. Existing cultural practices is weaved
into the organization of the event to make it more
lively and acceptable to the community. An elderly
family member or community leader is invited for
blessing the child and feeding her/him the first
bite/spoon of complementary food. The mother
is then provided information on IYCF, including
a small demonstration on the preparation of
complementary foods. She will also be taken through
the key messages of feeding and caring practices
outlined in the Mother and Child Protection Card 86EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
for children 6-12 months. This event, is currently,
celebrated in a number of States within ICDS using
different nomenclatures such as “Annaprashan” or
‘Kheer khilai’. The project will support this activity
by streamlining and standardizing the tasks and
messages to be conveyed during this event, along
with finances to facilitate these tasks.
Celebrating Coming of Age - Getting
Ready for Pre-School at AWC
One important milestone in a child’s life is the beginning
of the pre-school, when s/he leaves the home for her/
his first experience of institutional care and learning.
To celebrate this event, it is proposed to organise a
celebration for all children turning three years of age
who will start attending pre-school sessions at the
AWC. The event will include an assessment of the
child’s attainment of major developmental milestones
(cognitive, motor and socio-emotional), as detailed
out in the Mother and Child Protection Card. The child
will be given a gift which may include items such as
crayons, painting book, picture book and other play
materials/toys. Additionally, the child’s weight will be
recorded and medical check-up done to update her/his
records at the AWC. Information will also be provided
to the mother, and other household members about
the importance of early childhood care and education
(ECCE) and stimulation for the optimal growth of the
child. The event will be a celebration of the child’s
entry into the larger world beyond home.
Nutri-Garden or Kitchen-Garden
The convergence action plan guidelines (No.
PA/19/2018-CPMU dated 2
nd
November 2018)
under the POSHAN Abhiyaan has emphasised on
development of Nutri-Garden across AWCs. The aim
of this initiative is to encourage local availability of
diversified vegetables and fruits for HCM in AWCs. It
is recommended that the practice of ‘Nutri-Garden’
should be adopted by all concerned Ministries &
Departments including Panchayati Raj, Horticulture
Departments and MoWCD). The concept of Nutri-
Garden is adopted across the States. In Assam, Kishori
Samooh (under SABLA) and Adolescent girl clubs
(under UNICEF supported child protection program)
are entrusted with the responsibility to develop and
maintain kitchen gardens. Cooking demonstration and
recipes contest are also held to teach the adolescents
and Matri Sahayak Gut (MSG) members about
preserving nutrients to combat malnutrition among
children below five years.
9.1.1. Andhra Pradesh
Anna Amrutha Hastham (AAH)
The Government of Andhra Pradesh with an aim
to reduce Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), low birth
weight, Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and anaemic
condition among pregnant women, is providing One
Full Meal (OFM) under Anna Amrutha Hastham (AAH)
for pregnant and lactating women in all Anganwadi
Centres (AWCs). The OFM consists of rice, dal with
leafy vegetables/sambar, vegetables, eggs and 200 ml
milk for a minimum of 25 days in a month. Along with
the meal, IFA tablet is provided to the beneficiaries.
The food items are procured from Civil Supplies
Department/Oil Federation and Village Organizations
(VO) / Self Help Groups (SHGs) at the rates approved
by DPC. The amount is transferred into VOs account
by CDPOs. A five-member committee is constituted
with VO President as Chairperson and one member of
the VO involved in procurement, one representative
each from Pregnant and Lactating Women and AWW as
members to monitor the attendance, quality of food,
hygiene and also to mobilize beneficiaries for availing
the OFM.
Akshayapatra Foundation (Visakhapatnam)
Akshayapatra Foundation is supplying nutritious food
to all categories of beneficiaries in four ICDS Projects
in and around Visakhapatnam. The recipes provided by
the foundation include - rice khichadi, sweet pongal,
dalia, rice kheer, vegetable khichadi and sweet dalia.
The snacks such as boiled chick peas (25 gms) for
four days and boiled eggs for two days in a week are
provided to all categories of beneficiaries.
Garbhini Stree Vasathi Gruha
The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) has
established hostels for pregnant women in tribal areas
to improve institutional births coverage and help
reduce the maternal and infant deaths in the region.
The Pregnant Women Hostels (PWH) are developed
in Salur and Gumma Laxmipuram mandals. Most of
the services (physical infrastructure, breakfast and
dinner, transport) are funded and provided by the
Tribal Department and the Health Department (ANMs,
medical supplies). Services provided here are: 3 meals,
evening snacks, milk, eggs, 24x7 ANMs observation,
yoga, TV, life skills classes (by a local NGO), medical
assistance, a vehicle to take the beneficiaries to the
Salur CHC/hospital for delivery. One attendant per
beneficiary can stay at the hostel with them throughout
the 2-3 months of their stay. Even their small children
are allowed to stay with them to encourage them to 87EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
come to the hostel. The ICDS supplies ration for the
lunch. The ICDS AWWs help in community mobilization
and particularly aim to convince high-risk cases to
come to the hostel. The AWW also accompanies the
pregnant women (with ASHA and ANM) to the hostel.
The ICDS Sector supervisors and CDPOs also visit the
beneficiaries.
Nutri TASC (Tracking of Accountability of
Services at Community)
A tool for name-based tracking of registered
beneficiaries under ICDS services has been developed
by the Department of Women Development and Child
Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh. The aim is
to ensure follow-up of pregnant women, lactating
mothers, children below one year and malnourished
children below five years for availing nutrition
services. The Nutri-TASC has been developed to track
maternal and child nutrition services; facilitate and
follow up health services; ensure close follow-up of
every high-risk pregnant women; ensure special care
and supervised feeding of malnourished children below
five years, adolescent girls and pregnant women.
9.1.2. Assam
Matri Amrit Ahar
Matriamrit aims to encourage institutional delivery.
It is introduced by an NGO (NEDSF) with support
from UNICEF and Department of Social Welfare in
five districts of Assam, namely Morigaon, Kamrup,
Barpeta, Goalpara and Darrang. Pregnant women in
last trimester are provided nutritious food like locally
available fruits, pulses etc. Information about care to
be taken during pregnancy is disseminated. AWWs and
other health functionaries counsel pregnant women
during this event.
Group Supervision in Difficult Areas
Given the complex geography of Assam, AWCs located
in these areas are not easily accessible for regular
supervision by Anganwadi Services functionaries
(Supervisors, CDPOs and DSWO). Group Supervision
was initiated to address this challenge. The objective
was to cover all the AWCs in difficult blocks/
areas for regular supervision and ensure effective
implementation of ICDS services.
9.1.3. Bihar
Aangan – App-Based Monitoring of AWCs
For effective monitoring of Anganwadis in Bihar, a
mobile app-based software – ‘Aangan’ – was developed.
This app was first initiated in 4000 Anganwadi centres
in Patna district, and was further escalated to
monitor 91677 Anganwadis in total in Bihar. This app
is developed for allied CDPOs and AWS (Anganwadi
Supervisors) for manual inspections and monitoring
of Anganwadi centers. This application facilitates
real time monitoring by uploading application and
details online which is further stored on a web
based served. This data can be further utilized by
several administrators and program related officers
to understand the intricacies. The online app-based
monitoring through mobile phones by AWS broadly
aims to bring transparency and accountability in the
system. Further, the app-based monitoring ensures
timely monitoring and inspections of AWCs with
its correct GPS coordinates. In addition, this also
provides flexibility to AWS to forward other relevant
information issues by uploading photographs and
other visual evidences. Higher level authorities could
get timely ground-level updates on interventions and
situation of AWCs. The application while working in
offline mode as well, avoids any delays pertaining
to internet and network problems. This app supports
Android smart phones with minimum 2 GB RAM.
9.1.4. Chhattisgarh
Sanskar Abhiyaan: Focusing on
Early Childhood Care and Education
A campaign - ‘Sanskar Abhiyaan’ was launched in
whole states to address the child hood care needs for
those between 3 to 6 years old and primarily focus
on preventing developmental delays among them.
This campaign includes capacity building, resource
development, environment creation, monitoring
mechanism and effective delivery components to
address holistic development of children i.e. physical,
cognitive, language, creative, social, early and
emergent literacy and early numeracy. As a result,
an outstanding public participation and successful
achievement of goals of the program was observed
in overall state. This was followed by development
of several ‘Vibrant ECD Centres’ with number of
advocacy sessions which led to massive increase in
awareness.
Vajan Tyohar: Generating data base of
Nutrition Status of Children
There was immediate requirement of a proper
mechanism for identifying the burden and magnitude
of undernutrition among children. To address this,
state wide ’VajanTyohar’ was organized for growth
assessment activities among children up to 5 years. 88EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
This was done mainly to identify underweight and
stunting prevalence among children. Furthermore,
active blood screening of out of school adolescent girls
(11-18 years) was done to assess the level of anemia.
Innovations under POSHAN Abhiyaan
1. Utilizing the platform of local media to reach-
out the tribal communities. Puppet show, Nukkad
Natak and Kala Jattha’s are organized to spread
the message of optimal nutrition and good
practices around hygiene of young children.
2. Haat Bazar Activities, often regarded as life line
of the tribal belt, are organized to educate and
sensitize community on EBF (Early Breastfeeding),
complementary feeding, hand washing and anemia
prevention.
3. Enhancing the reach of messages of POSHAN
Abhiyaan to communities. For this, multiple
POSHAN Raths were flagged off to spread messages
importance of first 1000 days, Poshtik Aahar, Hand
washing, Toilet Usage and Anemia prevention.
4. Celebrating local state festivals like kamar chatt,
Teeja Pola with integrating POSHAN messages with
a message ‘Har Tyohar POSHAN Tyohar’.
5. Organizing POSHAN Workshops, Seminars and
Debate competition to engage young adolescents
at school and community level to enhance their
awareness on anemia and its prevention.
Mahatari Jatan Yojana
In 2016, the Government of Chhattisgarh launched
an integrated maternal spot-feeding program known
as the Mahtaari Jatan Yojana (MJY). Spot feeding
of Hot Cooked Meal (HCM) along with ready-to-eat
mix distribution under MJY can improve maternal
nutrition. MJY has the following objectives:
1. Special care and support to pregnant women
2. Nutrition and health education
3. Full immunization services
4. IFA distribution and consumption
5. Precautions and safe practices for adoption during
pregnancy
6. Safe and institutional births related information
7. Information on various schemes coordinated by
the health or other departments
MJY provides a platform to deliver various health and
nutrition interventions by allowing increased contacts
and interaction between the pregnant women and
grass root level service providers including the
Anganwadi workers and ASHAs. The MJY coverage has
increased significantly since the launch of the scheme.
A nutritious meal for a pregnant mother contains
adequate energy, protein, vitamins and minerals to
meet the additional demands for maternal and foetal
growth and blood volume expansion. Under MJY, all
the pregnant women registered with the Anganwadi
Centres receive hot cooked meal every day for six
days in a week from first trimester till delivery along
with ready to eat take home ration.
The HCM comprises of two wheat-based flatbread
(50 gm), rice (100 gm), mix pulse preparation (25
gm), vegetable curry (30 gm), green leafy vegetable
preparation (80 gm), salad, pickle, papad etc. (130
Figure 9.1: MJY Aakarshak Thali (Nutritious Plate)
Source: Based on MJY guidelines, Government of Chhattisgarh 89EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
gm) and jaggery (10 gm). Overall, the HCM provides
914 Kcal and 21 gm protein and is prepared at a cost
of Rs. 9.50 per beneficiary. The HCM is prepared by
the Anganwadi Worker (AWW) and Helper (AWH). The
ingredients for the HCM are supplied through women
self-help groups (WSHGs). The food is provided in a
hygienic environment and with availability of clean
drinking water. Quality of the food served to the
pregnant women is ensured by the AWW and supporting
supervision by Anganwadi supervisors.
Phulwari Scheme
To eradicate undernutrition and malnutrition among
children of age 6 months to 3 years, the Government of
Chhattisgarh has launched “Phulwari Scheme”. Under
this scheme, the children will be allowed to stay in a
crèche for six to seven hours per day. During their stay,
they will be provided a cooked meal, snacks with high
protein and high energy mixture “sattu”. They will
also be provided boiled eggs and iron supplements,
twice in a week. Jan Swasthya Sahyog (JSS) a non-
profit organization for health professionals at Bilaspur,
Chhattisgarh has tied up with other organizations such
as Panchayat Raj Institutions and Integrated Child
Development Scheme (ICDS) Centres to implement
the “Phulwari Scheme”.
Phulwari is the first scheme in the nation which
has been opened with the help of Gram Panchayats
and Mitanins of Health Department in Chhattisgarh.
In Phulwari centres, no government employees or
workers have been appointed. Instead, mothers of the
children enrolled in Phulwari themselves attend the
children and serve meal to them in rotation.
9.1.5. Delhi
Creation of AWC Hubs
Anganwadi Hubs are centers where about three to four
Anganwadis have been combined in areas with high
residential density to give the look and feel of a play
school. With the combined resources of participating
Anganwadis, it was possible to rent relatively bigger
area with open space (or ground) for free play and
multiple rooms for age-wise segregation of children.
Other benefit of Hub centres are the synergies
created by combining the efforts of multiple workers
and helpers who function together as a team and
divide the work efficiently. Hubs are serving as a more
spacious and vibrant ECCE centres. In the pilot phase,
110 Anganwadi Hubs have been created by combining
about 390 Anganwadis.
Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee
Inspection of Delhi Anganwadis reflected a near
collapse of delivery systems. In fact, it was observed
that the Anganwadi centers were plagued with a
range of severe problems including rampant truancy,
fake beneficiary data, closed centers which barely
can be said as functional ones, poor quality of meals
and rooms without natural light and ventilation.
Given these observations, the situation seems to
be unmanageable. However, the sheer numbers of
Anganwadis in Delhi made official inspections and
supervision an onerous task.
Delhi Government’s policy of decentralization by
empowering citizens to expect better services from
the government and to partner with the government
to help improve these services, was the sought
intervention in Delhi Anganwadis. Anganwadi Support
and Monitoring Committee (ASMC) or Anganwadi
Samiti was notified whereby the local community and
families of beneficiaries are mobilized to volunteer
as committee members. Delhi Government placed an
advertisement in city newspapers seeking educated
housewives, social workers and general public to
apply for the voluntary positions.
Training of AWWs on Implementation of ECCE
A cascade model was worked out for maximum
coverage and high level of involvement of all
functionaries. In this model Supervisors and CDPOs go
through extensive ECCE training and also train to be
trainers. After which Supervisors, under the guidance
of their CDPOs, train their Workers. ECCE training
involves training in the new curriculum for Pre School
Education.
9.1.6. Gujarat
Doodh Sanjeevani Yojana
It is an initiative of State Government of Gujarat
to tackle malnourishment in three talukas of
Surendaranagar district. Under the Yojana, the
primary school children in these three districts will
get milk with their midday meal. Doodh Sanjeevani
Yojana was launched and implemented to improve the
nutrition level in children in tribal areas of central
and eastern Gujarat.
Micronutrient Fortified Extruded
Blended Food as THR
Initiative/best practices by State of Gujarat include
providing supplementary food as micronutrient 90EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
fortified extruded blended food as Take Home
Ration to all the children under 6 years, adolescent
girls, pregnant and lactating mothers. All registered
beneficiaries receive energy dense extruded fortified
blended Ready to Cook food Bal-Bhog, Sukhadi,
Sheera and Upma packets free of cost from their
respective AWCs. The cost sharing for Supplementary
nutrition program for Take Home ration given to the
beneficiaries at AWCs is 50:50 of GOI and GOG. Further,
State Government of Gujarat is providing energy
dense fortified supplementary nutrition to adolescent
girls fully funded by the State. All adolescent girls
from every AWC receives free of cost supplementary
nutrition.
Mata Yashoda Award
The Government of Gujarat has introduced Mata
Yashoda Award for Best Anganwadi Worker and Helper
Award Scheme which consists of various citation & cash
awards to strengthen the services & motivate AWW and
AWH in the state since 2007- 08 for exemplary work
done by them. The State level award for AWW and AWHs
is Rs. 51,000/- and Rs.31,000/- respectively; District
level is Rs. 31,000/- and Rs.21,000/- respectively.
Mobile Anganwadis
It is an innovative scheme of the Gujarat. A total of 36
Mobile Anganwadis have been started in all districts
of Gujarat State wherein, beneficiaries of NREGA
scheme, children of Agariya - migrant workers from
Balmandir - crèches facilities (6 months to 6 years),
pregnant women, nursing mothers and adolescent
girls are provided supplementary nutrition.
LPG Gas Connection, Stoves and Cooker for
Anganwadi Centres
In order for supplementary nutrition to be provided
every day at the Anganwadi Center and in order to
save the AWW and AWH from harmful exposure of the
smoke from chulha, Gujarat Government is providing
gas connection along with Stove and an idli cooker at
Third Meal
Third Meal as ‘Carry Away Meal’ in form of ladoo is given
to the moderate and severely underweight children of
3 - 6 years (yellow and orange zone according to New
WHO Child Growth Standard) for increasing Calorie
and Protein. Third meal would have shelf-life of at-
least two days so that child can consume at any time
after going home.
Intensive Nutrition Campaign Center (INCC)
In order to reduce the prevalence of Under-nutrition in
Gujarat, Department of Women and Child Development
have started Intensive Nutrition Campaign Center
(INCC) known as Ghanishth Poshan Abhiyaan. INCC
is a camp based approach of 30 working days which
is planned considering the prevalence of moderate
and severe underweight children in anganwadi
center. Total number of 7021 INCC centers have been
completed all over Gujarat in which 112841 children
have been admitted of which 51286 children has
shown improvement in their nutritional status. Total
budget for one INCC for 20 children for 30 days is Rs.
27000.
9.1.7. Rajasthan
Social Behaviour Change Strategy to Fight
Undernutrition
Department of Women and Child Development,
Government of Rajasthan has developed a SBCC
framework and strategy to improve mother and child
nutrition outcomes in the state. The Behaviour Change
strategy builds upon a life-cycle approach, synergising
health, nutrition, care and maternity protection
messaging across the first 1000 days, adolescence
and a multi-departmental convergence. The SBCC
interventions proposes a roadmap for multi- sectoral
responses to Behaviour Change through convergence
of ongoing programs within the state steered by other
departments such as Health, Rural Development,
Panchayati Raj, Education and Food and Civil Supplies.
Praveshotsav (Anganwadi Chalo Abhiyaan)
The Department of Women and Child Development,
Government of Rajasthan has taken various initiatives
in making AWCs first point of contact for all kind of
service delivery related to pre-school Education,
Health and Nutrition & Empowerment of Women.
Initiatives such as Praveshotsav, Toy Bank, Shikhshan
Samagri, Parinda, Community Participation etc. have
been taken towards this end.
Nanda Ghar Yojana
In order to increase the community participation in
Anganwadi Services, Government of Rajasthan has
initiated Nanda Ghar Yojana. It is encouraged to adopt
one or more AWCs for the period of five years. Support
may be provided in regard to repair of AWCs, Kitchen,
and construction of toilets, kitchen garden and
boundary wall. They may also support in providing SNP, 91EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
protein mix food, contributions of fruits, vegetables
to enrich quality of Supplementary Nutrition at AWCs.
The donors may like to provide piece of land as per
the standard requirements, bear entire expenditure
on construction of building and its boundary wall or
they may construct building boundary wall on the
piece of land provided by the Government.
Rajdharaa App
It is a mobile application which enables ICDS
functionaries to conduct real-time monitoring of AWCs
and submit their observations/feedback along with
the time, date and GPS stamp of the concerned AWC.
This application generates different kinds of reports
which help ICDS officials in planning and executing
their monitoring process. The monitored AWCs are
highlighted in red colour and green colour in this
mobile application as per their status. It also provides
project/block wise lists of AWCs, and the name and
contact numbers of AWWs, AWHs, and ASHAs.
9.1.8. Uttarakhand
Mukhyamantri Bal Poshan Abhiyaan
Under this state-level scheme, all the identified
undernourished and severely undernourished children
will be provided energy dense meals cooked from
regional food including Amaranth, corn, and black
soybeans. The identification of these energy-rich
ingredients is done in Pantnagar University. These
ingredients - which are rich in energy – are being
prepared by women in registered Self-Help Groups
(SHGs). This scheme aims to effectively escalate
reductions in the burden of Severe Acute malnutrition
in the state.
Spandan Kendra
Given the difficult geographical and spatial position
of the state, government has identified one AWC as
‘Spandan Kendra’ in every ten AWCs. These centres
will serve as exclusive spots to create awareness
regarding nutrition and diet-related information
among program beneficiaries. These centres are
also being developed as Information, education
and Communications (IEC) Centres. Along with this,
these centres will also communicate to beneficiaries
regarding the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.
Mukhyamantri Aanchal Amrit Yojana
Launched by state government, Mukhyamantri
Aanchal Amrit Yojana aims to reduce the burden of
undernutrition among children. Under this scheme,
children aged 3 to 6 years across all the AWCs in the
state will be provided with scented and flavoured
milk (or milk powder) by Dairy Federation, Haldwani
at least four times in a week.
9.1.9. Uttar Pradesh
Activity Calendar
In Uttar Pradesh, an activity-calendar based approach
is used to ensure timely delivery of services and
interventions by grass-root level workers. The AWWs
are supposed to follow activity calendar prepared by
official at the state level. This provides uniformity in
tasks and avoids any confusion pertaining to program
related activities. A sample monthly calendar
specifying daily activities to be performed by AWWs
is provided below. Date-wise specific activities are
mentioned such as meeting with state-, project- and
district-level officials on 1
st
, 2
nd
and 4
th
day of the
month. In addition, specific days for VHSND, Suposhan
Swasthya Melas, Annaprashan Diwas, and Laadli Diwas
are mentioneImportantly, it gives a before-hand
information and hence time to prepare for up-coming
activities at AWCs and to carry out tasks timely.
Smart Inventory Management System
Uttar Pradesh has developed a Smart Inventory
Management System (SIMS) to improve distribution
and monitoring of THR from procurement to last mile
delivery. There are several important steps in the work
flow design of SIMS which has to be implemented by
the ICDS officials and the NIC. The steps are designed
to improve the THR distribution and reduce leakages
through greater participation of stakeholders in the
distribution process.
Poshan Doot
In a given village, an elderly woman who has been
actively participating in the nutrition related
activities in the village is made the “Poshan Doot”.
She voluntarily visits homes of pregnant and lactating
woman, adolescent girls and young children and
provide health & nutrition related counselling to these
beneficiaries, thus spreading awareness among the
community. A significant change in such communities
was observed wherever such “Poshan doots” were
selected from within the community. 93EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
10.1. SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS
Launched on 02
nd
October, 1975, the Integrated
Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme – the
Anganwadi Services Scheme – is a principal symbol
of India’s commitment to its children and nursing
mothers. The scheme is designed as a response to
the fundamental challenges of child development
in terms of a) cognitive development through pre-
school non-formal education; b) physical growth
by liberating childhood from the vicious cycle of
malnutrition, morbidity, reduced cognitive capacity
and mortality. Despite decades of ICDS investments,
there is much to be attained in the sphere of child
development in India. As such, the institutional and
implementation mechanisms vary across states, and
therefore, it is critical to draw upon state experiences
to identify key constraints and major opportunities for
learning, impact and efficacy. With this motivation,
this evaluation entails a qualitative assessment of the
key processes, implementation structure, program
monitoring and the motivations and engagement
of the human resources under the ICDS scheme.
It also documents the beneficiary perception and
expectations with the key ICDS services. The main
findings of the evaluation are as follows:
10.1.1. ICDS Coverage
As per the NFHS 2015-16 survey, 59.6% of children
from rural areas and 40.2% of children from urban
areas are receiving at least one of the ICDS services.
The service utilization (any ICDS service) by mothers
during pregnancy is about 20% points higher for
rural areas (60.5%) than urban areas (38.8%). Even
while breastfeeding, a significant gap in utilization
pattern can be observed between rural (55.1%) and
urban (35.6%) settings. Among all the key services
under ICDS, service uptake for supplementary food
is highest for mothers during pregnancy both in rural
(57.4%) and urban households (36.4%) areas. Similarly,
supplementary food services are most popular among
children as well. On the contrary, the uptake for
health and nutrition education is lowest.
10.
SUMMARY AND ACTION POINTS
Across states, Chhattisgarh has the highest percentage
of mothers receiving ICDS benefits during pregnancy
both in rural (92.8%) as well as urban areas (73.8%).
Whereas, it was lowest in Nagaland (Rural: 11.3%;
Urban 4.5%) followed by Arunachal Pradesh (Rural:
15.9%; Urban 6.0%). The service utilization by children
is highest for Chandigarh (Rural: 100%; Urban 51.3%)
followed by West Bengal (Rural: 82.6%; Urban 54.9%)
and lowest in Arunachal Pradesh (Rural: 8.4%; Urban
7.7%). Service utilization by mothers in undernutrition
burdened states like Uttar Pradesh (Rural: 44.7%;
Urban 20.7%) and Bihar (Rural: 39.2%; Urban 30.8%)
is very low.
In rural areas, service uptake is relatively higher
among mothers from middle income groups. Whereas
estimates for urban areas reveal a clear socioeconomic
gradient in service utilization with higher utilization
among mothers (and children) from lower income
households. It is also noted that the likelihood of
continuum in service utilization is higher if mothers
have started receiving benefits during pregnancy.
10.1.2. Supplementary Nutrition
Program
As per the ICDS Program data, the estimated coverage
for supplementary nutrition program (SNP) in 2018-19
is 46% for children (aged 0-71 months) and 37% for
pregnant women & lactating mothers (PLM). Between
2014-15 and 2018-19, the SNP coverage among children
reduced by 15.1% (from 8.29 crores to 7.04 crores) and
among PLM reduced by 11.1% (from 1.93 crore to 1.72
crore). These reductions are mainly observed in Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh and indicate possible revisions of
beneficiary counts. Most of the north-eastern states
have reported beneficiary numbers which are more
or less equal to the entire child population aged 6-71
months. But the NFHS 2015-16 estimates reveal that
the coverage is much lower.
SNP lacks the necessary diversity and quality.
Beneficiary preferences for food items and taste vary
both between and within States. Demand for milk
and eggs under SNP is noted but cannot be sustained
because of low unit costs of SNP as per the ICDS norms. 94EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Some States provide dry ration whereas others supply
powdered mix under take-home ration (THR). The
distribution schedule also varies across States (from
weekly to monthly).
It is important to strike a balance between
decentralization of THR supplies and economies of
scale in providing quality THR. The quality standards
of THR mix is questionable because of complaints
such as impurities (pebbles, insects etc.). Widespread
perception and evidence that the THR is not consumed
as intended and often finds its way as cattle feed.
THR distribution is irregular and is severely affected
in flood prone areas due to storage and transportation
issues. Low unit cost of THR also implies lack of funds
for transportation, high risk premium (interests) and
low financial viability of suppliers. The THR unit cost
declines substantially once distribution-related costs
are accounted for. The THR distribution should be
transparent with community involvement in receipt
and verification of THR supplies at the AWCs.
10.1.3. Early Child Care and Education
There is increasing aspiration among parents to send
the children to pre-primary or nurseries with focus
on English language skills. Also, lack of clarity in
guidelines about the admission of 5-year-old children
in schools often means they lose out on supplementary
nutrition and/or elementary education as they have
to be put either in the AWC or the primary school.
Private nurseries and kindergartens are perceived to
be better than AWCs by beneficiaries. Parents also
send children to primary school at the age of 5, thus
cutting short their time at the AWC by a year or so.
The community lacks awareness about the role of an
AWC and the services offered by AWC. Moreover, the
AWCs have a perception of poor service delivery in
terms of SNP or PSE. The image of the AWC and the
AWW has low community recognition as an agency.
AWWs alone are not skilled enough to provide the
play-based, non-formal training required for children
aged 0-6 years. Even though there are course books
and toys now provided to the AWCs greater focus on
ECCE is critical.
There are several other concerns associated with the
ECE component. A large indoor and outdoor space is
advised by the guidelines, but this is almost never
available due to a lack of proper infrastructure. Many
AWCs, especially in urban areas, are cramped and
poorly ventilated. They do not have enough space for
the children to play and learn properly. Many AWCs do
not have equipment like swings, sand/water areas etc.
due to lack of space and/or funding. Separate interest
areas and activity corners are also not available in
most AWCs due to this lack of space. Modifications
to learning materials for children with special needs
were not observed in any of the AWCs.
10.1.4. Other ICDS Services
Immunization services are mostly performed during
VHSNDs. Even though AWWs and Supervisors make
regular home visits, conduct VHSNDs and plan
awareness activities, it is sometimes difficult to
physically reach beneficiaries residing in very remote
areas. Many peripheral programs are time-bound,
with the AWWs given deadlines to complete the tasks.
This means that they have to sacrifice time and effort
spent on nutrition and health education activities. In
case of health emergency or health care need, the
AWW advises the beneficiary to consult with the ANM
and ASHA. Nevertheless, there are problems in the
health check-ups and referral services mainly because
the AWWs are not seen as a clinical person. It would
be instead useful to club these three aspects into a
single domain of nutrition and health education and
counselling.
10.1.5. Beneficiary Aspirations
Beneficiaries have reasonable expectations regarding
quality of THR and menu diversity. In Chhattisgarh,
there is a higher demand for inclusion of chicken, fish,
milk, fruit and eggs as a part of the supplementary
nutrition. The quality of ECCE as well as infrastructure
of AWC has not evolved as per the development of
facilities in private sector schools and nurseries.
They also demand a proper toilet facility and electric
fans at the AWCs.
10.1.6. ICDS Infrastructure
In 2018-19, 86% and 69% of operational AWCs in India
reported availability of drinking water facility and
toilet facility, respectively. Availability of drinking
water facility is the lowest across Manipur (21%),
Arunachal Pradesh (29%) and Karnataka (54%). Eight
States/UTs, including Uttar Pradesh, report 100%
coverage of drinking water facility. Across 11 States/UTs
the availability is between 50% to 80%. Availability of
toilet facility at AWCs is much neglected aspect across
States/UTs. In Manipur, only 27% of the operational
AWCs report of having a toilet facility. 19 States/UTs
have less than 80% coverage of toilet facility.
In 2018-19, 43.5% of the AWCs were functioning from
government building, 26.6% from rented spaces,
17.8% from school, 5.3% from Gram Panchayats 95EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
whereas remaining 6.8% were functioning in other
community areas including open space. Between
2015-16 and 2018-19, there is a gradual increase in
the share of AWCs with own government buildings.
Over 90% of the AWCs in Arunachal Pradesh (mostly
Kutcha structures), Mizoram and Tripura are operating
from government buildings. In Jammu and Kashmir
and Delhi most of the AWCs are operating from rented
structures. In Uttar Pradesh about 60% of the AWCs
are operating in school premises. In Odisha, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Telangana, and Uttarakhand over 25% to
30% AWCS are functioning from schools. In Haryana
and Punjab about 20% to 25% AWCs are located within
GP building premises. In Meghalaya and Maharashtra,
7.9% and 3.6% of the AWCs, respectively, operate in
open community spaces.
Since there is often no space available in certain
neighbourhoods for the AWC, clustering is done
wherever space is found. However, this increases
distance for beneficiaries. Economic cost to the
beneficiaries is increased because of this clustering
and having to pay for transport to be able to access to
it. Poor rental norms and abysmal conditions of AWCs
in urban slums result in sub-par conditions for AWCs to
function in often cramped and improperly ventilated.
Proper office space is needed for the ICDS
functionaries; no vehicle available to them even when
they have 2-3 blocks under them, which are often far-
flung. They then have to hitchhike and this gives rise
to monitoring and safety issues in remote areas and
states like Assam. Training often happens out-of-state,
which leads to a lack of proper monitoring and quality
control. Distance is an issue for the functionaries to
travel for these trainings. Such training locations that
are out of state have implications for women workers
who are burdened by gendered responsibilities on
the home front, and lack the ability to negotiate new
spaces and mechanisms of reaching there.
The ICDS suffers from lack of administrative and
logistics structures in urban areas for AWCs. The
lack of identified space for functioning of AWCs is
due to lack of regulatory mechanisms on where and
how to set it up in urban areas. Inability therefore
to identify persons responsible for this is a major
concern although to some extent Urban Local Bodies
do facilitate but specific regulations are needed to
overcome this weakness of ICDS in urban areas.
Although, some urban areas have experimented with
Community Hub models for AWCs in Urban areas but
these requires guidelines for practices/provisions.
There is poor provisioning of basic facilities like
water, electricity, toilets, play yard, access roads.
Flood prone areas, seismic zones, temperature,
hilly and remote areas become harder to access and
deliver services in. In terms of digital infrastructure
and internet connectivity, poor connectivity in rural
areas also deters many other reporting requirements.
Accessibility is a big issue in tribal areas, with hilltops
and other hindrances making it difficult to travel to
and from the AWCs. Supervisors are unable to pay
visits to far-flung areas since they have no transport
of their own and also have concerns over their safety
in such remote areas.
It is important that the ICDS budgeting for AWC
construction should be sensitive to regional variations
– storage/animal infestations, hilly areas, flood
prone areas, child friendly houses. It should take
into account ecological aspects (earthquake proof
construction) and climatic conditions (extreme
winters etc) to develop model design (Room + Kitchen
+ Toilet + Playing Area). Meanwhile, the rental norms
should be informed based on local conditions and
desired quality of infrastructure.
10.1.7. ICDS Human Resources
As of 2018-19, 30.1% of sanctioned positions for CDPOs
and 27.7% of sanctioned positions for Supervisors
are vacant across the country. There are significant
inter-state variations. Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka and Jharkhand had more
than 40% of CDPO vacant sanctioned posts. In case
of Supervisors, West Bengal has large rate of 67% in
sanctioned positions. More than 40% of sanctioned
positions are vacant in Bihar, Tripura and Tamil Nadu. As
per the ICDS norms there should be one supervisor per
25 AWCs. This implies that either most of the workers
at the lower levels are working without supervision or
there is a lot of load on supervisors and CDPOs where
a large number of posts are vacant. Also, as of 2018-
19, 6.9% of sanctioned positions for AWWs and 7.6%
of sanctioned positions for AWHs were vacant across
the country. Bihar has a vacancy of 17.1% followed by
Maharashtra, Telangana and Delhi which had a vacancy
of more than 10% among sanctioned AWW positions.
With wide heterogeneities in AWW age and educational
background, there are several challenges in training
and capacity building efforts. Trainings are mostly
centralised with uniform syllabus and style rather
than innovating with local experiences and ground-
up approach. For instance, language barriers make
knowledge transfer harder as it might be difficult
to appropriately translate or find context-specific
examples for effective learning. Travelling is almost
necessary for all AWWs for attending these trainings 96EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
and consequently often quality control and monitoring
of sessions becomes difficult and trainings end up as
a formal exercise.
Existing staff is also overburdened with multiple
tasks over and above their core job chart (Aadhaar
work, various government schemes and campaigns,
mobilizing for Jan Andolan, election duty etc.)
This hardly permits the AWC supervisors and CDPOs
one visit to each AWC per month. The quality of
supervision thus suffers, and does not allow internal
communication and AWC development. Travelling is a
problem for the AWC supervisors in rural Assam and
tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh. Despite such difficult
geographical terrain there are limited provisions for
transportation allowances.
The AWWs are expected to work for about four and half
hours per day. Most of the AWWs work as per the norm
though sometimes trainings, meetings and other duties
increase the working hours. The AWWs, however, are
required to undertake diverse activities during this
period of 270 minutes. This has implications for time
allocation across activities. However, time allocation
of selected AWWs finds considerable imbalance in
terms of time allocation and program priority. It is
noted that the AWWs end up spending close to 90
minutes on record and register entries and allocates
much lower time on preschool education. The AWW
usually do not encounter cases for treatment or cases
of minor illness. The AWWs spent considerably less
time on home visits. In fact, considerable time is
spent on other activities such as meetings as well as
other unspecified (personal) tasks.
There is difficulty reported in adapting to the
digitization of reporting methods. Even after training,
older AWWs and/or the ones who are not formally
literate, find it difficult to understand and operate
smart phones. In fact, these AWWs have to depend
on someone from family/community to help them
every day with data entry. The ILA method is not as
effective due to reduced knowledge transfer at each
level. Refresher trainings need to be conducted more
often. Language is a barrier sometimes, especially
in remote/tribal projects. It is also suggested that
the AWWs require more training on ECCE. Some
administrative officials also perceive that the
ICDS does not seem to take any action or interest
in updating the training programs. The top-down
approach to training also means travelling and staying
in the district headquarters. This takes up a lot of
time and effort when AWWs have to go for training.
In their wake, the AWCs are run by AWHs who are not
trained for this job.
10.1.8. ICDS Financing and Budgetary
Allocations
The Central assistance for 2019-20 is Rs.1992779 lakh.
Out of which, Honoraria (47.0%), SNP (33.9%), and
salary (6.5%) jointly account for about 87.4% of the
total Central assistance. About 7.5 per cent of the
central assistance is allocated toward infrastructure
and rent. Infrastructure budget includes expenditure
on up gradation of AWCs, provision of drinking
water and toilet facility and construction of AWCs
under MGNREGA have received 4 per cent of total
expenditure. The expected budget comprising of both
Central assistance and proposed expenditure by State
is Rs.3317195 lakhs. It may be noted that the Centre-
State expected budget is estimated by combining the
Central assistance with minimum expected State/UTs
contribution as per the cost-sharing norms for salary,
Anganwadi service (General), SNP and infrastructure.
However, certain States may be allocating greater (or
less) than required normative budget for ICDS.
Budgetary allocations are inadequate vis-à-vis the
expectations and requirements of the state. Poor
utilization of infrastructure funds/training funds was
reported in the states visited. In many cases, the
budget is deemed adequate to maintain status quo,
but as we approach the grass root level, we see that
this is not the case. Rules, regulations and norms for
flow/release of funds for infrastructure development
need to be reviewed and streamlined. There is scope
for convergence with GPDP.
The APIP offers limited scope for innovations in
community outreach activities and even infrastructure
development. It is reasonable that within a broad
framework of ICDS objectives and priorities, the States
should be provided flexibility to plan and implement
state specific action plans. The state PIP would spell out
the strategies and activities as well as the budgetary
requirements to achieve the outputs and outcomes.
This will have the advantage of strengthening local
planning at the district level and below.
ICDS has developed various formats for submission of
utilization certificate and statement of expenditure.
However, the state-level financial management
reports, formats and procedures can be developed for
uniformity. ICDS Financial Management Group (FMG)
should be effective across States to for planning,
budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, internal
controls including internal audit, external audit,
procurement, disbursement of funds and monitoring
the physical and financial performance of the
program, with the main aim of managing resources
efficiently and achieving pre-determined objectives. 97EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
The CAG audit (2012) noted that failure of the
program other than lack of co-ordination is the
inability to use the funds, especially, to recruit the
functionaries who could ensure smooth functioning
of the program. There are problems in utilization of
flexi-funds, shortfall in expenditure on SNP and low
average daily expenditure per beneficiary on SNP. The
actual expenditure on salary of ICDS functionaries is
very high which leaves very meager amount for other
key components. Also, the fund meant for ICDS is
being parked in activities such as civil deposits and
personal ledger, which are not permitted under the
program. The monitoring and assessment of services
under the SNP and PSE is not adequate and has led to
lapses in successful implementation of the scheme.
The AWWs usually devote more than 4 hours working
for the AWC activities. It is important to review the TA/
DA norms for various functionaries to attend trainings
and meeting. These should be timely released as often
reimbursements (transport, minor repairs in AWC)
take many months to reach the AWWs, which leads
to them having to borrow money/continue spending
out of their own pocket AWC. Gap in salaries of the
regular and contractual CDPOs or AW Supervisors is a
source of discontent. Providing performance grant to
AWWs is an appreciated idea and can be linked to AWC
indicators/Project indicators.
Completeness and digitization of the identification
records of ICDS scheme employees and workers
including the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers is
necessary to improve transparency and knowledge
about placements, transfer postings and facilitate
timely communication of office orders. These are
also necessary to ease financial payments (salaries,
honoraria, and incentives). Use of PFMS should
be universal for payments. All the States / UTs are
recommended to develop digital records to facilitate
systematic programmatic reviews and monitoring of
staff.
10.1.9. Governance Issues and Gaps
Convergence action plans are developed and executed
across States and Districts. But despite consensus on
needs and priorities, resource constraints emerge as
a significant barrier for convergence. The resources
are both financial as well as non-financial including
human resource (technical or managerial) and can be
experienced at each of the vertical layers. Finally,
variations in capacities at each level decelerate the
progress and even dilute the impact of convergence
initiatives. These capacities are reflected in gaps
in planning and logistics at the highest levels to
elementary aspects such as variations in training and
implementation capacities across line departments
and grass-root level functionaries.
Three models of THR production and distribution
exist across India: Centralized Production Facilities,
Decentralized Production Facilities and Decentralized
Self-Help Groups. In the Centralized Production
Facility model, one production facility is contracted
to produce and distribute THR for an entire state.
In the Decentralized Production Facility model,
producers are typically contracted to produce THR
for AWCs across multiple communities or at the Block
level. In the Decentralized Self-Help Group model,
SHGs are contracted to provide THR typically to only
one or two AWCs per SHG. It is noted that all steps
of THR production, distribution and payments should
be monitored through a logistics monitoring and
information system. The THR production should meet
minimum technical qualifications to ensure quality
control.
The formation of ICDS society is of relevance to
expedite the flow of funds for ICDS activities. The
ICDS does not have a Society at the State and District
level. This is unlike National Health Mission (NHM)
which has established both State Health Society and
District Health Society as vertical support structures
for different national and state health programs.
Through this arrangement the DHSs can manage
both treasury and non-treasury sources of funds.
There is no flexibility in terms of fund transfer and
expenditure which causes delays in procedures and
implementation. Formation of ICDS society can also
expedite issues related to appointment of contractual
staff for the activities.
Similar to MGNREGA, the ICDS also has a huge
beneficiary base and large-scale investment for
provisioning of SNP. With repeated claims of poor
coverage and low quality of SNP supplies it is important
for ICDS to establish a social audit mechanism. Some
States have formed Community-level AWC Committees
with a similar mandate. For instance, ICDS Delhi
has constituted Anganwadi Support and Monitoring
Committee (ASMC). ICDS Assam has formed Mother’s
Support Group or Matri Sahayak Gut. The ICDS can
strengthen such existing initiatives by developing
social audit guidelines and procedures.
Performance-based incentive is an important
approach to motivate employees to work productively
and achieve desirable goals and objectives. The
performance-based incentive can be linked to
individual performance on selected set of indicators.
The AWWs are offered honorarium for delivery of key 98EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
ICDS services. However, they can be motivated with
performance-based incentives to complete certain
tasks and achieve targets that are helpful for coverage
or quality improvement of the ICDS. The Government
of Uttar Pradesh has launched a Performance based
incentive program for AWWs.
Although the central WCD website had information
on the contact details of all AWCs and the projects,
most regional websites lack this information. The
ICDS websites of all Indian states were not regularly
updated with on-going and upcoming events and
notifications. Some websites displayed information
regarding the ICDS objective, guidelines, and different
benefits of the scheme but had limited information on
access to different related portals or location related
information of AWCs and ICDS offices. Success stories
of each state are also not available or updated for
facilitating replicat
In recent years, there has been increasing focus
and attention on nutrition and nutrition-related
sectors such as water, sanitation etc. National and
international developmental agencies and partners
have contributed toward improving the strategies
and coverage of nutrition interventions with greater
involvement of community to improve awareness,
following of IYCF practices and timely health care
seeking. The ICDS should identify priority areas for
funding support or technical engagement of such
development partner or CSR initiatives.
The AWWs have to maintain a set of 11 registers which
has to regularly up-dated and reported to support
program monitoring. The AWWs have to also fill up
monthly and annual reporting forms. The reporting and
record maintenance can be cumbersome, particularly
when AWWs are being involved in increasing number of
community-based events and activities. In this regard,
the ICDS should consider reviewing and reducing the
reporting requirements from AWWs.
Performance grants are definitely an appreciated
idea among the functionaries; it can be linked to AWC
indicators / Project indicators to motivate them on a
collective platform. Career trajectories should also be
considered for these incentives. Issues like pensions,
health insurance and other benefits were also brought
up by the functionaries interviewed.
The Annual Program Implementation Plan (APIP) of
ICDS is limited to few aspects that are covered under
the program. Unlike NHM, ICDS has not demonstrated
any expansion in the scope and nature of activities.
For instance, the concept of untied fund under NHM
for various public health facilities is well defined
and implemented. Whereas, ICDS has not developed
adequate provisions for such untied fund or specific
line items to strengthen technical support for the
program. Low emphasis and resource allocation for
infrastructure strengthening (including facilities for
learning component) has remained a key weakness of
the ICDS. The ICDS should further streamline financial
reporting formats. The ICDS lacks initiatives to spell
out adequate standards and norms for infrastructure
upgradation at all levels. Training infrastructure is also
an area deserving greater policy focus under ICDS. The
ICDS-CAS is in its infancy and suffers from logistical as
well as capacity perspectives. Unlike HMIS, ICDS does
not facilitate quick review of program indicators at
district, state or national level. There is an urgent
need to upgrade the data reporting infrastructure and
human resources under ICDS.
Gram Panchayats can have considerable leverage in
strengthening the AWC infrastructure through liaison
with various departments and the scope for availing
funds through Gram Panchayat Development Plans.
The Convergence Action Plan can emphasise on such
possibilities and explore opportunities for pooling
funds to enhance rural development and well-being.
Social Audit is an important and successful feature of
the MGNREGA. This can be adopted within the ICDS as
well, which can help institute some accountability and
quality assurance in the SNP delivered at the AWCs.
The ICDS-CAS thus has dual advantage and serves
both AWW as well as the ICDS monitoring staff. Since
ICDS-CAS has an individual focus, the data entry
requirements are large. In comparison, the NHM-
HMIS is utilized mainly for program review and course
correction. The NHM HMIS has witnessed significant IT
investments over the last 10 years and has emerged as
a successful pan-India network for key indicators on
public health system and services. The ICDS-CAS would
require substantial IT investments to create such
broad-based IT infrastructure and human resources
to make ICDS-CAS a tool for program monitoring and
review.
As per Article 244 of the Constitution of India, the
6
th
Schedule deals with the administration of the
tribal areas in the four north-eastern states of Assam,
Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Autonomous
District Councils (ADCs) under the Sixth Schedule
have authority over various legislative subjects
and are entitled to receive grants-in-aid from the
Consolidated Fund of India to meet development
expenditure on education, health care, education,
roads etc. The autonomy is expected to offer greater
opportunity for economic development and ethnic 99EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
well-being. However, they lack financial autonomy as
these ADCs significantly depend on state governments
for developmental funds and for decisions regarding
undertaking of developmental activities. In Assam, we
observed autonomy issues hinder ICDS functioning and
implementation in the area.
10.2. KEY ACTION POINTS
Supplementary Nutrition Program
1. Revise the ICDS dietary norms to consider dietary
diversity to include food groups such as eggs,
fruit, milk and milk products
2. Revise the ICDS financial norms to include the
dietary diversity requirements
3. Specialized training to AWW and AWH to manage
the dietary diversity requirements
4. Ensure separation of dietary variants to enable
dietary integration at user level
5. AWW and AWH should be compensated for the
additional work and time requirements due to hot
cooked meal (HCM) for pregnant women
6. Change the timing of distribution of THR to a
weekly basis where it is currently not. Plan fixed-
day and fixed-time schedule for distribution
7. Provide THR to all identified undernourished
beneficiaries (children as well as pregnant or
lactating women) either at AWCs or through home
visits
8. A logistic management and information system
(LMIS) should be developed for ICDS to track both
receipt at AWC and the last mile THR delivery to
beneficiaries
9. The level of decentralization and contract should
be based on technical requirements for THR
production and quality checks. The THR should
adhere to standard packaging and labelling
practices along with barcoding and display of
mandatory information about nutritional content
10. A separate budgetary allocation for transportation
costs of THR based on regions and geographies
should be made
11. The ICDS should invest in capacity building of
institutions for nutrition research to obtain vital
policy insights on programmatic concerns
12. Improve identification of program beneficiaries
and develop digital record of ICDS beneficiaries
for streamlining budgeting and planning
Early Child Development and Pre-School
Education
13. Revise the ICDS financial norms to include the pre-
school education requirements including learning
materials as well as training and capacity building
of AWC staff
14. Develop a pre-school certification program to
link AWC’s pre-school component to primary
schools using inter-departmental convergence
mechanisms
15. ICDS should aim for co-location of AWCs with
primary schools for greater local level convergence
16. Devise strategies to cover children below 3 years
under the early childhood care and education
component.
17. Counselling material and guidelines should be
developed to focus on psycho-social development
of children below 3 years
18. Develop capacities of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)
for ECCD component through trainings and
capacity building workshops
19. ICDS should seek a teacher for the pre-school
component in convergence mode through funding
support from Panchayati Raj or Education
department
20. The ICDS guidelines should be revised to allow for
AWCs hubs by combining 3-4 AWCs in areas with
high population density, such as urban areas
Basic Infrastructure facilities
21. Universal coverage of drinking water supply, toilet
facilities and electricity connection at all AWCs
and mini-AWCs
22. Revise the ICDS financial norms for infrastructure
upgradation. Seek support of developmental
partners for construction and refurbishments.
23. Monitor and document through ICDS-MPR the
availability of basic infrastructure at AWC such
as drinking water supply, toilet facilities and
electricity connection
24. Integrate physical reporting form AWCs to digital
reporting at block level for ICDS-CAS mechanism
25. Provide mobile internet connectivity charges
to support ICDS CAS reporting. Ensure mobile
portability and offline data entry features in CAS.
26. Develop the ICDS websites of States/UTs to
provide mandatory disclosures including MPR
indicators as well as geo-spatial location of AWCs
and ICDS offices. Highlight success stories of each 100EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
state through the website to allow for replication
elsewhere.
27. The financial norms for AWC construction should
be sensitive to regional variations in storage/
animal infestations/hilly terrain/flood prone
areas and child friendly spaces
28. Provide playing area or yard for physical activities
and games for children
Human Resources
29. Complete digital records of ICDS functionaries for
identification, performance reviews, monitoring
plan and timely release of payments through
digital financial management system
30. Provide for performance-based incentives
for achievement of target indicators through
measurement and monitoring to AWCs on a sharing
basis with beneficiaries
31. Authorize DM/DC in all States (and not merely in
aspirational districts) for recruitment of CDPOs
from existing AWCs with appropriate experience
and AWC supervisors from AWWs through special
drives
32. Develop mechanisms to expedite recruitment of
key ICDS functionaries through ICDS society or via
Departmental recruitment board. Also review the
progress of Departmental Promotion Committees.
33. Training and capacity building of AWWs/AWHs for
meals preparation and nutrition counselling to
improve quality and diversity
34. Training programs should adhere to minimum
technical (including computers and projectors)
and space requirements for training venue
35. Devise tools and apps to assist monitoring by ICDS
functionaries (including supervisors, block and
district level officials)
Financing Aspects
36. Increase the ICDS budget to allow for dietary
diversity, infrastructural requirements and
maintenance. APIP should develop line items for
SNP sub-components including transport.
37. Devise interest-based penalties and compensation
for delays in release of Central or State share
toward ICDS program liabilities including salary
disbursals
38. Increase allocation for improvements in pre-
school education kits for locally relevant playing
and learning materials
39. The financial guidelines for APIP development
should be expanded to allow for increasing the
scope of the line items to encourage innovations in
service delivery with a flexi-fund for sub-schemes
40. ICDS policy should be revised to allow for an ICDS
society at the state and district level along the
lines of the NHM to expedite the flow of funds for
ICDS activities
41. Provide incentives to AWW to follow up on NRC
rehabilitated children to prevent relapse of SAM
and MAM children
42. Provide incentives to AWW and AWH for
achievement of immunization coverage and
performance on other micronutrients coverage
such as Anemia or Vitamin A
43. Provide incentives for Aadhar information seeding
of beneficiaries and regular anthropometric
measurements. Incentivize home visits for these
purposes
Convergence Issues
44. Allow state level authorities to develop guidelines
and protocols for utilization of CAP platform at
state level to address all state level issues
45. Enable CAP committees to develop guidelines for
social audit of ICDS through MGNREGA or VHSNC
audit mechanisms or ICDS based AWC monitoring
committees
46. Review and revise the number of registers to be
maintained by ICDS functionaries by reducing
those directly related to health services such
as immunization and referrals. Alternatively,
these services may be incentivized for improving
coverage and effectiveness
47. Plan media and community level engagements to
promote ICDS services and receive feedback for
scheme improvements
48. Seek convergence with municipal corporations/
councils in urban areas to facilitate AWC and
school co-location as well as utilities provision
and maintenance
49. ICDS should establish CRM and JRM along the lines
of NHM for review of ICDS. To do so, it should
partner with academic institutions to ensure
independence of the review processes. Annual
CRM and JRM reports should be made available in
public domain
50. Set up an Expert Committee on the status of ICDS
service delivery in 6
th
Schedule Areas 101EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
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nutrition and psychosocial stimulation interventions. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
(1308). 33-45. 103EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
States 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19% Share (2018-19)
Andhra Pradesh 2382866 2631659 2575806 2361549 2264402 3.22
Arunachal Pradesh 222956 226323 206669 189060 189060 0.27
Assam3310885 3310885 3310885 3562673 3030677 4.31
Bihar9967439 9892618 9892618 4940640 5969856 8.48
Chhattisgarh 2055307 2055307 1963485 2013902 2216000 3.15
Goa57419 58719 57584 56630 52996 0.08
Gujarat3185697 3269470 3141989 3104693 3104693 4.41
Haryana1105095 996751 924226 883607 839339 1.19
Himachal Pradesh 458955 449511 449087 427449 398112 0.57
Jammu & Kashmir 295039 295039 845074 731676 798450 1.13
Jharkhand2840711 2961485 3180362 2634116 2744555 3.90
Karnataka3997286 3997286 3997286 4036695 3948737 5.61
Kerala856427 874831 699638 747654 815494 1.16
Madhya Pradesh 5935835 5526328 6291588 6607796 6571443 9.34
Maharashtra5983249 5940882 5585804 5312961 5196154 7.38
Manipur355176 355176 355176 340984 340984 0.48
Meghalaya440399 468579 476923 489738 454119 0.65
Mizoram77974 109179 80360 155222 155222 0.22
Nagaland302940 292059 289575 287537 278810 0.40
Odisha3872777 3823385 3823385 3918422 3918422 5.57
Punjab937773 945504 888728 671496 671496 0.95
Rajasthan2868934 2781462 2744718 2616106 2667157 3.79
Sikkim23288 25316 25316 30500 24500 0.03
Tamil Nadu2452140 2452506 2448525 2394243 2440152 3.47
Telangana1691079 1574455 1518128 1457408 1500000 2.13
Tripura299116 299116 314957 344859 332353 0.47
Uttar Pradesh 18445336 19126779 16043369 14334752 12392606 17.61
Uttarakhand632102 684721 663207 607332 597062 0.85
West Bengal6871904 6631338 6462646 6117637 5911318 8.40
A & N Islands12550 12781 12065 10568 9591 0.01
Chandigarh55806 53188 50770 47506 48547 0.07
Delhi846467 697158 697158 451407 437046 0.62
Dadra & N Haveli 19725 19379 19008 19363 19363 0.03
Daman & Diu6308 6308 6308 5150 5150 0.01
Lakshadweep4652 4652 4652 3450 3450 0.00
Puducherry27812 28781 26398 26936 26806 0.04
All India 82899424 82878916 80073473 71941717 70374122 100.00
A1.
ANNEXURE 1: SUPPLEMENTARY TABLES
Table S1: Number of SNP beneficiaries (children, 6 months to 6 years), 2014-15 to 2018-19
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS Data 104EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
States 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19% Share (2018-19)
Andhra Pradesh 805143 728068 724841 611035 654975 3.81
Telangana466985 419525 385044 362781 400000 2.33
Arunachal Pradesh 30233 29757 26112 24517 24517 0.14
Assam691237 691237 691237 683549 594296 3.46
Bihar1716981 1662181 1662181 1163378 1404672 8.17
Chhattisgarh493718 493718 453704 455626 493800 2.87
Goa15909 15853 16077 15050 14637 0.09
Gujarat757219 809268 754890 744902 744902 4.33
Haryana316855 287802 277457 263976 263553 1.53
Himachal Pradesh 102728 101161 100913 97867 96365 0.56
Jammu & Kashmir 92021 92021 102464 133140 159609 0.93
Jharkhand706032 660264 798312 758842 718337 4.18
Karnataka993802 993802 993802 1055470 895465 5.21
Kerala159801 162595 188560 259178 304349 1.77
Madhya Pradesh 1340084 1470362 1402205 1443235 1426266 8.30
Maharashtra1126895 1105541 997423 1004602 961743 5.60
Manipur75010 75010 75010 67208 67208 0.39
Meghalaya78538 86292 81896 82802 73879 0.43
Mizoram20313 24388 20530 28150 28150 0.16
Nagaland62508 56514 49441 46165 34366 0.20
Odisha793324 785918 785918 725129 725129 4.22
Punjab261844 259331 243014 186289 186289 1.08
Rajasthan892369 881413 871058 866794 875613 5.09
Sikkim4441 5396 5396 6000 5800 0.03
Tamil Nadu670337 655427 667409 665067 732488 4.26
Tripura77264 77264 67804 71074 69304 0.40
Uttar Pradesh 4853101 4934881 4186266 3882027 3548330 20.65
Uttarakhand162684 181738 179248 169495 177003 1.03
West Bengal1374924 1333887 1289849 1320684 1366355 7.95
A & N Islands3277 3157 2806 2621 2375 0.01
Chandigarh10415 8323 8732 7653 7231 0.04
Delhi162462 144362 144362 115543 114264 0.66
Dadra & N Haveli 3177 3209 2998 3523 3523 0.02
Daman & Diu1103 1103 1103 1451 1451 0.01
Lakshadweep1666 1666 1666 1148 1148 0.01
Puducherry9205 9934 9189 9245 9157 0.05
All India 19333605 19252368 18268917 17335216 17186549 100.00
Table S2: Number of SNP beneficiaries (pregnant and lactating women), 2014-15 to 2018-19
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS Data 105EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
States 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19% Share (2018-19)
Andhra Pradesh 941753 952957 956881 864685 855131 2.83
Telangana639138 320435 681911 665194 639373 2.12
Arunachal Pradesh 113011 113933 103884 96623 96623 0.32
Assam1801441 1801441 1801441 1888756 1569370 5.20
Bihar2416088 2331123 2331123 2681885 2681885 8.88
Chhattisgarh880233 880233 801953 854260 772690 2.56
Goa20917 21226 20095 19690 16763 0.06
Gujarat1580094 1505347 1430720 1443193 1443193 4.78
Haryana398895 353511 318160 291548 268189 0.89
Himachal Pradesh 149861 139275 138406 128168 102703 0.34
Jammu & Kashmir 300126 300126 300126 439005 262336 0.87
Jharkhand1247550 1234533 1234533 1234533 1234533 4.09
Karnataka1760253 1760253 1760253 1518127 1518127 5.03
Kerala444283 442838 342843 386035 380920 1.26
Madhya Pradesh 3029398 3104200 2904788 3696416 3547742 11.75
Maharashtra2822502 2823063 2780859 2552687 2531845 8.39
Manipur179522 179522 179522 177583 177583 0.59
Meghalaya187563 205476 211773 218986 192624 0.64
Mizoram934907 872588 872588 56334 56334 0.19
Nagaland140325 146396 144060 144241 144209 0.48
Odisha1535738 1549474 1549474 2047340 2047340 6.78
Punjab391036 376458 354587 275968 275968 0.91
Rajasthan1088980 968244 987811 967701 971413 3.22
Sikkim11671 11487 11487 12500 12500 0.04
Tamil Nadu1108348 1019285 1104546 632304 1102356 3.65
Tripura152204 152204 159952 189854 171907 0.57
Uttar Pradesh 8309581 7681641 6811940 5852814 4057703 13.44
Uttarakhand230615 217971 201010 181925 157706 0.52
West Bengal3325069 3256562 3244627 2889710 2723302 9.02
A & N Islands3882 3973 3557 2791 2168 0.01
Chandigarh29285 29052 27699 25809 26906 0.09
Delhi351177 262732 262732 139298 134234 0.44
Dadra & N Haveli 10621 10107 10165 10475 10475 0.03
Daman & Diu2643 2643 2643 2388 2388 0.01
Lakshadweep2292 2292 2292 843 843 0.00
Puducherry2994 2285 1862 2197 2596 0.01
All India 36543996 35034886 34052303 32591866 30191978 100.00
Table S3: Number of pre-school education beneficiaries (3 years to 6 years), 2014-15 to 2018-19
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS Data 106EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS Data
Table S4: Availability of drinking water and toilet facility across States/UTs, 2015-16 to 2018-19
States / UTs
Drinking Water FacilityToilet Facility
2015-16 2018-19 Change 2015-16 2018-19 Change
Andhra Pradesh 43.2 68.2 25.0 37.3 60.2 22.9
Arunachal Pradesh 29.4 28.5 -0.9 50.5 48.9 -1.6
Assam62.9 62.9 0.0 47.2 47.2 0.0
Bihar20.5 90.9 70.4 35.9 57.8 21.9
Chhattisgarh 33.1 79.6 46.5 42.1 65.3 23.3
Goa88.0 98.4 10.4 53.3 62.4 9.2
Gujarat96.4 98.4 1.9 64.0 95.3 31.3
Haryana46.3 78.8 32.6 64.3 90.1 25.8
Himachal Pradesh 86.8 100.0 13.2 88.2 97.1 8.9
Jammu & Kashmir 44.1 79.4 35.3 44.1 44.2 0.0
Jharkhand66.1 66.1 0.0 30.4 73.7 43.3
Karnataka39.6 53.7 14.2 54.6 58.3 3.7
Kerala66.0 85.5 19.5 76.5 95.6 19.1
Madhya Pradesh 93.8 98.3 4.5 47.2 83.5 36.3
Maharashtra54.8 94.3 39.5 54.1 53.1 -1.0
Manipur24.5 21.0 -3.5 31.5 27.1 -4.5
Meghalaya78.3 77.9 -0.4 73.4 73.0 -0.4
Mizoram75.2 88.6 13.4 79.9 97.7 17.9
Nagaland100.0 86.8 -13.2 100.0 86.8 -13.2
Odisha99.4 97.6 -1.8 46.0 52.6 6.6
Punjab100.0 98.9 -1.1 68.0 80.9 13.0
Rajasthan51.0 78.8 27.8 26.3 55.9 29.6
Sikkim71.5 98.9 27.4 83.6 98.9 15.3
Tamil Nadu82.3 91.9 9.6 76.4 87.5 11.2
Telangana40.2 99.5 59.3 21.3 51.4 30.1
Tripura87.7 94.2 6.5 81.4 81.4 0.0
Uttar Pradesh 99.7 99.7 0.0 71.8 71.8 0.0
Uttarakhand29.3 73.6 44.2 65.7 72.7 7.0
West Bengal55.3 77.7 22.4 45.1 85.4 40.3
A & N Islands 69.2 99.9 30.7 57.5 76.7 19.2
Chandigarh100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 100.0 0.0
D & N Haveli 88.7 100.0 11.3 48.7 100.0 51.3
Daman &Diu90.7 94.4 3.7 87.9 94.4 6.5
Delhi60.6 99.6 39.0 90.9 98.3 7.4
Lakshadweep 100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 100.0 0.0
Puducherry92.2 92.2 0.0 78.8 78.8 0.0
Total65.7 85.7 19.9 52.8 68.9 16.1 107EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
State Majority model Producer THR product
A & N Islands SHG Khichdi
Andhra Pradesh Centralized
(public) facility
Telangana Foods (Public
centralized facility)
Balamrutham (Weaning Food), Eggs
Arunachal Centralized
(private) facility
Private manufacturer Cereal based weaning food, Kheer, Soya
base fortified biscuits.
Assam NGOs Rice, White Peas
BiharAt AWCs by AWHs Rice, Pulse, Soya Chunk, Egg
ChandigarhSHG Weaning foods
ChattisgarhSHG
D & N HaveliAWC Hot cooked meals
Daman & Diu Centralized
(private) facility
Private Agency‘Swabhiman’ scheme, 7.5 kg of ration.
Delhi SHG Panjiri , Weaning Food
GoaCentralized
(private) facility
Private Agency (supply of
food grains is done by Dept.
of WCD)
Dry Fruit grain, jaggery, Gram dal, Rice,
Salt, ghee watana, green & black chick
peas, ragi
GujaratGujarat Cooperative Milk Mkt
Fed
Ready to Eat Balbhog
Haryana Centralized
(public) facility
State Govt. Micronutrient
fortified
Fortified Panjiri, Bharva Prantha, Meetha
Dalia, Aloo Purii, Meetha Chawal, Pulao &
Gulgule/Saviea
Himachal PradeshCentralized
(private) facility
Private Agency (HP Coop. Milk
Producer Ltd, HP Civil Supplies
Corp & ALMSCs)
Foritifed Panjiri, Rice Pularo, Fottified
Biscuit, Sweet Dalia
Jammu & KashmirCentralized
(private) facility
Private Agencies Cooked Rice
Jharkhand Centralized
(private) facility
Private AgencyFortified Panjiri Food, Khichdi, Sweet and
Salty Upma
KarnatakaMahila Supplementary
Nutrition Production &
Training centre
Nutrimix Powder (Ragi/Wheat/Rice,
Jaggery, G.nut, Green Gram, Bengal
Gram,) Milk Powder
Kerala Decentralized
production
facilities
SHG (Kudumbashree Mission)THR – Amrutham Nutrimix for children
(6-36 months)
LakshadweepPanchayat Department Prepared from (RTE- Rice, Green gram,
bengal grams)
Madhya Pradesh Centralized
(public) facility
MP State Agro Industries
Devp. Corp. Ltd. (GoMP)
Bal Aahar-Mixture of wheat soyabean,
channa, makka aata, sugar, soya oil Khichdi
mix, instant Soya barfi/ laddu mix
MaharastraSHGs Balahar, upma, Sukhadi, Sheera, Sevai
Manipur Centralized
(private) facility
Manufacturer Supplementary Weaning food, Sangam
Kheer
Table S5: THR production and distribution models 108EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
State Majority model Producer THR product
Meghalya Centralized
(private) facility
ManufacturerFortified Atta, cereal based weaning food,
Pulse, based RTE, Suji Halwa RTE
Mizoram Centralized
(private) facility
Private Agency RTE- Milk Cereals, Energy dense fortified
foods
NagalandNGOs Ready to cook food
Odisha Decentralized
production
facilities
SHG consortiumsChatua- wheat, Bengal gram, kalla channa,
G.nut, sugar, rasi laddu
Puducherry Centralized
(private) facility
Private agencyMicro nutrient Fortified Food supplements
Punjab Centralized
(public) facility
State Coop. Milk Producer
Federation Ltd.
Panjiri
Rajasthan Decentralized
SHG
SHGsBaby mix (Cereal Pulse Based , Weaning
Food)
Sikkim Centralized
(public) facility
Govt. Run EFPP Plant In powdered form, Ready to Eat (Paushtik
Aahar-Cereal Pulse based Micronutrient
Fortified)
Tamil Nadu SHGsComplementary food- Sathumavu (Amylase
rich Weaning Food)
Telangana Centralized
(public) facility
Telangana Food, Hyderabad
(Govt)
Balamrutham -powder consists of roasted
wheat , Bengal Gram, Milk powder, Eggs,
Sugar & oil
TripuraSHGRow Rice, Row Masoor Dal, Row Eggs and
Row Soyabean
Uttar Pradesh Centralized
(private) facility
Private AgencyMicronutrient Fortified weaning food,
Meetha & Namkeen Dalia, Laddu premixes
UttarakhandSHGsDalia, Suji, Daal, Cholai, Mungfali dana,
Bhuna Channa, Jaggery, Chura
West BengalSHGPaustik Powder/Paustik Laddu
Source: Flanagan, K. F., Soe-Lin, S., Hecht, R. M., & Schwarz, R.K. (2018). THR Production and Distribution Models- Challenges and
Opportunities for Improvement. Policy Brief 4. Pharos Global Health Advisors 109EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
A2.
ANNEXURE 2: STATE-SPECIFIC
ISSUES, BEST PRACTICES AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
ANDHRA PRADESH
Issues
Balamrutham is the pre-mix which is not universally
appealing. Further, taste changes when the food
grows cold.
Low attendance in urban areas due to lack of
quality services.
Hilltop and tribal areas have accessibility issues;
Supervisors find it tough to reach, often having to
make the journey on foot.
NutriTask app has issues with interface, uploading
etc. Apps often get deleted from the AWWs phones
and they have to go down to the Sector office to
get them restored.
Sometimes training becomes difficult for AWWs,
who are not formally literate in certain areas,
major difficulty arises in tribal regions where
spoken language is also different.
Field Functionaries and Administrative officials
are burdened with additional responsibilities
which effect their overall performance.
Severe shortage of staff such as Block Project
Assistants or District Coordinators.
Insufficient budgets are provided for expenses
like electricity and sweeper etc.
AWWs expect a raise in their current honorarium.
Delay in providing honorarium to service providers
of Giri Poshan Kendra Pakaluru (satellite feeding
station).
In spite of incentive in place, delay in honorarium
demotivates the AWWs to perform well.
Delay in the construction of Anganwadi Centers
in spite of collaboration with Panchayati Raj
department.
Quality of rations and menu diversity needs to be
improved.
Best Practices
Anna Amrutham Hastam for pregnant women in
Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh have introduced milk and eggs in
HCM for children.
Akshayapatra Foundation is supplying nutritious
food to all categories of beneficiaries in four ICDS
Projects in and around Visakhapatnam.
Nutri TASC tool for name-based tracking of
registered beneficiaries under ICDS services has
been developed by the Department of Women
Development and Child Welfare, Government of
Andhra Pradesh.
Garbhini Stree Vasathi Gruha: The Integrated
Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) has established
hostels for pregnant women in tribal areas to
improve institutional births coverage and help
reduce the maternal and infant deaths in the
region.
Recommendations
Specific review should be undertaken and program
guidelines should be developed for the smooth
functioning of Anganwadi centers located in urban
areas.
Frequent one-to-one training for all cadres
is required. More feedback sessions are also
suggested.
A minimum educational requirement is necessary
to avoid the issue of discomfort with technology
and digital reporting among AWWs.
The share of infrastructure expenditure should be
increased for AWC construction and maintenance
(drinking water, toilet and electricity).
Additional work and time requirements from
AWWs and AWHs should be compensated through
honorarium payments. 110EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
AWCs should be introduced as centers for pre-
primary education and continuum of education by
seeking greater convergence between ICDS and
School Education Departments.
ASSAM
Issues
Travelling across AWCs is a major problem for the
AWC supervisors in rural Assam.
Given the complex geography of Assam, AWCs
located in these areas are not easily accessible
for regular supervision by Anganwadi Services
functionaries.
As community workers find it difficult to commute
in interior sections, proper office space is required
which should be nearby the field.
The AWWs fail to get a proper rented place in the
urban areas: the reason stated was the irregularity
in receiving the rent grant from the government.
Shortage of staff in the block level, supervisors as
well as CDPOs.
There are AWWs who were working beyond their
retirement age.
There was a lack of officials to do data entry
or officials in the districts; as a result, proper
monitoring of the districts failed.
No flexibility in using previous funds of ICDS by
the district level officials.
Previous scams have intensified accumulated
funds in the districts.
Autonomy issues in 6th Schedule areas hinders
ICDS functioning and implementation in the area.
The field workers (even at the block level) relied
much on data collected by other departments
(mostly Health).
The past scams related to the Department of Social
Welfare (of which ICDS is a major component) has
led to demoralization of the Department and the
system related to them.
The ICDS did not actively take part on the special
days (VHSND etc) as part of convergence.
Best Practices
Matri Sahayak Gut (Assam): it focuses on
the development of Women & Children and
implemented effectively through the Anganwadi
centres.
Mothers of all the children registered at AWC,
together form a group, designated as “Matri
Mandal”.
Widespread uptake of kitchen garden initiative
across AWCs.
AWWs were reported to be caring and helpful;
cash rewards during the first pregnancy were
received by all eligible interviewed beneficiaries.
Recommendations
The MoWCD should set up a Committee for
reviewing the status of ICDS services in 6th
Schedule areas and to develop specific policy
recommendations for strengthening ICDS services
in these States.
Vehicle should be provided to ICDS functionaries
for smooth commutation between far off districts.
Appoint more AWC Supervisors in difficult to
access geographical areas
Formation of ICDS society will be helpful in issues
related to appointment of contractual staff for
the various scheme-related activities.
Develop digital records to facilitate systematic
programmatic reviews and monitoring of staff.
Flexibility should be provided to plan and
implement state specific action plans.
BIHAR
Issues
Beneficiaries are not receiving rations and meals
on time.
Difficult to ensure that beneficiaries are the ones
consuming the THR and not their families.
There is a low level of registration in PMMVY
because of issues of proper documentation
because of which people don’t want to register.
Beneficiary coverage varies across geographies.
For instance, areas coming under flood prone
region are more dependent on AWCs in comparison
to region which are less affected and have better
agricultural production.
Uptake of services is less among households from
the Forward Castes.
The rental norms are lower compared to the
desirable quality of AWC infrastructure. 111EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Several AWCs run in school buildings and
community halls where basic amenities like toilets
and drinking water facilities are not available.
There are no proper offices for DPO and CDPOs
Multiple duties are provided to AWWs which is out
of their scope of work.
Recruitment is delayed due to political pressure.
Less number of data entry operator which leads to
hampering in maintaining of data.
Selection of AWW and AWH is done during Gram
Sabha meetings where local leaders and strongmen
influences the decision.
There is a delayed allotment and receipt of funds
from the state.
Salaries of the staff are pending and there is a
delay of 3-4 months including AWWs and AWHs.
Access to basic amenities like toilet and safe
drinking water is negligible, and does not get any
support from the Rural Department.
Best Practices
Take Home Ration (THR) is distributed to pregnant
women and lactating mother on VHSND, Suposhan
Swastha Mela, Bachpan Diwas and Godbharai and
Mamata Diwas days.
To help decrease stunting rates, an incentive of
rupees 500 is given to the AWWs for first 6 months
(of an underweight beneficiary’s birth) to ensure
the SAM child comes under the normal category.
This process is followed till 2 years.
CSR funds from organizations like Vedanta are
used to provide for infrastructural support.
Doctors for You has developed around 10 AWCs in
Muzaffarpur and Sheikhpura from their own funds;
AXIS Bank financially supports around 500 AWCs.
Britannia works on the development of education
and communication in the state.
Most comprehensive and detailed websites of
the ICDS (WCD) in terms of details, content,
and regular updates. It was also functional with
details about disclosures related to program
personnel, the program components and services
being delivered.
Recommendations
Should establish a social audit mechanism.
The ICDS should establish a robust monitoring
mechanism and strengthen documentation and
review of monitoring reports.
Change the selection procedure or criteria of
the AWWs and AWHs through conducting exam in
which their technical competency can be tested.
Registration and identification of beneficiaries
and ICDS officials should be strengthened.
CHHATTISGARH
Issues
Siblings of the children were generally
discriminated or neglected at the time of supply
of nutritional meals at the Anganwadi centers.
Need to improve provision of proper toilets and
electric fans.
Travelling allowance was not provided to
Anganwadi workers and they had to pay from their
own pocket.
There is shortage of staff. Supervisors are being
burdened with lot of work as they have to monitor
large number of centres.
Untrained AWW staff leads to issues in the proper
data entering.
Discontinuation of Mukhyamantri Amrit Yojana due
to lack of coordination between state and center.
Panchayats are not coordinating in the construction
of Anganwadi Centers.
Best Practices
Mahatari Jatan Yojana (MJY) in Chhattisgarh for
pregnant women.
Panchayat has made steel slabs for THR storage
and AWC; they have also arranged for milk and
protein powder to be distributed to malnourished
children at the AWC.
Recommendations
The AWWs and AWHs should be mandated to
provide THR to all identified undernourished
beneficiaries (children as well as pregnant and
lactating women) by ensuring distribution either
at the AWCs or during home visits.
Rules, regulations and norms for flow/release of
funds for infrastructure development need to be
reviewed and streamlined. 112EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
A clear coordination mechanism between different
departments should be improved so that in future
schemes like Mukhyamantri Amrit Yojana should
not get discontinued.
Provide additional incentive to AWW / AWH for hot
cooked meal program
DELHI
Issues
Due to centralized cooking, delivery of food
items to the AWC is simultaneous for breakfast
and lunch. This results in children not receiving
breakfast in a timely manner.
A proper recipe with the each and every
ingredient’s quantity specified is given to the
kitchen staff. According to them, the quantities
specified in the recipes is more than the ration
provided to them by the government.
In Delhi, Aadhaar card is mandatory for enrolment
in AWCs. Some parents who have migrated from
villages do not have this with them which creates
a barrier in making the scheme largely available.
AWCs in Delhi do not follow a uniform standard of
operation or service delivery.
It has been reported that very small areas are
available to rent out for AWC buildings.
At most of the centres, weighing machine for
infants (0-11 months) is not available.
The functioning of AWCs gets disrupted due
to biannual surveys. Due to which they get
overburdened.
The budget assigned to rent a place for AWCs is
insufficient.
AWCs functions in slum areas with poor water,
sanitation and hygiene.
Many of the AWCs have a Committee of 12
representatives including a Chairperson, MLA,
social worker, beneficiaries, ANM, AWW, AWH, and
ASHA. But the frequency of these meetings has
decreased over the time.
Best Practices
Creation of anganwadi hubs by combining three to
four anganwadi centers in areas of high density to
give the look and feel of play school.
AWWS shares their live location everyday around
9:00-9:30 am. All the locations are then forwarded
to the senior authorities.
AWWs help with the verification and documentation
of children for the admission process in schools.
The Government of Delhi has also developed a
scheme to incentivize AWW, Supervisor and ASMC
(Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee
aka Anganwadi Samiti) to work as a team and
improve the working of their Anganwadi.
Recommendations
Formation of ICDS Society at the State-level and
District-level can be instrumental to expedite the
flow of funds for ICDS activities.
Adequate nutrition can only be achieved with
adequate budgetary allocations. The ICDS dietary
norms should be revised such that along with
caloric requirements it should specify minimum
acceptable dietary diversity to include food groups
such as eggs, fruits, milk and milk products.
The ICDS should innovate and diversify the THR
component with introduction of diverse food
groups (fruits, eggs, milk and milk products) as
THR variants (others being powdered mix and dry
ration).
Fixed-day fixed-time should be planned for THR
distribution.
GUJARAT
Issues
Pre-mix THR is not appealing to the beneficiaries.
They ask for dry THR.
Members of certain communities (a very small
number) choose not to immunize their children
due to religious and cultural beliefs.
In relatively poor localities in urban settings
parents are constantly mobile and there is no
motivation for sending the kids to the AWCs.
In migrant communities and tribal belts, we see
reduced uptake of the ICDS services because of
the continuous mobility.
Due to lack of funding for AWCs, and issues with
other departments over land there has been delay
in construction of AWCs.
AWW are involved in other programs as well,
which increases her burden and thus gives her
less time to focus on her primary responsibility as
AWW. They spent 15 days out of a month for doing
non-ICDS work. 113EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
The lack of skilled personnel for operating online
data entry results in delays in data flow and
information.
At CDPO and district level, functionaries reported
limited training for operating bureaucratic
channels of communication. This negatively
effects the effectiveness of the mid –level officials.
AWW also has to take on role of ASHA and ANM
(where positions are vacant) in urban areas.
In urban areas, rented AWCs are very congested
and often need to be shifted elsewhere.
Funds take a long time to get approved, and inter-
departmental dynamics get in the way of smooth,
quick transfer of funds in certain cases.
Development funds are not used properly.
Lack of funding for AWCs, and issues with other
departments negatively impact the construction
of AWC.
At the district and block level other line
departments were reported to not take the ICDS
and its officials seriously which has a negative
effect on the functionaries’ morale when it comes
to convergence with other departments.
Multiple copies of the same information are
collected by AWW, ANM and ASHA. This leads to
duplication and sometimes even mismatch of data.
Best Practices
Doodh Sanjeevani Yojana is an initiative of State
Government of Gujarat to tackle malnourishment
in three talukas of Surendaranagar district. Under
the Yojana, the primary school children in these
three districts will get milk with their midday
meal.
Supplementary food is provided as micronutrient
fortified extruded blended food as Take Home
Ration to all the children under 6 years, adolescent
girls, pregnant and lactating mothers.
The Government of Gujarat has introduced Mata
Yashoda Award for Best Anganwadi Worker and
Helper Award Scheme which consists of various
citation & cash awards to strengthen the services
& motivate AWW and AWH in the state.
A total of 36 Mobile Anganwadis have been
started in all districts of Gujarat State wherein,
beneficiaries of NREGA scheme, children of
Agariya - migrant workers from Balmandir -
crèches facilities (6 months to 6 years), pregnant
women, nursing mothers and adolescent girls are
provided supplementary nutrition.
Gujarat has registered State and District level ICDS
Society that function under the administrative
control of the Department of Women & Child
Development.
Recommendations
ICDS should reduce the quantum of reporting
expected from the AWWs.
State Convergence Action Plan should include
recruitments as an area for priority action. As
skilled manpower will ultimately help in smooth
running of the program.
RAJASTHAN
Issues
Beneficiary is not the sole consumer of the THR,
sometimes their family consume as well.
In Jaisalmer, ECCE was not well functioning in the
district. Pre-school kits have not been supplied to
the AWCs for the past 3 years.
THR has not been supplied since last 6 months
at AWCs due to pending payments in Jaisalmer
district.
Beneficiaries have reported that they are not
provided good health services at AWC.
No quality testing is being done of the ingredients
supplied by local self-help groups.
There was problem of electricity connection in
the Anganwadi buildings.
AWCs were running in school buildings, with very
limited educational materials in Jaisalmer district.
No formal arrangements with the Department
of Power or the GPs for installing electricity
connection to AWCs.
Sarpanch of the village provide salaries to AWW
which make them obliged to perform outside their
scope of work.
Shortage of staff and need for incentive based
remuneration was noticed.
More than 40% of CDPO sanctioned posts are
vacant.
CDPOs have a high burden of reviewing AWCs in
their respective districts. 114EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Utilization of funds was very low for ECCE training
in Jaisalmer district.
No hot cooked meal was provided at AWCs due to
shortage of funds.
Limited funding had been allotted to Jaisalmer,
which makes delivering of basic ICDS services
impossible when the district runs out of funds.
AWWs are given village related work e.g. MGNREGS
survey, Aadhaar card enrolment, ration card work:
which affects ICDS service delivery.
Gram Panchayats are not providing enough support
in the construction of good anganwadi centers.
Often their quality of work is not up to the mark.
Best Practices
Anganwadi Chalo Abhiyaan” was launched in to
order to bring all the un-registered children to
the AWC.
“Kilkari”, “Umang and Tarang” books were
launched and distributed under this initiative.
The Tata Trusts have partnered with the
Government of Rajasthan to combat maternal and
child undernutrition. In particular, the Project
Making It Happen supported by the Trusts aims
at realizing this potential through optimizing
implementation, utilization of services, monitoring
and delivery.
State has developed a Hindi style website
(although merged with women empowerment),
with much more frequent updates.
In order to increase the community participation
in Anganwadi Services, Government of Rajasthan
has initiated Nanda Ghar Yojana. It is encouraged
to adopt one or more AWCs for the period of five
years.
Rajdharaa App is a mobile application which
enables ICDS functionaries to conduct real-time
monitoring of AWCs and submit their observations/
feedback along with the time, date and GPS stamp
of the concerned AWC.
Department of Women and Child Development,
Government of Rajasthan has developed a SBCC
framework and strategy to improve mother and
child nutrition outcomes in the state.
Recommendations
Location of AWCs should be reviewed and co-
location with schools should be encouraged for
greater integration with schools.
The ICDS MPR should provide information on
electricity connections to the AWCs.
UTTARAKHAND
Issues
For immunization and ANC check-ups some social
groups do not send their children in the AWC
located in the area of each other’s community.
Infrastructure of AWCs is a big concern during
monsoon. There is a need for more facilities such
as more swings, other than just toys; this will
bring AWCs at par with a typical play school.
AWWs are overloaded with other administrative
duties.
Udham Singh Nagar district sometimes faces
funding issues as there are delays in budget
sanctions.
CSR initiatives cannot be relied upon as the sole
source of funds for beautification of AWCs.
Best Practices
AWCs also provide panjiri to malnourished
children. They provide rajma chawal one day
every week for children (aged 3 to 6 years old).
In Uttarakhand, ICDS is in convergence with other
department/institution like Health and Education
Departments, and PRI.
Vedanta NGO helps in constructing buildings for
AWCs in Udham Singh Nagar district.
The Education Department helps the AWCs by
enrolling girls who have dropped out of school on
behalf of AWCs.
Mukhyamantri Bal Poshan Abhiyaan, under
this state-level scheme, all the identified
undernourished and severely undernourished
children will be provided energy dense meals
cooked from regional food including Amaranth,
corn, and black soybeans.
Recommendations
Activities part of Register 6 (Immunization and
VHND) are essentially coordinated by the MoHFW
and the reporting of these indicators can be
entrusted to ANMs and ASHAs, respectively and
need not to be given to AWWs. This will also avoid
duplicity of data. 115EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
All the States/UTs should host a dynamic ICDS
website with mandatory disclosures regarding
ICDS services and functionaries at all levels
UTTAR PARDESH
Issues
Sometimes hot-cooked meals and THR are affected
due to delayed payment by the Anganwadi Vikas
Samiti or from higher up.
It is estimated that about 45 lakh children in Uttar
Pradesh are undernourished out of which about 15
lakh suffer from Severe Malnutrition (SAM).
The CDPOs and DPOs have not been promoted
for a long time and their pay scales are not
proportionate to their experience and workload.
Service utilization by mothers in undernutrition
burdened states like Uttar Pradesh (Rural: 44.7%;
Urban 20.7%) is low.
Electric fans were not working. Space for sitting
and playing was insufficient in the AWCs.
In Uttar Pradesh about 60% of the AWCs are
operating in school premises.
The AWWs promoted to Supervisors are not skilled
enough for this role.
There are 40% of CDPO vacant sanctioned posts.
Due to large vacancies there is an increased
burden of monitoring and review on the CDPOs
and AW Supervisors.
Delays in recruitment occurs due to delays in
funding approvals for the vacant positions and
time-consuming recruitment procedures including
litigations.
Issues in financing of particular programmes and
schemes.
There are no funds provided for the ECCE
programme.
Uttar Pradesh has a 15% share in total ICDS
budget but it also accounts for 17.6% share of
beneficiaries. This translates into Rs.4013 per
beneficiary per year which is much lower than
several other States.
Poor utilization of infrastructure funds / training
funds was reported.
Greater efforts are needed to ensure convergence
of human resources from the education
department and ICDS department, particularly
the school teachers and AWWS, respectively.
Best Practices
Uttar Pradesh has developed a Smart Inventory
Management System (SIMS) to improve distribution
and monitoring of THR from procurement to last
mile delivery.
The AWCs use charts, posters and handmade toys
to teach children 0 to 59 months.
AWCs teach children about hygienic practices
like washing hands before eating food, and after
defecation.
Quality and taste of Poshahar is reported to be
good and beneficiaries make various recipes with
it like Ladoo, Mal puwa, Namkin Para, Mitha Para,
Namkin Pakauri, Cake, Namkin daliya ka Chila and
etc.
The Government of Uttar Pradesh has launched
a Performance based incentive programme
for AWWs. Under this scheme, the AWWs are
incentivized for achieving targets related to
Aadhar information seeding of beneficiaries,
anthropometric measurements and improvements
in anthropometric outcomes.
Under convergence strategies in Bahraich, 99326
household of malnourished children have been
recognised by Rural Department. 130849 families
of malnourished children were provided ration
card by Department of Food and Civil Supplies.
In the district of Barabanki, Panchayati Raj has
constructed toilets for 41662 households of
malnourished children, and 2056 villages are free
from open defecation. 2737 AWCs facilitated with
safe drinking water with help of Panchayati Raj.
SHGs held discussions on the subject of health and
nutrition in 956 villages in the district.
Uttar Pradesh has developed a Smart Inventory
Management System (SIMS) to improve distribution
and monitoring of THR from procurement to last
mile delivery.
Recommendations
A departmental exam should be conducted for the
promotions for supervisor’s post, so that qualified
person will be appointed.
The share of infrastructure expenditure should
be increased by 50% for AWC construction
and maintenance (drinking water, toilet and
electricity). NOTES NOTES INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH
University Enclave
University of Delhi (North Campus)
Delhi 110 007, India
Fax: +91-11-27667410
Phone: +91-11-27666364
Email: system@iegindia.org
The study was sponsored with financial support of
NITI Aayog, Government of India and conducted by
Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi
February, 2020 DISCLAIMER
Institute of Economic Growth has received the grant under
the Research Scheme of the NITI Aayog, 2018 to produce the
document. However, NITI Aayog shall not be held responsible for
findings or opinions expressed in the document prepared. This
responsibility rests with Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi.
LEAD INVESTIGATORS
Dr William Joe
Population Research Centre
Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi
Dr Malavika Subramanyam
Faculty of Social Sciences
Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar
RESEARCH TEAM
Aishwarya Joshi, Anupam Sharma, Nilesh Thube, Shantanu Sharma,
Simrith Hundal, Jahnu Bharadwaj, Abhishek, Rakesh Kumar, Sunil Rajpal,
Ruby A Singh, Saroj Kumar, Renu Sain, Varun Yadav, Ajay Kumar,
Arundhati Kumari, Jyoti Saini, Harish Kumar, Kabir Pal, Varnika Jain. iiiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables.............................................................................................................................................v
List of Figures.........................................................................................................................................vii
Acronyms and Abbreviations.................................................................................................................ix
Preface......................................................................................................................................................xi
Executive Summary...............................................................................................................................xiv
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES...........................................................................................................1
1.1. Introduction....................................................................................................................................1
1.2. Study Objectives............................................................................................................................1
1.3. Methodology....................................................................................................................................2
1.4. Ethical Considerations..................................................................................................................4
1.5. Report Outline................................................................................................................................4
RECENT STUDIES ON ICDS......................................................................................................................7
2.1. Introduction....................................................................................................................................7
2.2. Human Resource.............................................................................................................................7
2.3. Infrastructure.................................................................................................................................7
2.4. Financing.........................................................................................................................................8
2.5. Training and Knowledge of AWWs................................................................................................9
2.6. Implementation Gaps....................................................................................................................9
2.7. Service Delivery: THR and Hot Cooked Meals.........................................................................10
2.8. Impact of ICDS..............................................................................................................................10
2.9. Convergence.................................................................................................................................11
2.10. PAISA for Nutrition Study............................................................................................................12
2.11. Research Gaps..............................................................................................................................13
INSIGHTS FROM NFHS ON ICDS COVERAGE......................................................................................15
3.1. ICDS Coverage Patterns based on NFHS...................................................................................15
ICDS SERVICES AND BENEFICIARY ASPIRATIONS..............................................................................21
4.1. ICDS BENEFICIARIES AND COVERAGE.........................................................................................21
4.2. Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP).................................................................................26
4.3. Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)...........................................................................28
4.4. Other ICDS Services.....................................................................................................................29
4.5. Beneficiary Aspirations...............................................................................................................30
01
02
03
04 ivEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
PROCESSES, TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND MONITORING...................................................................33
5.1. Policy Governance and Monitoring............................................................................................33
5.2. ICDS Website of States................................................................................................................33
5.3. Social Audit...................................................................................................................................34
5.4. Performance-Based Incentive....................................................................................................35
5.5. NGO and CSR Support..................................................................................................................37
5.6. THR Production Models...............................................................................................................37
5.7. AWC Reporting Formats..............................................................................................................38
5.8. Comparing ICDS with NHM..........................................................................................................39
5.9. Comparison with MGNREGA.......................................................................................................39
5.10. Comparison with NCS..................................................................................................................40
5.11. PMMVY and ICDS Strengthening.................................................................................................40
5.12. ICDS-CAS and NHM-HMIS.............................................................................................................41
PROCESSES, TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND MONITORING...................................................................43
6.1. ICDS Financial Allocations..........................................................................................................43
6.2. Financial Flows.............................................................................................................................46
6.3. State-Level Financial Issues and Concerns..............................................................................50
6.4. Key Issues in Financing................................................................................................................51
HUMAN RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE....................................................................................53
7.1. ICDS HR and Functionaries.........................................................................................................53
7.2. HUMAN RESOURCES FOR ICDS....................................................................................................57
7.3. State-level Observations on ICDS Functionaries.....................................................................62
7.4. Summary of Key HR Issues..........................................................................................................66
7.5. AWC Infrastructure......................................................................................................................67
7.6. ICDS Infrastructure .....................................................................................................................70
7.7. State-level Observations on ICDS Infrastructure....................................................................72
7.8. Key Issues in ICDS Infrastructure...............................................................................................75
CONVERGENCE AND CONVERGENT ACTION.....................................................................................77
8.1. Concept of Convergence.............................................................................................................77
8.2. Peripheral and Core Convergence.............................................................................................77
8.3. Insights from Field Visits............................................................................................................79
SUCCESS STORIES AND BEST PRACTICES..........................................................................................85
9.1. Best Practices Across States.......................................................................................................85
SUMMARY AND ACTION POINTS...........................................................................................................93
10.1. Summary of Key Findings............................................................................................................93
10.2. Key Action Points..........................................................................................................................99
References............................................................................................................................................101
Annexure 1: Supplementary Tables..................................................................................................103
Annexure 2: State-Specific Issues, Best Practices and Recommendations................................109
05
06
07
08
09
10 vEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
LIST OF TABLES
Table 3.1: Utilization of ICDS services by mothers (during pregnancy and
while breastfeeding) and child under six years, India, NFHS, 2016..........................16
Table 3.2: Utilization of ICDS services by mothers (during pregnancy and
while breastfeeding) and child under six years, India by
socioeconomic background, NFHS, 2016........................................................................17
Table 4.1: Beneficiaries under the SNP component of ICDS,
2014-15 and 2018-19..........................................................................................................22
Table 4.2: SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries per
operational AWC, 2001-19.................................................................................................23
Table 4.3: Average SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries per
operational AWC, 2018-19.................................................................24
Table 4.4: Coverage estimates: (comparing ICDS beneficiaries with
population*), 2018-19........................................................................................................25
Table 6.1: ICDS budget (central share and centre-state combined), 2019-20...........................43
Table 6.2: State-wise centre-state combined expected budget, ICDS 2019-20.........................44
Table 6.3: State-wise ICDS expected budget share and budget per
beneficiary, ICDS 2019-20.................................................................................................45
Table 6.4: Cost sharing ratio between Centre and States/UTs for
various components...........................................................................................................46
Table 7.1: Mean time spent by AWW against recommended time per
activity per day in selected AWCs in a northern city of India....................................55
Table 7.2: Vacant posts (in %) of key ICDS functionaries by State/UTs, 2018-19.......................58
Table 7.3: Number of beneficiaries per CDPO, AWS, AWW and AWH by
State/UTs, 2018-19............................................................................................................61
Table 7.4: Type of building or place for AWCs, India 2015-16 to 2018-19...................................68
Table 7.5: State-wise distribution of building or place for AWCs, 2018-19.................................69
Table S1: Number of SNP beneficiaries (children, 6 months to 6 years),
2014-15 to 2018-19..........................................................................................................103
Table S2: Number of SNP beneficiaries (pregnant and lactating women),
2014-15 to 2018-19..........................................................................................................104
Table S3: Number of pre-school education beneficiaries (3 years to
6 years), 2014-15 to 2018-19..........................................................................................105
Table S4: Availability of drinking water and toilet facility across
States/UTs, 2015-16 to 2018-19.....................................................................................106
Table S5: THR production and distribution models.....................................................................107 viiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 3.1: State-wise utilization of ICDS services by mothers
(during pregnancy and while breastfeeding) and
child under six years, NFHS, 2016..................................................................................18
Figure 3.2: Distribution (%) of mothers by utilization of ICDS services (any)
during pregnancy, while breastfeeding and by their child,
India, NFHS, 2016 ............................................................................................................19
Figure 3.3: Trends in coverage of supplementary food in the
Integrated Child Development Services programme during
pregnancy and childhood across states of India, 2006 and 2016..............................19
Figure 4.1: Number of ICDS beneficiaries (in lakhs), 2014-15 to 2018-19...................................21
Figure 6.1: ICDS expenditure items and share (%) in Centre-State
expected budget, 2019-20..............................................................................................46
Figure 7.1: State-wise percentage vacant posts of CDPOs/ACDPOs,
2014-15 and 2018-19........................................................................................................59
Figure 7.2: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AW Supervisors,
2014-15 and 2018-19........................................................................................................59
Figure 7.3: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AWWs,
2014-15 and 2018-19........................................................................................................59
Figure 7.4: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AWHs,
2014-15 and 2018-19........................................................................................................60
Figure 7.5: Number of operational AWCs per CDPO/ACDPO by
States/UTs, 2018-19.........................................................................................................60
Figure 7.6: Number of operational AWCs per AW supervisor by
States/UTs, 2018-19.........................................................................................................60
Figure 7.7: Percentage operational AWCs with drinking water facilities
by States/UTs, 2018-19....................................................................................................67
Figure 7.8: Percentage operational AWCs with toilet facilities by
States/UTs, 2018-19.........................................................................................................67
Figure 9.1: MJY Aakarshak Thali (Nutritious Plate).........................................................................88 ixEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AAA : ASHA-ANM-AWW
AAH : Anna Amrutha Hastham
ACDPOs : Assistant Child Development Project Officer
ADC : Autonomous District Councils
ANM : Auxiliary Nurse Midwife
APIP : Annual Program Implementation Plan
APRIGP : Andhra Pradesh Rural Inclusive Growth Project
ASHA : Accredited Social Health Activist
ASMC : Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee
AWC : Anganwadi Centre
AWH : Anganwadi Helper
AWS : Anganwadi Supervisor
AWW : Anganwadi Worker
CAP : Convergence Action Plan
CAS : Common Application Software
CDPO : Child Development Project Officer
CPAP : Country Program Action Plans
CRM : Common Review Mission
CSR : Corporate Social Responsibility
CSS : Centrally Sponsored Scheme
CWC : Child Welfare Centre
DC : District Collector
DDWS : Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (Under MoRD)
DEO : Data Entry Operator
DHFW : Department of Health and Family Welfare
DHS : District Health Society
DM&HO : District Medical & Health Officer
DPO : District Project Officer
DWCD : Department of Women and Child Development
ECCE : Early Childhood Care and Education
FLWs : Frontline Workers
GAIN : Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
GPDP : Gram Panchayat Development Plan
HCM : Home Cooked Meal
HMIS : Health Management Information System
ICDS : Integrated Child Development Services
ICMR : Indian Council of Medical Research
ILA : Incremental Learning Approach
INCC : Intensive Nutrition Campaign Center
ISSNIP : ICDS Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement Project
ITDA : Integrated Tribal Development Agency
IYCF : Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices
JAP : Joint Action Plan
JRM : Joint Review Mission
LMIS : Logistics Management and Information System
MGNREGA : Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act
MIS : Management Information System xEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
MJY : Mahatari Jatan Yojana
MO : Medical Officer
MoRD : Ministry of Rural Development
MoWCD/WCD : Ministry of Women and Child Development
MPR : Monthly Progress Report
MRB : Medical Service Recruitment Board
MSG : Matri Sahayak Gut
NFHS : National Family Health Survey
NGO : Non-Governmental Organization
NHM : National Health Mission
NIPCCD : National Institute for Public Cooperation and Child Development
NNM : National Nutrition Mission
NRC : Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre
OFM : One Full Meal
OSR : Own Source Revenue
PD : Project Director
PDS : Public Distribution System
PHC : Primary Health Centre
PIP : Program Implementation Plan
PLM : Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers
PMMVY : Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
PO : Project Officer
POSHAN : Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment
PRI : Panchayati Raj Institutions
PSC : Public Service Commission
PSE : Pre-School Education
PWH : Pregnant Women Hostel
RGNCS : Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme
RJD : Regional Joint Director
RWS : Rural Water Supply
SAM/MAM : Severe Acute Malnutrition/Moderate Acute Malnutrition
SAU : Social Audit Unit
SBP : Swastha Bharat Prerak
SHG : Self-Help Group
SIMS : Smart Inventory Management System
SNEHA : Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action
SNP : Supplementary Nutrition Program
SPO : State Project Officer
SRG/DRG : State Resource Group/District Resource Group
TASC : Tracking of Accountability of Services at Community
THR : Take Home Ration
USHA : Urban Social Health Activist
VHNDs : Village Health and Nutrition Days
VHSND : Village Health Sanitation Nutrition Day
WCD : Women and Child Development (Department)
YTC : Youth Training Centre xiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
PREFACE
The Integrated Child Development Services
(ICDS) scheme is one of the world’s largest
programs for early childhood care and
development. The scheme is a response to the
fundamental challenges of child development
in terms of a) cognitive development through
pre-school non-formal education and b)
physical growth by liberating childhood
from the cycle of malnutrition, morbidity,
reduced cognitive capacity and mortality.
Through the six services offered under the
ICDS: i) Supplementary nutrition, ii) Pre-
school non-formal education, iii) Nutrition
and health education, iv) Immunization, v)
Health checkups and vi) Referral services,
the Government of India aims at delivering
quality nutrition, education, and health-
related services to children aged 0-6 years as
well as pregnant and lactating mothers.
In a country like India that still struggles with
issues of malnutrition and inadequate prenatal
and antenatal assistance with respect to
pre-school education and health education,
ICDS is necessary to ensure a basic minimum
level of health and nutrition among the most
vulnerable sections of its citizens. While the
ICDS scheme has a wide reach across the
country, there still exist some concerns with
respect to implementation processes, and
the delivery as well as the impact of these
services. The ICDS scheme is expected to
significantly contribute toward the POSHAN
Abhiyaan and achieve accelerated reductions
in child undernutrition. Such instrumental
relevance of ICDS in child development calls
for a comprehensive evaluation of the current
design, processes and implementation to
draw insights on its merits and potential to
fulfil the scheme objectives.
As such, the implementation of ICDS varies
across different States, and therefore, it
is equally important to learn from State
experiences and identify opportunities and
challenges for enhancing coverage, efficiency
and impact. This report presents the findings
of the research study conducted across nine
States of India in 2019. Through this mixed
methods evaluation, the aim is to critically
review the key processes, implementation
structure, program monitoring and the
motivations and engagement of the human
resources under the ICDS scheme. The report
provides actionable recommendations which
can help in further improving the delivery
of this scheme. We hope that our findings
and recommendations will aid in improving
governance, processes and implementation
of a scheme as vital as the ICDS.
We would like to place on record the
deepest appreciation for all the help and
support extended to us by the NITI Aayog;
senior officials and district and block level
officials of the Departments of Women
and Child Development (Andhra Pradesh,
Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh);
ICDS Staff including Anganwadi Supervisors,
Workers, and Helpers in the selected
centres; the ICDS beneficiaries and other
stakeholders at various levels of the ICDS
machinery. We thank Mala Ramanathan,
Sheila C Vir, Purnima Menon, Rajan Sankar,
B Subha Sree, Smriti Sharma, Preetu Mishra,
Tulika Tripathi, Venkatanarayana Motukuri,
SV Subramanian, B Bhuvaneswari and
Ishaprasad Bhagwat for their help and support
at various stages of the study. We also thank
Avani Kapur and her team at Accountability
Initiative, Centre for Policy Research for
generously contributing a detailed note on
their work on the ICDS. We acknowledge their
efforts and thank them for the same.
Our thanks also to the study team: Anupam
Sharma, Nilesh Thube, Shantanu Sharma,
Simrith Hundal, Jahnu Bharadwaj, Abhishek,
Rakesh Kumar, Sunil Rajpal, Ruby A Singh,
Saroj Kumar, Renu Sain, Varun Yadav, Ajay
Kumar, Arundhati Kumari, Jyoti Saini, Harish
Kumar, Kabir Pal, Varnika Jain, all our Local
Field Investigators and IEG Administration.
We especially appreciate Aishwarya Joshi’s
tremendous efforts in supporting several
aspects of this project. We also extend our
gratitude to all our friends and collaborators
at IIT Gandhinagar and IEG Delhi, who have
contributed to this study at various stages.
— William Joe & Malavika Subramanyam xivEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
BACKGROUND
Launched on 02
nd
October, 1975, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme –
the Anganwadi Services Scheme – is one of the world’s largest programs for early childhood
care and development. The ICDS scheme is a principal symbol of India’s commitment to its
children and nursing mothers. The scheme is designed as a response to the fundamental
challenges of child development in terms of a) cognitive development through pre-school non-
formal education on one hand and b) physical growth by liberating childhood from the vicious
cycle of malnutrition, morbidity, reduced cognitive capacity and mortality.
The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme – the Anganwadi Services Scheme –
delivers six important services to children (6 months to 6 years) as well as pregnant and
lactating mothers (PLM). These services are: a) Supplementary nutrition, b) Pre-school non-
formal education, c) Nutrition and health education, d) Immunization, e) Health checkups and
f) Referral services. Various research studies, however, conclude that ICDS is found lacking in
service delivery and has rendered only minimal impacts on child health and well-being.
The outcome-centric evaluations, although useful, but seldom offer policy insights for
program restructuring. Besides, the policy intent cannot proceed very far without an in-depth
understanding of governance and implementation issues in service delivery. Process evaluation,
therefore, is a critical prerequisite to enhance effectiveness and attain the intended outcomes.
In particular, the following five concerns warrant a broad-based assessment of ICDS services to
develop actionable recommendations for reforms and restructuring.
First, despite a holistic program agenda, the ICDS is almost exclusively perceived as a scheme
to tackle the widespread prevalence of undernutrition in India. The problem of undernutrition,
however, is a multifactorial phenomenon that is not only affected by nutritional intake and
dietary diversity, but also by equally important behavioral, socio-economic and contextual
factors. Integration of some of these factors in the scheme of things entails a review of ICDS
strategies, activities and scope for innovations.
Second, supplementary nutrition accounts for 47% of the total central allocation towards ICDS
(Rs.19928 Crore, 2019-20). The budget, however, gets sub-optimally utilized because of a
myriad of issues related to SNP production, quality, preferences, coverage and distribution.
Streamlining the governance and monitoring mechanisms for supplementary nutrition emerges
as a priority to ensure greater efficacy and impact of the allocated resources. This also implies
that the ICDS take-home ration and hot-cooked meal should adopt a progressive view to
promote dietary diversity and coverage.
Third, early childhood care and development (ECCD) or pre-school non-formal education has
hitherto remained a neglected aspect of ICDS (both from financing as well as human resources
perspective). Strengthening of ECCD is of high relevance as there is an increasing body of
evidence demonstrating its positive impact on future learning and productivity outcomes. The
effect, however, is mediated through a well-designed curricula delivered with onsite help of
teacher. The quality of ECCD is thus emerging as a major parameter to evaluate the relevance
of the ICDS. Furthermore, it is important that ICDS should evolve as per the changing needs
and aspirations of the community, particularly in the urban settings where households are
drawn toward increasingly vibrant pre-schooling environment in the private sector.
Fourth, gaps and inadequacies in ICDS financing, infrastructure and human resources have
detrimental effects on service delivery. For instance, Anganwadi Centre (AWC) electrification
is yet to be a mandatory aspect of AWC infrastructure. There are a large number of vacancies
in posts for CDPOs and Supervisors (as of 2018-19, 30.1% of sanctioned positions for CDPOs
and 27.7% of sanctioned positions for Supervisors are vacant across the country). With eroding
faith of the community, there is a gradual decline in the coverage of beneficiaries under
ICDS. Although, some States fare better than others but considerable inter-state variations in
service delivery and infrastructure provisions implies significant heterogeneities in program
placement and impact. xvEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Finally, despite well-defined objective to achieve inter-sectoral coordination, ICDS is yet to
harness the potential gains through governance reforms and convergent action. The governance
issues cuts across aspects such as key ICDS services as well as major heads of financing, human
resources, monitoring and infrastructure. From a convergence perspective, there are new
initiatives and efforts but these are mostly peripheral concerns whereas greater resolve from
the Central and State Governments is critical to address core issues in service delivery.
Guided by these fundamental concerns, this evaluation has specific objectives of reviewing the
key processes in ICDS governance and implementation to identify opportunities and challenges
for enhancing coverage, efficiency and impact. A mixed-methods approach involving both
quantitative and qualitative data is used to arrive at the conclusions and recommendations
of this report. Nine states from different regions of India (Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,
Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh) and 18 districts
(including aspirational districts) are selected for the field-based assessment. Technical support
and advice of various stakeholders is also sought to comprehend the nature of the problem
and the scope for improvements in ICDS service delivery. The following sub-sections present a
brief summary of the key issues and main recommendations under five broad thematic areas.
In concluding, a list of action points is also presented.
SUPPLEMENTARY NUTRITION PROGRAM (SNP)
Hot Cooked Meal (HCM) for Children: The concept of nutrition is distinct from hunger. It is
widely perceived that the HCM served to children (3-6 years) at the Anganwadi Centers (AWCs)
lacks quality and dietary diversity. The calorie norms are mostly met through cereals-based
HCM. Whereas, there is a demand for inclusion of fruits, milk, milk products and eggs in the
diet. In fact, states such as Andhra Pradesh have introduced milk and eggs in HCM for children.
Certain other States (such as Uttarakhand) have planned for milk provision but some other
States (such as Chhattisgarh) had discontinued the practice because of budgetary concerns.
Recommendation: Adequate nutrition can only be achieved with adequate budgetary
allocations. The ICDS dietary norms should be revised in accordance with the caloric
requirements it should specify minimum acceptable dietary diversity to include food groups
such as eggs, fruits, milk and milk products. Financial norms for HCM should be revised to
meet the revised minimum dietary requirements. Financial norms should introduce a budget
line item for specific food group procurements and allow for adjusting inflation in food prices.
Hot Cooked Meal (HCM) Programs for Pregnant Women: Some States have launched HCM
programs for pregnant women: for example, Anna Amrutham Hastam in Andhra Pradesh and
Mahatari Jatan Yojana (MJY) in Chhattisgarh. The HCM program aligns well with the National
Food Security Act provisions. Such programs receive positive feedback from the community
but at the same time it also increases beneficiary expectations from the ICDS. Importantly, the
HCM programs significantly impact work priorities and time allocation of Anganwadi Workers
(AWWs) and Helpers (AWHs).
Recommendation: The HCM guidelines should provide for minimum dietary diversity necessary
for nutritional well-being during pregnancy. Additional work and time requirements from AWWs
and AWHs should be compensated through honorarium payments. The AWWs and AWHs should
be systematically trained for meals preparation with quality and diversity. The diversity should
address the aspirational value of food to make it attractive as well as nutritious. Alternative
delivery mechanisms or tiffin should be introduced to deliver HCM at homes to those in the
advanced stages of pregnancy.
Take Home Ration (THR) Provisioning: The THR has two forms – a) distribution of selected
food grains and cereals as dry ration or b) distribution of powdered mix of selected cereals
and food grains. The demand for powdered mix varies across regions and is affected by quality
issues, taste preferences as well as cooking and meal preparation issues. The dry ration is
preferred but higher chances of intra-household sharing can undermine the purpose and
cause of THR distribution (as reported in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh). The periodicity of THR
distribution varies from weekly to monthly across States. xviEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Recommendation: The ICDS should innovate and diversify the THR component with introduction
of diverse food groups (fruits, eggs, milk and milk products) as THR variants (others being
powdered mix and dry ration). The THR variants should be distributed to keep the food
groups segregated and yet sufficient on a weekly basis to promote merging with existing diets
and regular interaction and service utilization at the AWCs. The AWWs and AWHs should be
mandated to provide THR to all identified undernourished beneficiaries (children as well as
pregnant and lactating women) by ensuring distribution either at the AWCs or during home
visits. Media advertisements should be planned to overcome the poor image and perception of
THR. Fixed-day fixed-time should be planned for THR distribution.
THR Production Models: Centralized Production Facilities, Decentralized Production Facilities
and Decentralized Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are the three main models of THR production. In
the Centralized model (such as Telangana), one facility is contracted to produce and distribute
THR for an entire state. In the Decentralized Production model (such as Kerala), the firms
typically contracted to produce THR are scattered across multiple communities or at the
Block level. In the Decentralized model (such as Rajasthan), SHGs are contracted to provide
THR typically to only one or two AWCs per SHG. Quality control is usually better in centralized
model because of economies of scale whereas risk of collusion and leakages is perceived to be
the least in the decentralized model.
Recommendation: Adherence to technical and financial norms and conditions for THR
production should be the guiding principles in determining the decentralization level of
production facilities. The production facilities should adhere to standard packaging and
labelling requirements along with barcoding and display of mandatory information about
nutritional content. The level of decentralization and contract quantity should be estimated
based on financial viability prospects based on the technical requirements. Qualification of
technical bid should be a prerequisite for eligibility of the firms for THR production. Financial
support may be offered to local SHGs through convergence initiative for capacity building and
technical upgradation.
THR Supply Chain: THR supplies can be irregular because of delays in payments and clearance
of dues. This was observed across many of the sample states. THR supplies are also affected
because of environmental factors particularly in flood prone areas and/or due to storage and
transportation issues. Low unit cost of THR also implies lack of funds for transportation, high
risk premium (interests) and low financial viability of suppliers. The last-mile delivery in the
THR supply chain lacks transparency. There is a limited role of community in receipt of THR
supplies at the AWCs or in conducting essential quality checks of the product. The quality
standards of THR mix is questionable because of complaints such as impurities (pebbles, insects
etc.). In fact, there is widespread perception and evidence that the THR is not consumed as
intended and often finds its way as cattle feed.
Recommendation: Transportation cost should be separated from the unit cost of THR to
allow equitable budgetary allocations for THR across regions and geographies. Route map and
designated community members should be identified for receipt and verification purposes.
Fixed-day fixed-time should be planned for THR distribution. Anomalies in payment flows and
disruptions should be tracked and examined by the District level officials. To reduce leakages,
the THRs should be linked to beneficiary through alternative identification mechanisms (such
as Aadhaar seeding). The steps in THR procurement right from tender to payments after the
last mile delivery should be monitored through a logistics management and information system
(LMIS). The THR production should meet minimum technical qualifications to ensure quality
control.
SNP Coverage: The supplementary nutrition program (SNP) coverage in 2018-19 is estimated
to be 46% for children (aged 0-71 months) and 37% for pregnant women and lactating mothers
(PLM). Between 2014-15 and 2018-19, the SNP coverage among children reduced by 15.1%
(from 8.29 crores to 7.04 crores) and among PLM reduced by 11.1% (from 1.93 crore to 1.72
crore). These reductions are mainly observed in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and indicate revisions
of beneficiary counts. Most of the north-eastern states have reported beneficiary numbers
which are more or less equal to the total child population aged 6-71 months. However, as per xviiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
NFHS 2015-16 the coverage of SNP is much lower in these states. The report on ICDS indicators
from the second ADP survey round finds that THR uptake among pregnant women and children
is 46% and 37%, respectively. Besides, most do not receive sufficient quantity.
Recommendation: ICDS coverage should be estimated based on beneficiary count and
population (projections) for the districts across States/UTs. The coverage should be reported
at all review meetings including convergence action plan meetings. The ICDS should invest
in research and capacity building institutions (particularly on nutrition) to develop technical
capacity of the functionaries and also obtain vital policy insights on programmatic concerns.
ICDS PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION
PSE component and Schooling: There is increasing aspiration among parents to send the
children to pre-primary or nurseries with focus on English language skills (as reported in
Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh). Private nurseries and kindergartens are perceived to be better
than AWCs by beneficiaries. Parents also send children to primary school at the age of 5, thus
cutting short their time at the AWC by a year or so.
Recommendation: Introduce AWC as a center for pre-primary education and place the AWCs in
the continuum of education by seeking greater convergence between ICDS and School Education
Departments. Nudge parents and community for uptake of AWC pre-school component through
a Pre-School Certification Program with certificates/prizes jointly given by Primary School
Headmaster, Sub-Centre ANM and AWC Supervisor. This certificate, countersigned by the LP
school headmaster, ANM and AWW, can help with better convergence between primary schools
and AWCs.
Perception on Pre-School Education: The community lacks awareness about the role of an
AWC and the services offered by AWC. Moreover, the AWC have a perception of poor service
delivery in terms of PSE, especially in rural Gujarat and in Rajasthan. The image of the AWC
and the AWW has low community recognition as an agency.
Recommendation: Through effective public outreach and media engagements, ICDS should
demonstrate greater resolve to resist the widespread perception of poor service delivery. It
would be ideal to engage the Education Department to provide a teacher or resource person
for the PSE component. In the absence of such initiative, the existing AWW would need
additional trainings and also sufficient time for effective delivery of the PSE component. The
Convergence Action Plan (CAP) should position AWC pre-school in the continuum of schooling.
Wherever feasible, convergent action between ICDS, Gram Panchayat and Department of
Education is necessary for AWC and School co-location. For example, in Uttar Pradesh 60%
AWCs are co-located with schools compared to all-India average of 18%.
Early Childhood Care and Education: There are several other concerns associated with the
ECCE component. A large indoor and outdoor space is advised by the guidelines, but this is
almost never available due to a lack of proper infrastructure. Many AWCs across all sampled
states, especially in urban areas, are cramped and poorly ventilated. They do not have enough
space for the children to play and learn properly. Many AWCs do not have equipment like
swings, sand/water areas etc. due to lack of space and/or funding. Separate interest areas
and activity corners are also not available in most AWCs due to this lack of space. Modifications
to learning materials for children with special needs were not observed in any of the AWCs.
Recommendation: Anganwadi Hubs can be developed by combining three to four AWCs in
areas with high population density. With the pooled resources of participating AWCs, affording
the rent of relatively bigger area with open space (or ground) for free play and multiple
rooms for age-wise segregation of children is feasible. Other benefit of Hub centres can be
the synergies created by combining the efforts of multiple workers and helpers who function
together as a team and divide the work efficiently. In Delhi, in the pilot phase, 110 Anganwadi
Hubs have been created by combining about 390 AWCs. Although, some urban areas have
experimented with Community Hub models for AWCs in Urban areas but these require
guidelines for practices/provisions. xviiiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
ECCE for children below 3 years: The Draft New Education Policy 2019 takes cognizance
of the learning needs of the children below 3 years of age. This includes aspects such as
cognitive and emotional stimulation of the infant through talking, playing, moving, listening to
music and sounds, and stimulating all the other senses particularly sight and touch. Exposure
to languages, numbers, and simple problem-solving is also considered important during this
period. Under ICDS, there is no clear strategy on psycho-social stimulation of children below
3 years through counselling of parents.
Recommendation: The ICDS should devise strategies to cover children below 3 years under the
early childhood care and education component. Counselling material and guidelines should be
developed to focus on this component with adequate arrangements for training and capacity
building of the Anganwadi Workers (AWWs).
Performance and Impact of Pre-School Education: There is a growing body of evidence that
quality pre-school education can have a significant short-term as well as long-term impact on
learning outcomes. Despite such vast network of AWCs, there are no regular and systematic
assessment of the impact of pre-school education on child schooling and well-being.
Recommendation: The ICDS should engage academic institutes, universities as well as
policy research and training organizations to undertake regular assessment of the coverage
of pre-school component and discern its impact on child schooling. Scientific evidence on
performance should be developed as well as identification of critical areas for improvement
should be identified across States/UTs.
GOVERNANCE AND CONVERGENT ACTION
Annual Program Implementation Plan (APIP) of ICDS: The ICDS APIP is limited to a few
aspects that are covered under the program and has not yet expanded the scope and nature of
activities. The components of the APIP are fixed and do not demonstrate piloting of alternative
ideas for improving service delivery through new programs and initiatives. Although there are
initiatives to improve AWC infrastructure (through tie up with MGNREGA), but several AWCs
lack adequate facilities such as drinking water, toilet and electricity. Training infrastructure,
particularly for the frontline workers, is also an area deserving greater policy focus across
States. Digital connectivity is weak across AWCs and reporting platforms are in its infancy.
The digital transformation of ICDS registers and reporting also suffers from logistical as well
as capacity perspectives. There is also a need to streamline financial reporting formats across
Districts and States.
Recommendation: The APIP line items across major heads should be expanded to encourage
innovations in service delivery and allowance for flexi-pool options across all components.
Following the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance (F.No.55(5)PF-II/2011 dated 6
th
September 2016) on flexi-funds, the ICDS should seek to set aside a flexi-fund to develop
sub-scheme or component or innovation to improve nutrition health and well-being. The SNP
line item should be expanded to provide details of procurements as well as transportation
costs associated with different geographies. The Financial Management Report formats should
be harmonized across States to allow item-wise review of key activities and expenditure
utilization.
Establishing ICDS Society: The funds for the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) are released
to the State treasuries for further transfer to the implementing department or agencies.
However, release of funds to concerned departments through the treasury route experiences
delays in disbursements for the implementing agencies. However, certain flagship programs
such as the National Health Mission (NHM) have established both State Health Society and
District Health Society as vertical support structures for different national and state health
programs. Through this arrangement the DHSs can manage both treasury and non-treasury
sources of funds. There is more flexibility in terms of fund transfer and expenditure which
otherwise can cause delays in procedures and implementation. Because it is a legal entity,
the DHS can set up its own office which has adequate contingent of staff and experts and can
evolve its own rules and procedures for hiring the staff and experts both from the open market
as well as on deputation from the Government. xixEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Recommendation: Formation of ICDS Society at the State-level and District-level can be
instrumental to expedite the flow of funds for ICDS activities. The ICDS society can be eligible
to receive grants and donations from trade, industry, institutions and individuals. The society
can also receive funds from disposal of assets. Formation of ICDS society can also expedite
issues related to appointment of contractual staff for the various scheme-related activities. It
may be noted that, Gujarat has registered State and District level ICDS Society that function
under the administrative control of the Department of Women & Child Development.
Social Audit: Social audit is conducted by the intended beneficiaries and stakeholders
and therefore assumes high policy relevance in monitoring of welfare programs. The ICDS
services, particularly the SNP component, are widely perceived to be of poor quality and a
source of corruption and leakages. Moreover, there is limited sense of community ownership
because unavailability of data sharing and community review mechanisms. The ICDS has a
huge beneficiary base and large-scale investment for provisioning of SNP. The nature and
scale of investment is comparable to flagship programs such as the Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA). Unlike ICDS, MGNREGA has established a
robust social audit mechanism that provides a forum to express the needs and grievances and
helps increase community participation for greater inclusiveness. The MGNREGA social audit
contributes to promote transparency and accountability as well as inform and educate the
people about their rights and entitlements.
Recommendation: With persistently high undernutrition, low beneficiary coverage and poor
perceptions of SNP quality, it is important for ICDS to establish a social audit mechanism.
Following MGNREGA, the social audit process and procedures can be developed and overseen
by an independent Social Audit Unit (SAU), identified or established by the State Government
to facilitate the conduct of social audit by Community Groups. Some States have formed
Community-level AWC Committees with a similar mandate. For instance, ICDS Delhi has
constituted Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee (ASMC). ICDS Assam has formed
Mother’s Support Group or Matri Sahayak Gut. The ICDS can strengthen such existing initiatives
by developing social audit guidelines and procedures. Alternatively, the Convergence Action
Plan can emphasise on possibilities of integrating key ICDS services under the MGNREGA social
audit mechanism or the Village Health Sanitation and Nutrition Committees (VHSNC) for
greater systemic accountability and quality assurance.
Convergence Action Plan: Following the launch of the POSHAN Abhiyaan, convergence action
plan (CAP) is developed from National to the Block level for delivering nutrition related
schemes. However, CAP committees at lower levels have greater focus on implementation
whereas they are less empowered to fill gaps related to financial and operational challenges.
Issues such as provision of drinking water, electricity, toilet or construction and refurbishments
of AWCs are difficult to be resolved without specific guidelines from the Centre or the State.
There are multiple data reporting structures for welfare programs in India. All different
government departments targeting children have different reporting data structures. Such
reporting on the same set of individuals using multiple data platforms without matching key
crossover indicators results in inability for macro-level integration and convergent action.
Recommendation: Flexi-pool for CAP should be developed at the State level to facilitate
infrastructure upgradation of AWCs. The guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance (F.No.55(5)
PF-II/2011 dated 6
th
September 2016) on flexi-funds within centrally sponsored scheme (CSS)
allows States to set aside 25% of any CSS (Central and State share combined for any given
financial year) as flexi-fund to be spent on any sub-scheme or component or innovation that
is in line with the overall aim and objectives of the approved scheme. However, this has
to be specifically implemented and States should take initiatives to present new ideas and
approaches to achieve the objectives of ICDS. The CAP at the State level should assume
leadership in developing guidelines and protocols for utilization of CAP Flexi-Pool and streamline
role of various departments in priority issues such as school and AWC co-location, AWC utilities
(electricity, drinking water and toilet facilities), AWC construction and cost-sharing norms,
Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) and sectoral allocation priorities, data reporting
structures, ICDS vacancies and recruitment procedures. ICDS should seek formal convergence xxEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
and collaboration with Municipal Councils and Corporations in urban areas to facilitate AWC
related construction, utilities provision and maintenance on a regular basis.
Monitoring and Supervision Visits: The guidelines (F.No. 16-3/2004-ME(Pt) dated 22
nd
October,
2010) issued by MoWCD calls for periodic field visits ICDS Blocks / AWCs by Officials at various
levels to review the program implementation. The Project and Block level ICDS functionaries
are required to undertake frequent monitoring visit each month. Panchayati Raj Institutions
(PRIs) are also involved in ICDS monitoring. Senior Officials from the States and the Centre are
also involved in monitoring visits. The objective of the monitoring is to identify and address
problems and bottlenecks in service delivery and also elicit community views and perception
on effectiveness of services. Monitoring and Review Committees on ICDS are established at
the National, State, District, Block and AWC level with varying composition and frequencies of
meetings. The monitoring visits, however, lack policy documentation of ICDS implementation
status with review and experience of key strategies, priority areas and measures for course-
correction.
Recommendation: The ICDS should establish a robust monitoring mechanism and strengthen
documentation and review of monitoring reports. The National Health Mission (NHM) follows
such strategy and has established Common Review Mission (CRM) and Joint Review Mission
for monitoring purposes. The CRM and JRM can undertake rapid field-based assessment of
the implementation status of ICDS and analyse strengths and challenges with respect to
governance and service delivery mechanisms. The annual CRM and JRM monitoring reports
should be well-documented and available on the MoWCD website. The ICDS should partner
with academic institutions across States/UTs to improve the quality of review and analysis to
have an alternative independent review.
Rationalizing AWC Registers: Even in states where CAS has been introduced, AWWs have
to maintain a set of 11 registers which has to regularly up-dated and reported to support
program monitoring. The AWWs have to also fill up monthly and annual reporting forms. The
reporting and record maintenance can be cumbersome, particularly when AWWs are being
involved in increasing number of community-based events and activities. As such, the ANMs
and ASHAs also maintain a record of services offered through them. Such duplication in data
collection can be reduced for efficiency gains in reporting and quality improvements. This has
implications for the need for uniform reporting about the same individuals too.
Recommendation: ICDS should reduce the quantum of reporting expected from the
AWWs. Activities part of Register 6 (Immunization and VHND) are essentially coordinated
by the MoHFW and the reporting of these indicators can be entrusted to ANMs and ASHAs,
respectively. Similarly, the reporting of information in Register 7 (Vitamin-A Bi-Annual Rounds)
can be assigned to the ANMs and ASHAs. In fact, dosage for immunization and Vitamin-A are
supplied through the health system and streamlining the service delivery protocols can also
lead to improvements in program reporting. The Register 9 (Referrals) can be discontinued for
simplifying the reporting requirements. The Referrals can be treated as counselling service for
health care utilization. Alternatively, if AWWs are continued to be engaged in immunization
and Vitamin-A supplementation then it is reasonable to offer incentives for achievements on
these key indicators.
6th Schedule Areas: As per Article 244 of the Constitution of India, the 6
th
Schedule deals
with the administration of the tribal areas in the four north-eastern states of Assam,
Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) under the Sixth
Schedule have authority over various legislative subjects and are entitled to receive grants-
in-aid from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet development expenditure on education,
health care, education, roads etc. The ADCs, however, lack financial autonomy and depend
on state governments for developmental funds and for decisions regarding undertaking of
developmental activities. In Assam, we observed autonomy issues hinder ICDS functioning and
implementation in the area.
Recommendation: The MoWCD should set up a Committee for reviewing the status of ICDS
services in 6
th
Schedule areas and to develop specific policy recommendations for strengthening
ICDS services. xxiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
INFRASTRUCTURE
ICDS Websites: The ICDS websites of most of the States have limited information and features.
The websites lack mandatory disclosures and are not regularly updated with on-going and
upcoming events and notifications. Some websites displayed information regarding the ICDS
objective, guidelines, and different benefits of the scheme but had limited information on
access to different related data portals or spatial information regarding location of AWCs and
ICDS offices and staff. Success stories of each state were also not available or updated for
facilitating replication.
Recommendation: All the States/UTs should host a dynamic ICDS website with mandatory
disclosures regarding ICDS services and functionaries at all levels. The website should provide
information on the network of AWCs along with information on number of beneficiaries
and quality check parameters related to key services of SNP and early childhood care and
education (ECCE). ICDS program data and geo-spatial information on AWC location should be
available to facilitate reviews. The website should also provide regular review and analysis of
ICDS coverage. Additional funding provisions should be provided for website upgradation and
maintenance.
ICDS-CAS: The ICDS-CAS has an individual-focus and consequently the data entry requirements
are large, as reported across all sampled states where CAS was rolled out (e.g. Gujarat
and Uttarakhand). Since the ICDS-CAS was launched only recently it has limited efficacy in
facilitating program review and course correction. The ICDS-CAS would require substantial IT
investments to create such broad-based IT infrastructure and human resources to make ICDS-
CAS a widely used database for program monitoring and review. In fact, the NHM HMIS has
witnessed significant IT investments over the last 10 years and has emerged as a successful
pan-India network for key indicators on public health system and services. However, the ICDS
suffers from issues such as heterogeneous AWW capacities and poor mobile phone networks and
connectivity. In this context, digital reporting requirements without available infrastructure
can be burdensome for the lower level staff.
Recommendation: Timely and sustained IT investments for strengthening the ICDS-CAS
initiative are necessary. The universal sharing of ICDS data is critical to draw attention toward
efficacy of ICDS-CAS. Allowing public access to selected data and indicators from the ICDS-
CAS database can enhance its acceptability and demand among stakeholders. Given the issues
with mobile phone connectivity issues, the ICDS-CAS can be more useful for program reviews
if it integrates physical reporting from lower level to digital reporting at block level thereby
reducing the burden on grass root workers until connectivity improves. This can facilitate
course correction as well as substantial improvements in data quality and veracity.
Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre: The NRCs and the AWCs share a common objective of
improving nutritional health. However, they are located under different line departments and
have no convergence in planning for treatment of severe acute malnutrition.
Recommendation: The NRCs are located in District Hospitals (in some places at Block level)
and are used by a small number of SAM cases. The NRC facilities should be established at the
Block or Taluk level to improve uptake of services as this will help mothers accompanying
children to remain closer to home. The AAA platform should be used to identify and refer
MAM and SAM children in the nearest PHC or CHC for further action. The CAP should plan
for providing resources for establishing of NRCs at block and taluk level. There should be
incentives to ASHAs/AWWs for referrals and compliance with follow up for NRCs admissions to
prevent relapse.
ICDS Infrastructure and Basic Facilities: At the all-India level, 86% and 69% of operational
AWCs report of having drinking water facility and toilet facility, respectively. No systematic
data is available on electricity connections. However, this is an essential provision in the move
towards digitalization. Besides, there is no policy provision for ensuring electricity supply
at all AWCs. In Rajasthan, for instance, none of the AWCs operating in own building have
electricity connection. One in every ten AWC is operating in a Kutcha structure whereas every
fourth AWC operates in a rented building. xxiiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Recommendation: All AWCs should be covered with electricity connection, drinking water
supply and toilet facilities. The ICDS MPR should provide information on electricity connections
to the AWCs. Convergent action for provision of this basic infrastructure is necessary,
particularly by establishing a centralized payment mechanism at least at the District or State
level for these utilities. Location of AWCs should be reviewed and co-location with schools
should be encouraged for greater integration with schools.
AWC Construction and Location: There is poor provisioning of basic facilities like water,
electricity, toilets, play yard, access roads. Flood prone areas, seismic zones, temperature,
hilly and remote areas (like in tribal sectors in Andhra Pradesh, areas of Assam), become harder
to access and deliver services in. In terms of digital infrastructure and internet connectivity,
poor connectivity in rural areas also deters many other reporting requirements. Accessibility
is a big issue in tribal areas, with hilltops and other hindrances making it difficult to travel to
and from the AWCs. Supervisors are unable to pay visits to far-flung areas since they have no
transport of their own and also have concerns over their safety in such remote areas.
Recommendation: ICDS budgeting for AWC construction should be sensitive to regional
variations – storage/animal infestations, hilly areas, flood prone areas, child friendly spaces.
It should take into account ecological aspects (earthquake proof construction) and climatic
conditions (extreme winters etc) to develop model design (Room + Kitchen + Toilet + Playing
Area). Meanwhile, the rental norms should be informed based on local conditions and desired
quality of infrastructure. Convergence platform should be accessed to develop linkages with
Gram Panchayat to improve transport infrastructure of villages and to facilitate ICDS service
delivery and monitoring.
HUMAN RESOURCES AND FINANCING
Performance-based incentives: At the moment, some states (like Andhra Pradesh and Uttar
Pradesh) have some incentives in place, but since honorarium for AWWs is not much—also,
delayed in many instances—functionaries feel demotivated at times. The idea of performance
grants was perceived positively by the various ICDS functionaries in all sampled states. In fact,
the performance incentive can be linked to AWC indicators/Project indicators to motivate the
ICDS functionaries on a collective platform. Career trajectories were also contemplated for
these incentives.
Recommendation: The performance-based incentive can be offered to individuals or to
the AWCs based on the performance on certain tasks or achievement of set of indicators.
The Government of Uttar Pradesh has launched a performance-based incentive program for
AWWs. Under this scheme, the AWWs are incentivized for achieving targets related to Aadhaar
information seeding of beneficiaries, anthropometric measurements and improvements
in anthropometric outcomes. This could be shared between individual beneficiaries and
the reporting workers of the AWC on a 25%:75% basis. The incentive can be adjusted to
50%:50% within one week of beneficiary failure which would then require worker to undertake
measurements in the AWC. Similarly, immunization coverage, follow up of NRC admitted child,
etc can be incentivised for the AWW as it is for the ASHA worker under the NHM mechanisms.
The Government of Delhi has also developed a scheme to incentivize AWW, Supervisor and
ASMC (Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee aka Anganwadi Samiti) to work as a
team and improve the working of their AWCs. Based on successful achievement of 10 basic
criteria, the AWCs are eligible to choose from a list of items for strengthening AWC facilities
and services.
ICDS Vacancies: As of 2018-19, 30.1% of sanctioned positions for CDPOs and 27.7% of sanctioned
positions for Supervisors are vacant across the country. Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,
Delhi, Karnataka and Jharkhand had more than 40% of CDPO vacant sanctioned posts. Due to
large vacancies there is an increased burden of monitoring and review on the CDPOs and AW
Supervisors. About 6.9% of sanctioned positions for AWWs and 7.6% of sanctioned positions for
AWHs are vacant across the country. Bihar has a vacancy of 17.1% followed by Maharashtra,
Telangana and Delhi which had a vacancy of more than 10% among sanctioned AWW positions.
These vacant posts increase the pressure on existing functionaries, thereby reducing their
capacity to complete primary tasks given in their job charts properly. Additionally, being point xxiiiEVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
of contact for other time-bound activities like Aadhaar enrolment, Jan Andolan mobilization,
ration card work, election duties etc also reduces the AWWs’/supervisors’ capacity to carry
out assigned ICDS tasks on time and properly.
Recommendation: The State Convergence Action Plan (CAP) should include recruitments as an
area for priority action. The Public Service Commissions should be active in announcing ICDS
related recruitment drives with necessary budgetary approvals from the State governments. It
should expedite recruitments of CDPOs and AW Supervisors to improve program implementation
and monitoring. The Government of India has issued guidelines (MWCD, No.1-2/2014-CD.I,
dated 15
th
Sep 2015) for recruiting 50% of the AWC Supervisors from existing AWWs with 10
years of experience and required education qualifications. Further, the DM/DC in all States is
empowered to recruit AWC Supervisors in the Aspirational Districts (MWCD, No.11-1/2018-CD.I,
dated 14
th
Mar 2018). Similar authority should be extended to all the DM/DC for recruitment of
CDPOs from the existing AWC Supervisors with 10 years of experience and required education
qualifications.
States should explore establishing recruitment board within the respective Departments of
Women and Child Development. Departmental Recruitment Board for CDPO and AWC Supervisor
Recruitment through State Public Service Commission (PSC) leads to delays in some States.
For example, Uttar Pradesh is experiencing long delays in ICDS recruitments. Establishment
of Departmental Recruitment Board can expedite recruitment process for ICDS or Program
specific vacancies. In 2012, the Government of Tamil Nadu has undertaken a similar initiative
and has established the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) with the objective of making
appointments to various categories of staff in the Health and Family Welfare Department by
way of direct recruitment, in a speedy manner, keeping in view the nature, importance and
essentiality of these posts. The Departmental Promotion Committees should regularly take up
cases for promotions at all levels.
Capacity-building among AWWs: As suggested by the SNEHA findings - and our subsequent
comparisons with on-ground findings — there is a need to concentrate on capacity building
training of the functionaries. At the moment across all sampled states, apart from being
overburdened and underpaid, AWWs and AWHs are also under-skilled, which often leads to a
lack of motivation and job satisfaction. District functionaries have reported that ILA has many
weak links in its knowledge transfer chain at the moment.
Recommendations: By providing more skill-based knowledge and following up with regular
handholding and observation sessions by Supervisors, the functionaries’ levels of motivation
and satisfaction can be improved upon greatly. This will no doubt have a positive impact upon
their ability to fruitfully contribute to the implementation of the ICDS at the grass-root level.
ICDS Financing: In 2019-20, the Central share in ICDS budget amounts to Rs.19927 crores.
Honoraria (47.0%), SNP (33.9%), and salary (6.5%) jointly account for about 87.4% of the
total Central assistance. About 7.5 per cent of the central assistance is allocated toward
infrastructure (AWC construction, upgradation, drinking water, toilet and rent). If corresponding
State share as per cost-sharing norms is included then the total ICDS budget is expected to be
at least Rs.33171 crores. Although, Uttar Pradesh has a 15% share in total ICDS budget but it
also accounts for 17.6% share of beneficiaries. This translates into Rs.4013 per beneficiary per
year which is much lower than several other States. The expected pre-school component of
the budget is 75 paise per child per day.
Recommendation: The SNP budget should be increased to allow for greater dietary
diversity. A 50% increase in SNP budget implies an additional allocation of Rs. 4684 Crore by
the Government of India under the Central Share for ICDS. States with low per beneficiary
budgets should increase allocations toward infrastructure and human resources. The share
of infrastructure expenditure should be increased by 50% for AWC construction, maintenance
(drinking water, toilet and electricity) as well as development of digital reporting platforms
for program data and funds management. This would imply an additional increase of about
Rs.500 crore in Central share. The budget for the pre-school kit should be enhanced to provide
playing and learning materials. Allocations should be provided for pre-school certification,
gifts and prize distributions that are jointly conducted in collaboration with the government
schools and education department. 1EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
01.
1.1. INTRODUCTION
Launched on 02
nd
October, 1975, the Integrated
Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme – the
Anganwadi Services Scheme – is one of the world’s
largest programs for early childhood care and
development. The scheme is designed as a response
to the fundamental challenges of child development
in terms of a) cognitive development through pre-
school non-formal education and b) physical growth
by liberating childhood from the vicious cycle of
malnutrition, morbidity, reduced cognitive capacity
and mortality. The objectives of the ICDS scheme are
(MoWCD 2019):
to improve the nutritional and health status of
children (age-group 0-6 years);
to lay the foundation for psychological, physical
and social development of the child;
to reduce the incidence of mortality, morbidity,
malnutrition and school dropout;
to achieve effective co-ordination of policy and
implementation amongst the various departments
to promote child development; and
to enhance the capability of the mother to look
after the normal health and nutritional needs
of the child through proper nutrition and health
education.
The ICDS is designed to deliver six important services
to children (0-6 years) as well as pregnant and
lactating mothers. These services are as follows:
Supplementary nutrition
Pre-school non-formal education
Nutrition and health education
Immunization
Health checkups and
Referral services
At least three of these services are delivered jointly
by the Ministry of Women and Child Development
(MoWCD) and the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoHFW). The service package is designed to
harness the potential synergies at grass root level in an
integrated approach to enhance child development.
The Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) have thus emerged as
a vital platform for convergence in delivery of key
services.
Despite considerable investments and long-running
implementation of the ICDS, there is much to be
attained in the sphere of child development in India.
Children in India continue to suffer from a high burden
of anthropometric failures (under-five stunting
prevalence at 38% and underweight prevalence at
36% in 2015-16). Persistently high and widespread
prevalence of child undernutrition thus remains a
fundamental policy concern. The launch of the Prime
Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition
(POSHAN Abhiyaan) has placed a renewed emphasis on
child nutrition. POSHAN Abhiyaan specifically targets
to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anemia (among
children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce
low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum,
respectively.
The ICDS scheme is expected to significantly
contribute toward the POSHAN Abhiyaan and achieve
accelerated reductions in child anthropometric
failure. The instrumental relevance of ICDS in child
development calls for a comprehensive evaluation of
the current design, processes and implementation to
draw insights on its merits and potential to fulfill the
scheme objectives. As such, the implementation of
ICDS varies across different states, and therefore, it is
equally important to learn from state experiences and
identify opportunities and challenges for enhancing
coverage, efficiency and impact.
1.2. STUDY OBJECTIVES
The broad objective of this assessment is to critically
review the key processes, implementation structure,
program monitoring and the motivations and
engagement of the human resources under the ICDS
scheme. The specific objectives are as follows:
Analysis of governance and implementation
concerns with focus on monitoring mechanisms, 2EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
financial and technical support to various
functionaries at state, district and local level
Assessment of positive, negative, long-term, short-
term, direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of
implementation mechanisms on scheme delivery
and coverage
Understanding ICDS strategies and scope for inter-
sectoral coordination and convergence
Reviewing capacity building efforts for the
ICDS staff at state, district and local level and
engagement of staff in implementation and
planning of various services
Documentation of views and perceptions of
beneficiaries and other stakeholders on ICDS
objectives and impact and also to understand the
evolving aspirations of the beneficiaries in diverse
settings
The key questions and concerns pertaining to
efficiency, effectiveness, impact and equity are as
follows:
Have the ICDS inputs and activities resulted in
quality and quantity improvements in service
uptake and coverage?
Has the ICDS staff been recruited, trained,
managed, and evaluated as per recommended
practice, and have these steps led to quality
improvements in day-to-day management of
AWCs?
Have AWCs been successfully upgraded and are
AWWs able to provide a full range of maternal and
child health and nutrition services?
Have the broad objectives of ICDS been achieved
or are they likely to be achieved? How much of the
impact can be attributed to the implementation
of the scheme?
Are the organizational solutions favorable to the
development of good governance practices? What
models are available or are demanded across
rural/tribal/urban areas?
Have the ICDS benefits been received by the
planned beneficiaries and did all the planned
beneficiaries have access to ICDS services? How
do the beneficiaries perceive the ICDS benefits?
Are vulnerable and excluded social groups
encouraged to participate in project activities and
be represented in beneficiaries’ organizations?
Was there good participation of women in
community events on nutrition and health?
Is the supplementary nutrition program being
implemented in the manner that it was designed?
What are the barriers to effective implementation?
What are local modifications made to the
implementation which have improved uptake?
What are the various components of the ICDS
scheme and how do these vary in terms of
planning, implementation, and performance
across selected states? What are the challenges in
improving uptake of these ICDS services and how
do they impact scheme coverage?
How strong is the commitment of the non-formal
preschool education implementation to the plan
outlined in the ICDS scheme? What is the extent
of its coverage? What is not working well and
why? What is working well and why? Any local
innovations which were found helpful?
1.3. METHODOLOGY
A mixed methods approach is adopted for the
evaluation. For analysis and inference, the following
type of data and information is used: ICDS coverage
data from National Family Health Survey (NFHS
2015-16), ICDS scheme monitoring data (Monthly
Progress Reports, MPR) from the ICDS Department,
and qualitative data from interviews with Anganwadi
workers (AWWs), community members, Accredited
Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Auxiliary nurse and
Midwives (ANMs), Supervisors, Child Development
Project Officer (CDPO), District Project Officers,
senior officials at the state level including the ICDS
Department. Field visits to AWC for interviews and
assessments are carried out to comprehend status of
infrastructure and service delivery. The qualitative
component is further supplemented by an extensive
literature review.
The qualitative insights are based on assessment of
nine States/UTs selected for detailed assessment
of the ICDS scheme. The selection of states aimed
at capturing diverse ICDS performance across
geographical settings. The States/UTs are stratified
into three groups (High-focus states, Hilly and North-
eastern states, and other states/UTs) and are as
follows: Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar
Pradesh.
From each state, two districts are selected based
on features such as Aspirational Districts (ADs), ICDS
Systems Strengthening and Nutrition Improvement
Project (ISSNIP) districts or aspects related to
ICDS coverage (as per NFHS 2015-16). Districts 3EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Rajnandgaon
Barpeta
18 Districts selected
for field visit, 2019
Note: Vizianagaram, Dhubri, Muzaffarpur, Rajnandgaon, Narmada,
Jaisalmer, Haridwar, Bahraich are Aspirational Districts
States District 1District 2
Andhra Pradesh Vizianagaram Krishna
Assam Barpeta Sonitpur
Bihar Nalanda Muzaffarpur
Chhattisgarh Rajnandgaon Raipur
Delhi North West East
States District 1District 2
Gujarat Narmada Surat
Rajasthan Jaisalmer Udaipur
Uttarakhand Haridwar Udham Singh Nagar
Uttar Pradesh Barabanki Bahraich 4EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
demonstrating good coverage as well as those with
relatively poor coverage are selected to capture
intra-state variability and causes of variability in ICDS
performance.
In each of the selected districts, AWCs (both in
villages / urban areas) are visited by trained research
staff for interviews with ICDS staff and beneficiaries.
Throughout the conduct of the evaluation, the study
team interacted with all relevant stakeholders at
state, district and local level. Beneficiaries were
involved during all phases of the evaluation process,
to ensure better results and enhance ownership
of the results and awareness of responsibilities.
Representatives of line ministries at the state level
were involved in some crucial steps of the evaluation.
Semi-structured questionnaires are developed and
used for these interactions. There were separate
guides made for AWWs, district-level officials, state-
level officials, beneficiaries and tertiary stakeholders
(like PDS suppliers, SHGs/NGOs, Gram Panchayat
members). All guides were translated into the local
language to be used by the Field Interviewers. Focus
group discussions, small-group interviews, and field
observation were also part of the data collection
process. The questions were posed in an objective,
non-leading manner which helped draw out detailed
responses from the interviewees. Wherever possible,
they were asked to provide examples, anecdotes and
incidents which would help illustrate their point and
help the interviewers triangulate the data obtained in
subsequent interviews.
Most interviews had one primary interviewer with
another observer/secondary interviewer aiding them
in note-taking and/or helping with highlighting issues
or questions which could be probed further. Wherever
the respondents consented, audio recordings of the
interviews were produced to help with transcription
and analysis later on. For qualitative interviews,
the sample was chosen to ensure that inputs from
multiple levels and angles of the ICDS scheme can be
captured in the findings. Participation was entirely
voluntary and the participants were assured of the
confidentiality of their statements to the study team.
For the analysis of in-depth interviews, data in the
transcripts were subjected to manual textual analysis
to find axial codes. These axial codes were then
merged together under major themes identified
by the analysts. Responses from each group of
respondents were then mapped against these themes.
These themes were used as a blueprint for analysis of
data obtained in the subsequent states. Findings from
other states were summarised and similarly mapped
against these major themes to come up with the
findings reported here.
The quantitative program monitoring data was sourced
from the Ministry of Women and Child Development as
well as relevant state departments. The information
on number of beneficiaries enrolled and obtaining
services under the ICDS at different administrative
levels is compiled using ICDS MIS and is called ‘Monthly
Progressive Report (MPR)’. The MIS data is analyzed
to understand program coverage, infrastructure and
human resources. Also, the financial allocations are
reviewed. In addition, NFHS 2005-06 and 2015-16
household survey data was analysed to understand
the uptake of ICDS services.
1.4. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The study was reviewed and approved by the
Institutional Ethics Committee of IIT Gandhinagar. It
may be noted that anonymity of the respondents was
a major concern. Our reported findings do not specify
the source of suggestions, complaints and feedback to
ensure that the respondents’ privacy and anonymity is
respected.
Confidentiality of the data gathered was also
kept in mind when storing and sharing with other
collaborators/analysts. The study team found that
there was an implicit pressure felt by respondents to
answer positively, the effect of which could not always
be nullified by assuring anonymity and confidentiality.
Thus, there is acknowledgement on the part of the
research team that some sensitive feedback may
not have made its way into the findings due to the
participants’ unwillingness to share it on record.
Similarly, prior notice was given to districts and AWCs
in many cases. This could have had an impact on the
observations and findings. For example, many AWCs
prepared for the research team’s visit beforehand.
Besides, lack of time and a tight schedule also meant
wrapping up interviews quickly sometimes, sacrificing
a more thorough and nuanced gathering of data.
However, questions about the major themes and areas
of enquiry were prioritised in such situations.
1.5. REPORT OUTLINE
The report is organized in 10 sections. Section 1
provides the background and context of the study
and lists the main objectives and approach of the
evaluation. Section 2 reviews the key findings
from recent studies with focus on studies mostly
conducted post-2010. The review is organized under
the broad thematic areas including supplementary 5EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
nutrition, human resource, infrastructure, finance
and convergence. Section 3 presents insights from
quantitative analysis based on National Family
Health Survey (NFHS) data as well as program data
obtained from the MoWCD. The NFHS based analysis
aims to describe the ICDS service utilization across
demographic and socioeconomic groups from a
beneficiary perspective. Section 4 presents the
findings on ICDS key services delivery and beneficiary
perceptions about the ICDS services. The focus of the
discussion is on Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP)
benefits and the pre-school education component.
The beneficiary perceptions and expectations related
to these components are also listed in this section.
Section 5 describes some of the key issues associated
with implementation and monitoring of the ICDS
program. The focus is on identifying governance issues
that can be reviewed from a guideline’s perspective.
Focus on THR production models, ICDS website and
comparison with major national flagship programs is
also attempted to draw parallels for mutual learning
and course-corrections.
Financing and budget flows are an important part
of the implementation process in ICDS. States have
different structures of fund flows and this often has
direct effects on the service delivery in the state.
Section 6 discusses fund flows, flexibility and
financing. The issue of incentivization of ICDS staff
is also discussed in some detail. Section 7 documents
the issues associated with the ICDS functionaries
who are the most crucial component of the program
to ensure effective coverage and smooth delivery of
the key services. The focus is on aspects related to
training, staffing, monitoring, evaluation, time-use
and incentivization of the ICDS staff. This section also
discusses issues related to ICDS infrastructure.
Section 8 reviews the concept of convergence and
provides evidence on convergence initiatives under
the ICDS umbrella. Section 9 reviews the best
practices from the States visited for evaluation.
Section 10 concludes with summary of evaluation and
main recommendations. 7EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
RECENT STUDIES ON ICDS
02.
2.1. INTRODUCTION
Various studies have examined the implementation
and performance of the ICDS scheme. Some of
these studies are based on nationally representative
survey data such as the National Family Health
Surveys (NFHS), whereas others are based on ICDS
program data or independent state or region-specific
community surveys and interactions. A recent study
by Chakrabarti et al (2019), finds that between 2006–
2016, the coverage of ICDS scheme has increased,
particulary among the marginalized sections. This
section reviews the recent studies and reports on
ICDS to document the main observations from existing
evidence and to identify priority areas for action.
The review is organized under the broad thematic
areas as follows: a) Human resource, b) Infrastructure
c) Finance, d) Knowledge and training of AWWs, e)
Monitoring and evaluation of ICDS, f) Service delivery
under ICDS (cooked meal and take home ration), g)
Convergence with other programs, h) Impact of the
scheme, and i) Research gaps.
2.2. HUMAN RESOURCE
The Anganwadi Workers (AWW), Anganwadi Helpers
(AWH), Supervisors (AWS), Child Development Project
Officers (CDPO) and District Program officers (DPO)
are the key ICDS functionaries at the grass root
level. Various studies have reviewed the situation of
AWWs and challenges associated with their day-to-
day functioning. A review by Gupta et al (2013) finds
that enhancing educational level as well as in-service
training of AWWs is an important area for focus and
improvement. Besides, it is also noted that with better
incentives, the AWWs can help to increase coverage of
basic services such as immunization care for children
(Avula et al 2012).
In 2011, the Planning Commission of India (PCI) had
conducted an evaluation of the ICDS scheme. The study
finds that the AWWs are overburdened, underpaid and
mostly unskilled. They are overburdened because the
day-to-day AWC-related work takes not less than 5-6
hours every day. Besides, they are asked to perform
tasks of other agencies, with or without incentives.
The AWWs being unskilled was a major concern
because they did not have much idea of the growth
monitoring processes and medical assistance required
by malnourished children. The impact of training
programs on AWWs’ skill and knowledge is also weak.
Regular training and capacity building of the AWC
staff is critical because they are the focal point for
several important health and nutrition interventions.
For instance, Avula et al (2015) find that close
collaboration between all the frontline workers
(FLWs) namely AWWs, ASHAs, ANMs is critical to
deliver key interventions. For instance, while AWWs
are instrumental to deliver the SNP component under
ICDS, ANMs and ASHAs are critical for immunization
and vitamin A supplementation. Given the central role
of these workers and also their poverty status, it is
important to motivate their work performance and
reduce attrition through monetary or non-monetary
incentives.
2.3. INFRASTRUCTURE
There are major infrastructure gaps in ICDS. Studies
have found wide inter-state and intra-state variations
in the provisioning of basic infrastructure facilities at
the AWCs. For instance, based on a study in Andhra
Pradesh, Helena et al (2016) find that 71% of the
AWCs are in pucca buildings and around 36% are
rented. Around 29% have toilets, 20% have regular
water supply and 50% have a separate kitchen. Gill
et al (2017) reviews the infrastructure of 400 AWCs
in Amritsar, Punjab. The study finds that out of 400
AWCs, only 24% operate in own buildings. Further,
only 53% AWCs have regular water supplies. A similar
study from Bangalore finds that that 85% of the rural
AWC and 60% of urban AWC have their own building
while other centers were running in school buildings
(Abhijnana et al 2019). All urban AWCs were having
separate place for cooking and had better sanitation
facilities.
In 2015, the NITI Aayog had conducted a rapid
assessment of AWCs across 19 States/UTs. This study
finds that 22.5% of AWCs did not have the required
medicines for the children. 41% AWCs had either 8EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
shortage of space or unsuitable accommodation
whereas 13.7% did not have safe drinking water
facilities. Also, in 24.3% AWCs, problems were
noticed in records maintenance. Previously, in 2011,
the Planning Commission had also noted that the
AWCs lack adequate infrastructure to deliver the six
designated services. This deficiency has adversely
affected the quality of delivery of services and hence
impact of ICDS. The quality of service delivery on the
demand side was evaluated based on the following
indicators: Percentage of households not adequately
aware of ICDS, Percentage of eligible households not
availing services because of supply side inadequacies,
Percentage of beneficiaries facing constraints in
availing service, and Percentage of beneficiaries
satisfied with delivery of services.
With the introduction of ICDS Common Application
Software (ICDS-CAS), the data reporting infrastructure
is undergoing major changes. A recent study on
the ICDS Common Application Software (ICDS-CAS)
recruited nearly 1500 AWWs and 6000+ mother-child
dyads from 400+ matched pairs of villages in Bihar and
Madhya Pradesh found that the CAS modules are easy
to use and that the CAS dashboard enabled efficient
monitoring and feedback. However, the study noted
that the usage of CAS application is low, and while
there may be some shifts, the application still needs
to translate into stronger gains for improved service
delivery for beneficiaries. In fact, nearly all the AWWs
report at least one challenge in using the application
(this included hardware, application and network
issues. Some examples include the AWWs having to
travel to submit data, lack of network in their AWC/
village, slow internet, device being slow, or issues
pertaining to battery life or heating up). Greater
engagement between Centre and State, transition
to state ownership, investment in staff capacity at
the state, and having a shared vision can facilitate
faster roll-out of ICDS-CAS. Also, the effectiveness of
the application itself is influenced by the overall ICDS
governance as demonstrated in the differences in the
roll-out of CAS in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.
The PAISA for Nutrition Study (2019) found that
most AWCs lack basic infrastructure and equipment.
While a kitchen may not affect an AWC where food
is cooked and served by SHGs, the lack of drinking
water, hand-washing facilities, and usable toilets was
striking. Several items are required at AWCs to make
it functional. These can be classified into four groups
– IEC posters, growth monitoring related equipment,
Pre-School Education (PSE), and other AWC supplies.
There are several gaps across districts, notably for
weighing machines. Across both districts in one state,
the availability of IEC posters, growth charts, and PSE
related items was low. The availability of weighing
machines in working condition for both adults and
children was also low. However, some districts have
better infrastructure for AWCs. These are districts
where GPs use their own source revenue (OSR) for
nutrition and education (typically used for AWCs).
2.4. FINANCING
Fund allocation and utilization has been yet another
important component in the implementation of
the scheme such as ICDS. There are two important
aspects of financing: one, low financial allocations
for the ICDS and, second, is the underutilization of
allocated funds. Gupta and Gupta (2018) examine
release and utilization of funds for ICDS Bihar for the
period 2006-15 and find that Bihar was not able to
utilize funds completely during 2006-08. The Planning
Commission (2011) study also finds that a large part
(around 60%) of budgetary allocation/spending (2008-
09) is not being used for SNP. In fact, making funds
available to AWC seems to be a better option than
supplying SNP. Letting the SNP funds flow from State
Nodal Office to the bank account of AWW directly and
not through DPO/CDPO as is being done now, while
the responsibility of cooking and delivery of SN may
be outsourced to women-SHGs (as is the practice in
some areas).
Menon et al (2016) estimate the costs of delivering
two sets of nutrition related interventions at scale.
The first is the set of the 10 Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN)
interventions and the second is a set of 14 nutrition
interventions that are encompassed in India’s policy
framework and also supported by recommendations
from a large network of stakeholders in India, the
Coalition for Food and Nutrition Security in India
referred to as ‘India Plus’ actions. The study finds that
cash transfers to women to support breastfeeding and
supplementary food rations, respectively together
cover >80% of the total cost estimates for scaling
interventions. This is followed by health interventions
(including inpatient treatment of severe acute
malnutrition), counselling actions and micronutrient
supplements and deworming, accounting for 4, 5 and
3% share of the total cost, respectively. The study
also finds considerable variability in the costs for
delivering the interventions at scale in the different
states across India, with variability in cost estimates
primarily driven by differences in target populations.
Also, costs across states was found varying due to
existing population and high fertility rates, high
stunting and wasting rates (amplifying the costs for 9EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
treatment of severe acute malnutrition). This calls
for increasing the level of investment in nutrition in
general and ICDS in particular.
2.5. TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE OF
AWWS
Studies focusing on the infrastructure and human
resource gaps often highlight the need for training
and capacity building of AWWs. Chudasama et al
(2015) finds that only 11% the AWWs in Gujarat have
received induction training. The training programs
play an important role in improving the performances
of the staff working at the grass root level. This
study also highlights the importance of monitoring
and evaluation of AWWs to improve reporting of key
indicators and to improve overall performance of the
scheme.
Importance of nutritional education is highlighted by
Meena and Meena (2018) in the context of its impact
on undernutrition among under-five children in urban
and rural areas of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Such
trainings are important as appropriate intervention
by AWWs can provide people with appropriate skills
and motivation to choose wise dietary and lifestyle
choices. This study emphasizes that lack of food is
not the sole cause behind malnutrition, but the lack
of knowledge about feeding amount, frequency,
type of food etc. contribute significantly to the poor
nutritional status of the children.
Similarly, Chaturvedi and Nanjappan (2014) analyze
the knowledge of infant and young child feeding (IYCF)
practices among AWWs and their ability to counsel
and influence care givers regarding these practices.
The study was based on a sample of 80 AWWs from
four districts of Gujarat and noted that AWWs with
better IYCF were more effectively implementing
them in counselling sessions with caregivers. This
study emphasized on the need for quality interaction
between the AWWs and caregivers for which a
paradigm shift in training is required to strengthen
communication and counselling skills of the AWWs.
2.6. IMPLEMENTATION GAPS
There are major gaps in ICDS scheme monitoring
and implementation of various ICDS activities with
adequate logistics support. For instance, Parmar et al
(2014) observe the conduct of Mamta Day at AWCs to
deliver routine immunization and growth monitoring
services and finds lack of preparation in terms of
emergency kits etc for the immunization sessions. The
authors suggested greater support and trainings from
the ANMs and the Primary Health Centre (PHC) to deliver
quality health care and counselling services. With the
advent of the POSHAN Abhiyaan, new ways of event
planning and quality improvements have emphasized
upon. One of the biggest challenges for ICDS, however,
is multi-sectoral convergence particularly between
the National Health Mission (NHM), Ministry of Health
(MOH), and Ministry of Women and Child Development
(MWCD) and also in coordination with other ministries
and line departments.
There are various reports which indicates
implementation gaps, including lack of uniformity,
insensitivity to socio-cultural issues, lack of
convergence with other programs, lack of community
monitoring, and non-involvement of the local
leadership and community voices in addressing the
multiple determinants of under nutrition. A report
by IFPRI evaluates the status of nutrition-related
initiatives in Madhya Pradesh. This study throws
light on how knowledge is used for nutrition policy
formulation, program planning, and implementation
in order to create a demand for evidence among
stakeholders. According to the report strengthening
and restructuring the ICDS have been important
component of district action plans but how far it
has been implemented in marginalized districts have
been unclear. With the help of mapping exercise,
the report identifies 84 actors who are important in
the implementation of nutrition related programs in
Madhya Pradesh.
Malik et al (2015) in their study regarding the
functioning of ICDS centers in Delhi have highlighted
shortcomings of AWWs in implementing the revised
nutrition norms. There is a need of effective supervision
at each level of health facilitates. Further challenges
met by community health workers at the field are
also important for smooth implementation of ICDS.
State specific studies capture the stark variations in
the implementation of the ICDS scheme. Kumar et al
(2015) evaluate the child health care services for three
to six years old in urban AWCs in Kerala. According to
the study conducted with 117 AWCs, 73 were providing
average services to 3 to 6 year-old children, 18 AWCs
were providing poor services and only 26 AWCs were
performing well. A study from West Bengal finds
out that providing nutrition won’t be enough, if the
caregiver is not provided with adequate information
on nutritional awareness and growth trajectory of
the child (Dutta and Ghosh (2016). Further including
eggs in the regular diet given to the children can
solve protein deficiency. The study also finds gaps in
implementation of pre-school education as well as
nutrition and hygiene counselling. 10EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
2.7. SERVICE DELIVERY: THR AND HOT
COOKED MEALS
Various studies have discussed supplementary
nutrition program (SNP) components of hot cooked
meal (HCM) and take-home rations (THR) under ICDS.
The THR is provided to children less than 3 years as
well as to pregnant women and nursing mothers. The
Planning Commission (2011) finds that the awareness
about the services available at AWC, entitlement of
supplementary nutrition and other services is very poor
both among beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. Some
studies suggest that HCM for children below 3 years is
a much better form of supplementary nutrition than
THR packets in terms of acceptability, consumption
and effective calorie and protein content. THR is an
essential part of ICDS scheme which allows access to
pre-mix nutritional food easily.
Marathe et al (2015) examine the importance of THR
in improving the nutritional status of children in
selected districts of Maharashtra. The study indicates
that in terms of regularity of the supply, cooked meals
outweigh the THR packets as the overall availability
of THR packets was only 53% of the total requirement.
Study indicates that around 60% of the beneficiaries
receive two packets of THR whereas the rest receive
only one packet per month. On the other hand, the
beneficiaries were receiving HCM on a daily basis.
The authors also enquire about what they do with
the unused THR packets and find that 79% of such
respondents feed this to animals or use it for fishing,
11% throw it away whereas others mix it with other
flour for consumption. This study also finds that HCM
serves much better as a means of supplementary
nutrition.
Vaid et al (2018) find some differences between
the Indian and global recommendations for nutrient
requirements. The ICMR’s protein requirements
exceed those of WHO, while its iron intake
recommendations are lower than those of WHO. The
study also notes a mix of models for the provision of
THR across the country. Information on THR content,
quantity, frequency of provision, and nutrient
content is not uniformly available for all the states.
In instances where it is available, it may be outdated.
Also, it is unclear whether the states are currently
meeting the THR norms specified in the national
guidelines. Importantly, studies have noted wide
divergence between official statistics on nutritional
status, registered beneficiaries, number (norms) of
days for SNP on one hand and grassroots reality with
regard to these indicators on the other (Planning
Commission 2011).
2.8. IMPACT OF ICDS
There are several studies which have discussed the
impact of the scheme on maternal and child health
indicators. Study by Clementine et al (2014) talks about
operational performance, economic sustainability and
social impact of a decentralized production model
for India’s Supplementary Nutrition Program (ICDS).
This study tries to highlight the operational aspect
of supplementary nutrition program where local
groups are being involved in the manufacturing the
products related to ICDS. A pilot unit was introduced
in 2011 by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
(GAIN) with the UN World Food Program (WFP) as
an implementing partner. The study focuses on the
important component of the ICDS structure and that is
supplies to the AWCs, regular supervision and support,
recurrent training, preferential pricing and access to
financial services. Involving self-help groups (SHGs)
and decentralization makes it more local but at the
same time it also makes the task of quality checks and
monitoring a little complicated.
There have been mixed evidences about the ICDS
program meetings its goals in India. Dixit et al (2018)
examine the impact of ICDS on rural areas in India but
find that the ICDS service didn’t improve nutritional
status in rural India. According to the authors the
children who received the ICDS services were more
likely to be stunted, wasted and underweight as
compared with the children not availing the services.
The study highlights the program was not able to
reach to the target population, especially children
coming under the age group of 3 years of age. One
of the crucial factors highlighted by the study was
importance of proper utilization of funds in successful
implementation of the programs. In order to improve
the scenario of child nutrition, the study suggested
the shift from supplementary feeding practices to
improving environmental hygiene and child feeding
practices.
Mittal and Meenakshi (2016), analyze the impact
of supplementary nutrition provided through ICDS
on intakes of calories, proteins, vitamin-A and iron
among young children in Bihar. The analysis is based
on 24-hour dietary recall data collected for 320
children from four villages in rural Bihar. The study
finds an increase in net intake of food by 135 calories
among the children (aged 3-6 years). However, no
improvement was seen in uptake of THR for children
below 3 years. Parents viewed HCM differently than
THR which was easier to share with other household
members than cooked meals provided at ICDS center.
Sarkar et al (2017) discuss the nutritional status of 11EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
AWC children of Phansidewa Block in Darjeeling, West
Bengal. The data shows that stunting is a predominant
problem and the elevated risks among older children
indicate failure in growth and development during
first 1000 days.
Sahu and Roy (2014) discuss additional opportunities
for ICDS and argue for developing crèche services at
AWC for under-5 children. In this regard, a study by
Alderman and Friedman (2018) on an AWC-cum-
crèche pilot in Madhya Pradesh finds that the scheme
achieved modest impacts with modest investments in
institutional capacity (there were small increases in
the receipt of ECE (early childhood education) services,
and equally modest increase in female labor force
participation). While there were three workers (AWW,
crèche worker and AWH) collaboratively delivering
the services, the parents saw benefits in sending their
child to the crèche so that their child is cared for, kept
clean, and is provided learning and play opportunities
and food when they go to work. Parents seemed more
confident about sending their children as there was
a third worker, and they could send their younger
children with the older ones. AWWs were positive about
the addition of crèche services. While some felt their
workload had increased due to the addition, others felt
it had decreased, as crèche workers also care for the
older children when the AWW is not present and help
the AWW with maintaining registers.
2.9. CONVERGENCE
Inter-sectoral convergence is essential to secure
faster improvements in maternal and child health.
There are various studies which have highlighted the
role of inter–sectoral convergence in improving health
outcomes. Kim et al (2017) undertook a qualitative
assessment of the convergence experience in three
selected districts of Odisha. The study finds that
convergence is operationalised to a different degree
at the various levels of the government health
and ICDS systems, i.e. from state to district, block
and frontline levels because of the varied types of
functions and relationships required at the different
administrative levels. For example, at the state level,
the convergence task is collaboration which includes
developing guidelines and meetings to discuss topics
and plan and review programs and initiatives. At the
district level it is coordination, planning and review
meetings, data sharing, and joint training sessions.
At the block the convergence degree is cooperation
which occurs through planning and cooperation.
For the village also, it is collaboration, achieved by
delivery of services, through VHND and home visits.
Further, several mechanisms were in place to
facilitate regular coordination and collaboration, such
as monthly meetings convened by (and perceived as
dominated by) Health, and biannual project meetings,
held to plan for specific programs or activities and
convened by Health but chaired by the Development
Commissioner to facilitate horizontal collaboration.
Other examples included the cross-sectoral
coordination committee for NRHM’s urban health
program and the frequent cross-sectoral collaboration
on guidelines for specific initiatives. Well-positioned
leadership (or champions for the initiatives or
issues) was seen as a key facilitator of convergence,
particularly leaders involved not just in the line
departments but who transcended departmental
boundaries such as the Development Commissioner
and the Chief Secretary. The VHND provided a common
platform for FLWs to work together in delivering the
ICDS and health services such as ANC, referrals, growth
monitoring, and counseling. However, challenges to
convergent actions remain- despite the shared goal to
reduce infant and maternal mortality, DHFW focused
on antenatal care services and DWCD contributes
to improving maternal nutrition by providing food
supplements during pregnancy, and there is little
data sharing across these actions to demonstrate
process towards the goal, even where common
indicators exist. This resulted in discrepancies in data
presentations and limitations on the extent to which
there is collaboration on program monitoring. Limited
supervision and lack of accountability mechanisms
for the implementation process from the state to
lower levels lead to repercussions. For instance,
at the district level, DHFW and DWCD staff clearly
identified their roles and responsibilities as applying
state guidelines for programs, prioritizing services
or activities based on their contexts, planning,
monitoring data, allocating resources, and training
block-level staff. But the Block-level staff lack
direction or guidelines for intersectoral coordination
from higher levels, thus it was unclear how they were
expected to work together.
Village Health and Nutrition Days (VHNDs) and similar
other events (like Mamta Diwas in Odisha) is one of
the key evidences of convergence at the grass root
level. Semwal et al (2016) discuss the performance of
VHNDs in Uttarakhand. The study indicates that most
of the VHNDs are not organizing any education and
counselling sessions on nutrition, family planning and
other health issues. Also, there are no facilities for
measurement of height and weight of pregnant women.
The study also highlights the poor coordination among
health, ICDS, and Gram Panchayat (GP) functionaries 12EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
in implementing VHNDs. However, such studies do not
necessarily cover best practices, if any.
A few studies have focused on primary health care
models and how these respond to the various schemes
or policies related to maternal and child health.
Perry et al (2017) reviews the implementation part
of various schemes and the reasons behind its success
and failure. In analyzing the implementation aspect
of the scheme related maternal and child health,
this study tried to analyze the following changes that
should have occurred after the implementation of the
scheme, a) change in the population coverage of one
or more evidence-based intervention, b) change in
nutritional status, c) change in the incidence or in the
outcome of serious, life-threatening morbidity (such
as pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, sepsis, hemorrhage), d)
change in mortality.
A report from the Government of Bihar, talks about
the various strategies that have improved the status
of inter-sectoral coordination in strengthening the
implementation of grass root level schemes such as
the ICDS. A scheme on Uddeepan Kendra or the Nodal
AWC aims at strengthening the AWCs with special
focus on the marginalized communities. Some of the
important results of this initiative are a) improvement
in home visits by AWWs, b) pregnant women and new
mothers have been more receptive towards messages,
c) data management and feedback mechanism has
been improving. But on the flip-side, infrastructure
continues to be a major challenge despite some
improvement and similarly large community
participation is necessary.
An important example of convergence is the
collaboration between Ministry of Women and
Child Development (MoWCD) and Ministry of Rural
Development (MoRD) for the construction of AWCs
with help of MGNREGA scheme. Joint guidelines
between the ministries have identified a number of
most backward blocks for construction of AWCs with
MGNREGA workers. The guidelines specifically aim:
a) to ensure that every AWC in the selected blocks
have a pucca building under MGNREGA, b) to serve
the objectives of pre-school, nutrition center, semi-
formal public health unit, community center located
in the heart of settlement, c) to support generation
of human and social capital at the micro level, d) to
create durable assets in rural areas and improve the
infrastructure at village level, d) to provide crèche
facility to MGNREGA workers.
The Planning Commission (2011) also noted that
convergence of complementary services is a weak link.
The coordination committees and other grassroots
level institutions are ineffective in most states
(coordination among providers of complementary
services, such as, health facilities, safe drinking water,
sanitation etc.). Also, it is ambitious to consider AWW
capable to accomplish this task without adequate
support from various authorities.
2.10. PAISA FOR NUTRITION STUDY
The Accountability Initiative at the Centre for
Policy Research undertook process tracking study of
the Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP) within
ICDS, and Vitamin A and IFA supplements in 2018-
19. The study sought to answer what the current
fiscal design and governance architecture of ICDS is
and mechanisms to make the system more efficient
and effective looking at cross-state variations and
innovations in solving bottlenecks in service delivery.
The study was conducted in 6 districts across 3 states
and covered the entire delivery chain of supply of
supplementary nutrition program (SNP) and Vitamin
A and IFA. The study included a primary survey of key
front-line functionaries and mid-level managers, Self-
Help Groups (SHGs), and beneficiaries. Key documents
such as passbooks and bills were used to verify the
information particularly with respect to fund and grain
flow. In addition, detailed interviews and focus-group
discussions were held with a subset of functionaries.
Villages were chosen at random using PPS sampling,
while ensuring that every block was represented. For
brevity, some of the key findings are listed as follows.
The number of SNP beneficiaries has been declining
over the past five years and that the HCM was served
on a daily basis. Unlike HCM, most beneficiaries
reported that the THR was received in the stipulated
time. The study finds that most districts do not have
“active” SHGs despite the Supreme Court Guidelines.
Typically, the AWW or related individuals ran the
SHG to supply HCM. Most AWWs reported that there
is limited incentive for SHGs to supply due to three
reasons a) limited funds for transportation (only
2% SHGs reimbursed); b) delays in receipt of funds:
often by more than 3 months; c) low unit costs for
HCM making provision financially unviable. Honoraria
to AWWs are often delayed and also the flexi-fund of
Rs.1000/- per AWC is also not sensitive to beneficiary
coverage.
The number of pregnant women that received any IFA
was low and the numbers that consumed IFA was even
lower. The receipt of Vitamin A was low as well. Part
of the problem was due to delays in supply. Around
50% ASHAs and ANMs run out of stock for Vitamin A
thus impacting service delivery. The availability of 13EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Vitamin A was limited even during VHSNDs. There were
gaps in the recall by beneficiaries and counselling,
especially for neonatal care and breastfeeding and
supplementation.
Apart from infrastructure gaps, the study also finds
several vacancies in key posts. For instance, over
50% sanctioned posts for CDPO, AWS, data entry
operators and statistical assistants are vacant. Under
such circumstances, most of these functionaries are
burdened with additional responsibility. This affects
both monitoring as well as timely reporting of data
and other information.
2.11. RESEARCH GAPS
Although several studies have examined the journey
of ICDS and reviewed the varied dimensions of the
program but still there are important issues and
gaps in understanding that require further research
engagement. For instance, several studies indicated
that beneficiaries preferred HCM in comparison
to THR but there is a need to evaluate the reasons
behind people not using these pre-mixes for direct
consumption. Also, there are very few studies which
are studying rural and urban infrastructure separately.
Only a few reports are available on inter-ministerial
convergence with specific focus on ICDS.
Studies have also shown the importance of village
health nutrition days another initiative to provide
maternal, newborn child services at the village
level. Such days provide platform for creating
awareness regarding maternal and child nutrition.
Often the studies suffer from sample size and sample
design constraints. This restricts the scope for
robust statistical or econometric analysis for policy
inferences. In fact, some studies have highlighted
that their results are based on one functional unit or
area and consider this as a major limitation.
Research on impact of ICDS on nutritional status of
children usually finds null to very small effect of the
program. But these studies are usually outcome or
result centric whereas not much research has explored
the solutions or alternatives for strengthening service
delivery under ICDS. Some studies have offered
suggestions for smooth running of the program.
Studies also suggest reviewing the scope for additional
responsibilities like distributing financial assistance
to elderly and disabled persons which is already
experimented in Puducherry. New studies that focus
on factors affecting implementation of ICDS as well as
those documenting successful models can also prove
helpful in strengthening ICDS. 15EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
03.
3.1. ICDS COVERAGE PATTERNS
BASED ON NFHS
3.1.1. Data and Indicators
The analysis presented in section 3.1 is based on the
National Family Health Survey (NFHS 2015-16) and
draws upon the draft manuscript by the study team.
The NFHS sample frame is based on the Census of
India 2011 and is powered to allow estimation of key
indicators of ICDS coverage for each of the states and
UTs by rural and urban areas separately. Data in NFHS is
obtained from a two-stage stratified random sampling
frame. The villages (for rural areas) and Census
Enumeration Blocks (for urban areas) were served as
primary stage unit. In the second stage, households
were selected for survey from each cluster/village/
block on the basis of probability systematic sampling.
The NFHS 2015-16 provides individual level information
699,686 females aged 15-49 years. After excluding the
information on mothers having children older than 6
years, and those with missing information on child’s
age, a final analytic sample of 295646 children (aged
0-6 years) with complete birth history is used for the
analysis.
The binary outcome variables (Yes/No) for the primary
analysis are: (a) Whether mother received ICDS
benefits (any) during pregnancy; (b) Whether mother
received ICDS benefits (any) while breastfeeding;
and (c) Any ICDS benefits received by child (below 6
years). For a comprehensive understanding, we also
analysed information on specific services under ICDS
as: supplementary food, health check-ups, health
and nutrition education, immunization, and early
child care. At household level, wealth index was
taken as the proxy indicator for householdstandard
of living. The wealth index was created by principal
component analyses on household assets and wealth
characteristics for rural and urban areas separately
(IIPS, 2017). Further, households were categorised
into four social groups – Scheduled Castes (SCs),
Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Class (OBCs)
and Others. Religion of household was classified into
Hindu, Muslim and Others.
INSIGHTS FROM NFHS ON
ICDS COVERAGE
All the primary statistical analyses were performed
separately for rural and urban areas. The descriptive
estimates regarding service utilization across
demographic and socioeconomic groups are presented
via two-way cross tables. The information on birth
history also allows us to infer about continuum
in service utilization by identifying whether both
mother (during pregnancy and breastfeeding) as well
as child have received ICDS benefits. In this regard,
we present estimates regarding utilization at three
different points (i.e. utilization during pregnancy,
utilization while breastfeeding and utilization by
child) through pie diagrams. For this, sample children
were classified into eight mutually exclusive groups
as: (a) utilization by mothers during pregnancy, while
breastfeeding and by child; (b) utilization by mothers
during pregnancy and while breastfeeding; (c)
utilization by mothers during pregnancy and by child;
(d) utilization by mothers while breastfeeding and by
child; (e) utilization by mothers during pregnancy only;
(f) utilization by mothers while breastfeeding only;
(g) utilization by child only; and (h) no utilization.
All analyses were performed in statistical software,
Stata 15 (Stata corp. 2016) taking sampling weights
prescribed by NFHS.
3.1.2. Key Findings
The service utilization (any ICDS service) by mothers
during pregnancy is about 20% points higher for
rural areas (60.5%) than urban areas (38.8%) (Table
3.1). Even while breastfeeding, a significant gap in
utilization pattern can be observed between rural
(55.1%) and urban (35.6%) settings. Similar pattern
emerges in case of any ICDS service received by
children (under six years) as well. For instance, about
59.6% of children from rural areas are receiving ay ICDS
benefits, whereas from urban areas, about 40.2% are
receiving same. This rural-urban gap is also evident
across all three broad services provided under ICDS for
both mothers (during pregnancy and breastfeeding)
(i.e. supplementary food, health check-ups and health
and nutrition education) as well as for children (i.e.
supplementary food, health check-up, immunization
and early child Care). 16EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Among all the broad services under ICDS, service
uptake for supplementary food is highest for mothers
during pregnancy both in rural (57.4%) and urban
households (36.4%) areas. Similarly, supplementary
food services are most popular among children as
well. On the contrary, the uptake for health and
nutrition education is lowest during breastfeeding. For
example, in rural areas, only 41.9% of mothers during
pregnancy and 38.0% of mother while breastfeeding
has received health and nutrition education under
ICDS. Importantly, only 42.4% of children in rural areas
and 28.2% in urban areas are receiving early child care
(preschool).
Across states, Chhattisgarh has the highest percentage
of mothers receiving ICDS benefits during pregnancy
both in rural (92.8%) as well as urban areas (73.8%)
(Figure 3.1). Whereas, it was lowest in Nagaland (Rural:
11.3%; Urban 4.5%) followed by Arunachal Pradesh
(Rural: 15.9%; Urban 6.0%). The service utilization
by children is highest for Chandigarh (Rural: 100%;
Urban 51.3%) followed by West Bengal (Rural: 82.6%;
Urban 54.9%) and lowest in Arunachal Pradesh (Rural:
8.4%; Urban 7.7%). Importantly, service utilization by
mothers in undernutrition burdened states like Uttar
Pradesh (Rural: 44.7%; Urban 20.7%) and Bihar (Rural:
39.2%; Urban 30.8%) is very low.
Rural India Urban India
During Pregnancy
Any Services60.538.8
Supplementary Food57.436.4
Health Check-up47.331.6
Health and Nutrition Education41.929.7
While Breastfeeding
Any Services55.135.6
Supplementary Food53.133.7
Health Check-up40.528.4
Health and Nutrition Education38.027.6
By Child
Any Services59.640.2
Supplementary Food53.135.6
Health Check-up43.230.9
Immunization44.328.6
Early Child Care42.428.2
Table 3.1: Utilization of ICDS services by mothers (during pregnancy and while breastfeeding)
and child under six years, India, NFHS, 2016
Source: Study Team based on NFHS 2015-16
Across social groups, mothers from scheduled caste
households have significantly higher utilization of ICDS
services (any) during pregnancy and breastfeeding,
both in rural as well as urban areas (Table 3.2).
Compared to other social groups (54.6%), the uptake
for ICDS benefits (any) during pregnancy is about
10 percentage points higher for scheduled castes
households (65.5%) in rural settings. This gap is
relatively higher for urban areas as utilization among
scheduled castes mothers during pregnancy is about
19 percentage points higher than others. Also, the
magnitude of service uptake among scheduled tribes
is comparable to mothers from scheduled castes. A
similar utilization pattern for ICDS benefits (any)
was observed among mothers while breastfeeding
across social groups. Among children also, the service
utilization is higher for scheduled castes (63.4%) and
scheduled tribes (66.1%) in rural areas. Similar gap
across social categories exist among urban children.
In rural areas, service uptake is relatively higher
among mothers from middle income groups (Table
3.2). For instance, 60.8%, 65.2% and 65.7% of mothers
from second, third and fourth wealth quintile are
receiving any ICDS benefits respectively. On the
contrary, estimates for urban areas reveal a clear 17EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
socioeconomic gradient in service utilization with
higher utilization among mothers (and children)
from lower income households. For example, during
pregnancy, 49.8% of mothers from lowest wealth
quintile have received any ICDS benefits against just
19.8% of those from highest wealth quintile. Similarly,
compared to richest quintile, service utilization (any)
among poorest children is about 28 percentage points
higher.Compared to Hindu households, a relatively
lower proportion of Muslim mothers (during pregnancy
and breastfeeding) have received any benefits both in
rural as well as urban areas (Table 3.2).
Table 3.2: Utilization of ICDS services by mothers (during pregnancy and while breastfeeding)
and child under six years, India by socioeconomic background, NFHS, 2016
Rural IndiaDuring Pregnancy While Breastfeeding By Child
Social Group
Schedule Caste65.559.763.4
Schedule Tribes68.964.166.1
OBC57.752.356.8
General54.649.456.7
Wealth Quintile
Lowest54.449.854.7
Second60.855.359.9
Third65.259.363.0
Fourth65.760.263.9
Highest57.852.257.5
Religion
Hindu62.156.760.7
Muslim48.944.151.5
Others67.561.365.1
Urban IndiaDuring Pregnancy While Breastfeeding By Child
Social Group
Schedule Caste46.242.647.1
Schedule Tribes50.647.150.9
OBC41.537.842.4
General28.926.431.0
Wealth Quintile
Lowest49.846.350.6
Second46.642.947.5
Third38.935.339.9
Fourth29.727.232.2
Highest19.817.622.2
Religion
Hindu40.337.040.8
Muslim34.431.838.3
Others38.233.240.4
Source: Study Team based on NFHS 2015-16 18EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
To understand the continuum in receiving ICDS
benefits, Figure 3.2 shows the percentage distribution
of mothers by utilization at different points of time
(i.e. during pregnancy, while breastfeeding and
by their children). In rural areas, about 42.4% of
mothers have received benefits at all points. On the
contrary, more than one-fourth are those who have
not received services at any point. The proportion of
mothers utilizing services only once is very low i.e.
3.6% during pregnancy, 8.6% while breastfeeding and
just 1.5% who availed services only for child. Similar
distributional pattern was observed in urban areas
as well with more than half of mothers receiving no
benefits and about 26.2% receiving services at all three
points.In other words, the likelihood of continuum in
service utilization is higher if mothers have started
receiving benefits during pregnancy.
Figure 3.1: State-wise utilization of ICDS services by mothers (during pregnancy and
while breastfeeding) and child under six years, NFHS, 2016
Source: Study Team based on NFHS 2015-16
020406080100
4.5
11.3Nagaland
6
15.9Arunachal Pradesh
14.7
22.3Delhi
24.4
24.3Manipur
19.5
29.3Jammu and Kashmir
32.4
31.8Kerala
19.3
35.2Daman and Diu
30.8
39.2Bihar
20.7
44.7Uttar Pradesh
23.1
46.7Haryana
22
51.4
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
29.2
53.4Rajasthan
36.4
54.3Andaman and Nicobar
40.4
56.4Uttarakhand
28.7
58.9Meghalaya
25.2
59.1Maharashtra
36.8
60.1Tripura
35.9
60.5Assam
22.6
62Sikkim
40.7
68.7Gujarat
63.1
72Mizoram
53.6
73.6Tamil Nadu
63.6
74.1Madhya Pradesh
38.2
74.4Punjab
65.9
74.6Goa
57.4
75.2Puducherry
62.4
75.3Lakshadweep
48
76.2Jharkhand
44.7
77Karnataka
43.4
79.3Telangana
42.7
80.8Himachal Pradesh
50.5
83.1West Bengal
66.8
87.2Andhra Pradesh
45.6
90Chandigarh
72.3
90.8Odisha
73
92.8Chattisgarh
Utilization During Pregnancy (%)
Rural Urban
020406080100
Utilization While Breastfeeding (%)
Rural Urban
020406080100
10
0Delhi
18.7
7.7Delhi
7.4
9.2Nagaland
8.4
23.5Arunachal Pradesh
6.3
18.7Arunachal Pradesh
26.3
30.4Manipur
20.7
20Manipur
27.4
35.4Jammu and Kashmir
16
22.6Jammu and Kashmir
20.2
41.2Nagaland
13.4
25Daman and Diu
26.6
42.5Rajasthan
23.3
25.3Kerala
23.9
43Daman and Diu
13.2
29.6Dadra and Nagar Haveli
24
43.6Uttar Pradesh
16.2
36.6Uttar Pradesh
39.4
50.6Bihar
30.4
37Bihar
44.6
53Kerala
20.8
39.4Haryana
29.5
53.3Haryana
23.1
43.1Rajasthan
38.2
54.7Andaman and Nicobar
23.9
44.5Andaman and Nicobar
35.5
58.1Assam
22.2
54.2Maharashtra
37.6
59.8Jharkhand
33.5
54.3Assam
33.9
60Meghalaya
37.2
54.3Tripura
47.6
60.1Uttarakhand
56
55.1Lakshadweep
25.4
62.5Sikkim
24.5
56.4Meghalaya
27.6
63.2Dadra and Nagar Haveli
44.5
57.4Uttarakhand
29.7
64.8Maharashtra
18.8
60Sikkim
56.7
65.2Lakshadweep
35
61Gujarat
58
65.7Madhya Pradesh
58.6
64.8Mizoram
44.1
66.7Tripura
34.2
64.8Punjab
60.7
69.6Mizoram
40.3
67.4Karnataka
53.1
69.7Tamil Nadu
59.1
69.1Madhya Pradesh
51.5
70.5Goa
65.7
69.5Goa
42.7
71.4Punjab
39.6
70Chandigarh
45.1
71.6Gujarat
39.2
70.4Himachal Pradesh
45.3
72.1Karnataka
44.4
70.5Jharkhand
34.4
73Himachal Pradesh
51.1
71.3Tamil Nadu
39.4
74.6Telangana
57.5
75.3Puducherry
56.7
76.2Andhra Pradesh
41.2
76.1Telangana
54.3
77Puducherry
51.1
78.7West Bengal
65
80.7Chattisgarh
68.6
87.3Andhra Pradesh
63.7
81.4Odisha
71.2
87.6Odisha
54.9
82.6West Bengal
72.2
91.9Chattisgarh
51.3
100Chandigarh
Utilization by Child (%)
Rural Urban 19EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Figure 3.2: Distribution (%) of mothers by utilization of ICDS services (any) during pregnancy,
while breastfeeding and by their child, India, NFHS, 2016
Figure 3.3: Trends in coverage of supplementary food in the Integrated Child Development Services
programme during pregnancy and childhood across states of India, 2006 and 2016
Source: Study Team based on NFHS 2015-16
Source: Suman Chakrabarti et al. 21EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
ICDS SERVICES AND
BENEFICIARY ASPIRATIONS
04.
4.1. ICDS BENEFICIARIES AND
COVERAGE
The information on number of beneficiaries enrolled
and obtaining services under the ICDS at different
administrative levels is compiled using ICDS MIS
through Monthly Progress Reports (MPRs). Figure 4.1
shows the number of ICDS beneficiaries at all India
level from financial year 2014-15 to 2018-19. Under
the Supplementary Nutrition Program (SNP), in 2018-
19, the ICDS covered a total of 39.6 million children
aged 6 months to 3 years, 30.8 million children aged 3
years to 6 years and 17.2 million pregnant and lactating
women. Under the pre-school education component,
in 2018-19, the ICDS covered a total of 30.2 million
children aged 3 years to 6 years (15.0 million girls
and 15.2 million boys). However, it appears that the
ICDS coverage has decreased between 2014-15 and
2018-19. The numbers for the beneficiary groups for
2014-15 under SNP are as follows: 46 million children
aged 6 months to 3 years, 36.9 million children aged
3 years to 6 years and 19.3 million pregnant and
lactating women. Similarly, in 2014-15, the pre-school
education component covered a total of 36.5 million
children aged 3 years to 6 years (18.5 million boys and
18.0 million girls).
At the national level the reduction in the number
of SNP beneficiaries is 15% and 11% for children
(6 months to 6 years) and pregnant and lactating
women, respectively (Table 4.1). The reductions
indicate revisions in the number of beneficiaries
mostly reflected during 2017-18 (Figure 4.1). For child
beneficiaries under SNP component, Delhi, Bihar and
Uttar Pradesh show large reductions of 48%, 40% and
33% during the base period 2014-15 to recent period
2018-19, respectively. Whereas, Jammu and Kashmir
and Mizoram show considerable increment of 170% and
99%, respectively. In fact, the downward revisions of
the number of beneficiaries in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh
jointly accounts for 80% and 75% of the total beneficiary
reductions observed between 2014-15 and 2018-19.
For the comparison period 2014-15 and 2018-19, a total
28 States/UTs show a downward revision in the number
of child beneficiaries (6 months to 6 years) for the
SNP component. Among these, five States/UTs show a
decrease of greater than 25%. During the same period,
eight States/UTs show an increase in the number of
child beneficiaries. In case of the pregnant and lactating
women group, 25 States/UTs show a decrease in the
total number of beneficiaries whereas 11 States/UTs
show an increase. A reduction of over 25% is witnessed
in seven States/UTs including Uttar Pradesh. Annexure
Tables A1, A2 and A3 provide further details on the
state-wise number and share of SNP beneficiaries 6
months to 6 years, pregnant and lactating women and
pre-school education beneficiaries. Although Uttar
Pradesh has highest share among States/UTs, these
figures vary across beneficiary groups.
Figure 4.1: Number of ICDS beneficiaries (in lakhs), 2014-15 to 2018-19
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 22EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Table 4.1: Beneficiaries under the SNP component of ICDS, 2014-15 and 2018-19
State
Children (6 months to 6 years) Pregnant and Lactating Women
2014-15 2018-19 % Change 2014-15 2018-19 % Change
Andhra Pradesh2382866 2264402 -5.0 805143 654975 -18.7
Arunachal Pradesh 222956 189060 -15.2 30233 24517 -18.9
Assam3310885 3030677 -8.5 691237 594296 -14.0
Bihar9967439 5969856 -40.1 1716981 1404672 -18.2
Chhattisgarh2055307 2216000 7.8 493718 493800 0.0
Goa57419 52996 -7.7 15909 14637 -8.0
Gujarat3185697 3104693 -2.5 757219 744902 -1.6
Haryana1105095 839339 -24.0 316855 263553 -16.8
Himachal Pradesh 458955 398112 -13.3 102728 96365 -6.2
Jammu & Kashmir295039 798450 170.6 92021 159609 73.4
Jharkhand2840711 2744555 -3.4 706032 718337 1.7
Karnataka3997286 3948737 -1.2 993802 895465 -9.9
Kerala856427 815494 -4.8 159801 304349 90.5
Madhya Pradesh5935835 6571443 10.7 1340084 1426266 6.4
Maharashtra5983249 5196154 -13.2 1126895 961743 -14.7
Manipur355176 340984 -4.0 75010 67208 -10.4
Meghalaya440399 454119 3.1 78538 73879 -5.9
Mizoram77974 155222 99.1 20313 28150 38.6
Nagaland302940 278810 -8.0 62508 34366 -45.0
Odisha3872777 3918422 1.2 793324 725129 -8.6
Punjab937773 671496 -28.4 261844 186289 -28.9
Rajasthan2868934 2667157 -7.0 892369 875613 -1.9
Sikkim23288 24500 5.2 4441 5800 30.6
Tamil Nadu2452140 2440152 -0.5 670337 732488 9.3
Telangana1691079 1500000 -11.3 466985 400000 -14.3
Tripura299116 332353 11.1 77264 69304 -10.3
Uttar Pradesh18445336 12392606 -32.8 4853101 3548330 -26.9
Uttarakhand632102 597062 -5.5 162684 177003 8.8
West Bengal6871904 5911318 -14.0 1374924 1366355 -0.6
A & N Islands12550 9591 -23.6 3277 2375 -27.5
Chandigarh55806 48547 -13.0 10415 7231 -30.6
Delhi846467 437046 -48.4 162462 114264 -29.7
Dadra & N Haveli19725 19363 -1.8 3177 3523 10.9
Daman & Diu6308 5150 -18.4 1103 1451 31.6
Lakshadweep4652 3450 -25.8 1666 1148 -31.1
Puducherry27812 26806 -3.6 9205 9157 -0.5
All India 82899424 70374122 -15.1 19333605 17186549 -11.1
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS Data 23EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
The Annual Report 2018-19 of the MoWCD shows that in
2018-19 there are about 1.37 million operational AWCs
in India. It may be noted that in 2018-19 about 1.9%
of the total sanctioned AWCs are not yet operational.
In Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir about 13% and 7% of
the sanctioned AWCs are not operational. The total
number of SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries
are 87.5 million and 30.2 million, respectively.
The beneficiaries were increasing till 2013-14 and
thereafter started decreasing gradually. The average
number of SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries
per operational AWC is estimated to be 64 and 22,
respectively.
Table 4.3 provides state-wise average number of
SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries per
operational AWC for 2018-19. For SNP component,
child beneficiaries range from 13 per operational AWC
in Andaman & Nicobar Islands to 108 per operational
AWC in Chandigarh. The PLM beneficiaries range from
3 in Andaman & Nicobar Islands to 19 in Uttar Pradesh.
The pre-school education beneficiaries range from 3
in both Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry to
60 in Chandigarh.
Table 4.4 compares the reported number of ICDS
SNP beneficiaries (both children 6 months to 6
years and pregnant and lactating women) with
respective expected populations estimated based
on the population projections of India (RGI 2019).
At the national level, the coverage among children
(6 months to 6 years) and pregnant and lactating
women is estimated to be 46% and 37%, respectively.
Among children, the coverage is estimated to be
highest (almost 100%) among the north-eastern
states of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal
Pradesh whereas it is below 20% in Daman & Diu and
Puducherry. Among pregnant and lactating women,
the coverage is highest in Manipur whereas it is low
among all the UTs (except Lakshadweep). Among
major states, Odisha has the highest coverage of
84% among children. Among pregnant and lactating
women, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal have
about 48% coverage.
Table 4.2: SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries per operational AWC, 2001-19
Source: MoWCD Annual Report 2018-19
Year
Operational
AWCs
Beneficiaries (in lakh) Beneficiaries per Operational AWC
SNP
(Children & PLM)
Pre-School
Education
SNP
(Children & PLM)
Pre-School
Education
2001-02 545714 375.10 166.566931
2002-03 600391 387.84 188.026531
2003-04 649307 415.08 204.386431
2004-05 706872 484.42 218.416931
2005-06 748229 562.18 244.927533
2006-07 844743 705.43 300.818436
2007-08 1013337 843.26 339.118333
2008-09 1044269 873.43 340.608433
2009-10 1142029 884.34 354.937731
2010-11 1262267 959.47 366.237629
2011-12 1304611 972.49 358.227527
2012-13 1338732 956.12 353.297126
2013-14 1342146 1045.09 370.717828
2014-15 1346186 1022.33 365.447627
2015-16 1349563 1021.30 350.357626
2016-17 1354792 983.42 340.527325
2017-18 1363021 892.77 325.916524
2018-19 1372872 875.61 301.926422 24EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Table 4.3: Average SNP and pre-school education beneficiaries per operational AWC, 2018-19
States/UTs
Operational
AWCs
SNP Beneficiaries per Operational AWC
Pre-school Education
Beneficiaries
(3 years to 6 years)
(Children, 6
months to 6 years)
(Pregnant &
Lactating Mothers)
Andhra Pradesh55607 40.711.815.4
Telangana35634 42.111.217.9
Arunachal Pradesh6225 30.43.915.5
Assam62153 48.89.625.3
Bihar99583 59.914.126.9
Chhattisgarh51215 43.39.615.1
Goa1262 42.011.613.3
Gujarat53029 58.514.027.2
Haryana25962 32.310.210.3
Himachal Pradesh18925 21.05.15.4
Jammu & Kashmir29599 27.05.48.9
Jharkhand38432 71.418.732.1
Karnataka65911 59.913.623.0
Kerala33244 24.59.211.5
Madhya Pradesh97135 67.714.736.5
Maharashtra110219 47.18.723.0
Manipur11510 29.65.815.4
Meghalaya5896 77.012.532.7
Mizoram2244 69.212.525.1
Nagaland3980 70.18.636.2
Odisha72587 54.010.028.2
Punjab27279 24.66.810.1
Rajasthan61974 43.014.115.7
Sikkim1308 18.74.49.6
Tamil Nadu54439 44.813.520.2
Tripura9911 33.57.017.3
Uttar Pradesh187997 65.918.921.6
Uttarakhand20067 29.88.87.9
West Bengal116107 50.911.823.5
A & N Islands720 13.33.33.0
Chandigarh450 107.916.159.8
Delhi10897 40.110.512.3
Dadra & N Haveli302 64.111.734.7
Daman & Diu107 48.113.622.3
Lakshadweep107 32.210.77.9
Puducherry855 31.410.73.0
All India 1372872 51.312.522.0
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 25EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Table 4.4: Coverage estimates: (comparing ICDS beneficiaries with population*), 2018-19
States/UTs
Children (6 months to 6 years) Pregnant and Lactating Women
ICDSPopulation*% Coverage ICDSPopulation*% Coverage
Andhra Pradesh2264402 4770045 47.5 654975 1528196 42.9
ArunachalPradesh 189060 192676 98.1 24517 58008 42.3
Assam3030677 4327123 70.0 594296 1291259 46.0
Bihar5969856 18183131 32.8 1404672 4989265 28.2
Chhattisgarh2216000 3491216 63.5 493800 1086932 45.4
Goa52996 130219 40.7 14637 42466 34.5
Gujarat3104693 7469961 41.6 744902 2338445 31.9
Haryana839339 3260060 25.7 263553 1057760 24.9
Himachal Pradesh 398112 704693 56.5 96365 229435 42.0
Jammu & Kashmir798450 1848803 43.2 159609 591551 27.0
Jharkhand2744555 5116369 53.6 718337 1482573 48.5
Karnataka3948737 6606198 59.8 895465 2101518 42.6
Kerala815494 3118385 26.2 304349 1033260 29.5
Madhya Pradesh6571443 10351397 63.5 1426266 3233224 44.1
Maharashtra5196154 12362020 42.0 961743 4024037 23.9
Manipur340984 343094 99.4 67208 111462 60.3
Meghalaya454119 529589 85.7 73879 182075 40.6
Mizoram155222 157623 98.5 28150 57192 49.2
Nagaland278810 263950 105.6 34366 79987 43.0
Odisha3918422 4662287 84.0 725129 1498977 48.4
Punjab671496 2811509 23.9 186289 908979 20.5
Rajasthan2667157 10154286 26.3 875613 3074012 28.5
Sikkim24500 57524 42.6 5800 17260 33.6
Tamil Nadu2440152 6670858 36.6 732488 2186153 33.5
Telangana1500000 3399802 44.1 400000 1089207 36.7
Tripura332353 425706 78.1 69304 130806 53.0
Uttar Pradesh12392606 28870253 42.9 3548330 8038504 44.1
Uttarakhand597062 1262446 47.3 177003 386360 45.8
West Bengal5911318 9568867 61.8 1366355 2847500 48.0
A & N Islands9591 36219 26.5 2375 11866 20.0
Chandigarh48547 112843 43.0 7231 35162 20.6
Delhi437046 2011329 21.7 114264 621220 18.4
Dadra & N Haveli19363 69877 27.7 3523 21668 16.3
Daman & Diu5150 39302 13.1 1451 11956 12.1
Lakshadweep3450 6525 52.9 1148 2229 51.5
Puducherry26806 136175 19.7 9157 46098 19.9
All India 70374122 152857147 46.0 17186549 46306409 37.1
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS data and RGI population projections report (2019)
Note: *Population is based on estimates from the RGI population projections for 2019 26EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
4.2. SUPPLEMENTARY NUTRITION
PROGRAM (SNP)
SNP Coverage: The estimated coverage for
supplementary nutrition (SNP) in 2018-19 is 46% for
children (aged 0-71 months) and 37% for pregnant
women & lactating mothers (PLM). Between 2014-
15 and 2018-19, the SNP coverage among children
reduced by 15.1% (from 8.29 crores to 7.04 crores)
and among PLM reduced by 11.1% (from 1.93 crore
to 1.72 crore). These reductions are mainly observed
in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and indicate revisions of
beneficiary counts. Most of the north-eastern states
have reported beneficiary numbers which are more
or less equal to the entire child population aged 6-71
months. However, as per NFHS 2015-16 the coverage
is much lower.
SNP Preference and Costing: SNP lacks the necessary
diversity and quality. Beneficiary preferences for
food items and taste vary both between and within
States. Demand for milk and eggs under SNP is noted
but cannot be sustained because of low unit costs of
SNP as per the ICDS norms. Some States provide dry
ration whereas others supply powdered mix under
take-home ration (THR). The distribution schedule
also varies across States (from weekly to monthly).
THR Quality and Procurement: It is important to strike
a balance between decentralization of THR supplies
and economies of scale in providing quality THR. The
quality standards of THR mix is questionable because
of complaints such as impurities (pebbles, insects
etc.). Widespread perception and evidence that the
THR is not consumed as intended and often finds its
way as cattle feed.
THR Distribution: THR distribution is irregular and is
severely affected in flood prone areas due to storage
and transportation issues. Low unit cost of THR also
implies lack of funds for transportation, high risk
premium (interests) and low financial viability of
suppliers. The THR unit cost declines substantially
once distribution-related costs are accounted for.
The THR distribution should be transparent with
community involvement in receipt and verification of
THR supplies at the AWCs.
The field visits revealed several important issues
associated with the performance of the SNP
component. Beneficiaries often come at irregular
times to collect the THR or they complain about the
quality of the rations given, and do not accept the
rations. Seasonal vegetables and greens are often
expensive, and the allowance provided for the fresh
produce under SNP is not enough to cover the costs
for such fruits and vegetables. Beneficiaries often—
willingly or otherwise—use up the THR as a part of
the common rations for the family instead of only the
beneficiaries consuming it. Preferences in terms of
food items and flavours vary across sub-regions of a
state (for instance, Gujarat). Maintenance of quality
and procurement are problems within the system
with no homogeneity in THR. It may be noted that
many of the beneficiaries do not necessarily follow
the guidelines for nutrition diversity. Children (6 to 59
months old) are also not interested in eating daliya/
khichadi every day, because there is no variety in
the menu.
Sometimes hot-cooked meals and THR are affected
due to delayed payment by the Anganwadi Vikas
Samiti or from higher up. This leads to beneficiaries
not getting rations and meals on time (such as in
Bihar). It is also difficult to ensure that beneficiaries
are the ones consuming the dry rations for THR being
given (in Bihar, for example), and not their families.
In rural Chhattisgarh, it was often observed that
the children who came to AWCs were frequently
accompanied by their older siblings, aged six years and
above (especially where the parents were farmers and
could not afford to accompany their children to the
AWCs). Here, it was observed that those siblings were
generally discriminated against or neglected while the
distribution of SNP took place during the AWC hours.
In Rajasthan, THR has not been supplied since last 6
months at AWCs due to pending payments in Jaisalmer
district. Due the shortage of funding, hot meal was
also not served at the AWCs. In Uttarakhand, AWWs/
AWHs reported that some social groups in the village
do not partake due to their practices and occupation.
In project Bagwada there are two communities:
Sardar and Canjad. For immunization and ANC check-
ups, members of the Canjad community do not visit
the AWC, which is established in the Sardar community.
Canjad community also does not follow the AWWs/
AWHs instructions to send their children to the AWC
for ECCE.
In Delhi, a proper recipe with the each and every
ingredient’s quantity specified is given to the kitchen
staff. According to them, the quantities specified in
the recipes is more than the ration provided to them
by the government. Sometimes, even the food gets
delivered late. It has been observed that at some
places breakfast and lunch are served together. Most
of the beneficiaries leave after having lunch. Due to
centralised cooking, delivery of food items to the AWC
is simultaneous for breakfast and lunch. This results in
children not receiving breakfast in a timely manner. 27EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
THR - Taste and Preference
In Andhra Pradesh, Balamrutham is the pre-mix that
is given out to beneficiaries. Many of them (as well
as AWWs) reported that the taste is not universally
appealing, since it is sweet and can only be cooked
in a limited number of ways. Beneficiaries also
reported that when prepared, the pre-mix only tastes
moderately alright while still hot. The taste changes
when the food grows cold, which is another reason
they do not prefer the pre-mix.
In Gujarat, the pre-mix THR given to the beneficiaries
has brought down the instances of beneficiaries’
families consuming THR instead of the ones for whom it
is supplied. However, since it is sweet and can only be
cooked in a limited number of ways. This is not appealing
to the beneficiaries. They instead ask for dry THR.
In Bihar’s Bahraich district, Take Home Ration (THR) is
distributed to pregnant women and lactating mother
on VHSND, Suposhan Swastha Mela, Bachpan Diwas
and Godbharai and Mamata Diwas days. The study
team observed during interaction with beneficiaries
that they like Poshahar and its taste; 80 recipes can
be made using it. AWCs distribute four packets of 1 kg
each of Poshahar to beneficiaries.
In Rajasthan, THR was distributed to the beneficiaries
regularly in the Udaipur district. The main issue
reported in THR was that beneficiary is not always
the sole consumer of it; other family members often
consume it.
In Uttarakhand, THR and cooked meals are given to
children aged 3 to 6 years. AWCs also provide panjiri
to malnourished children. The AWCs distribute THR
on days like VHSND, Poshan Diwas and Annaprashan.
AWWs give 1 kg moong dal (chhilke wali), 1 kg dalia,
1 kg iodised salt, 250 gm black gram to pregnant
beneficiaries. For the children, it is 1.5 kg dalia, 500
gm moong dal, 250 gm roasted gram, 1 kg suji and
100gm raisins in a month. These ration items are
supplied at AWCs with help of the SHGs in the area.
AWCs also provide rajma chawal one day every week
for children (aged 3 to 6 years old).
SMART INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, UTTAR PRADESH
Uttar Pradesh has developed a Smart Inventory Management System (SIMS) to improve distribution and
monitoring of THR from procurement to last mile delivery. There are several important steps in the
work flow design of SIMS which has to be implemented by the ICDS officials and the NIC. These steps
are designed to improve the delivery of THR and reduce the leakages through greater participation of
stakeholders in the distribution process. The specific steps are as follows:
THR requirement or indent is prepared by the AWWs and submitted to the CDPO
The CDPO reviews the indent and forwards it to the DPO
The DPO further reviews the indent and submits to the Directorate
The Directorate than places procurement order from the selected suppliers
The suppliers are required to provide daily targets for delivery
The supplier must ensure bar-coding and QR code on THR packets / bags
The THR product packet is labelled with the code
The supplier has to ensure production entry as per the proposed target
The supplier has to load the vehicles with THR packets
Each vehicle receives a gate pass as per the route chart which has to be shown to the ICDS officials
The route chart has details about the AWC supervisor, AWW and AWC route and direction from the
relevant ICDS Project office in the District
The THR packets will be received at the ICDS office in the presence of ICDS officials, SDM / BDO
and then stored in the warehouse
The supplier has to supply the packets to the AWC and has to be verified by AWW and Gram
Panchayat President 28EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
In Chhattisgarh, no issue has been reported for
distribution of THR. It is received and distributed
timely to the beneficiaries in all the sampled districts.
4.3. EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND
EDUCATION (ECCE)
PSE component and Schooling: There is increasing
aspiration among parents to send the children to pre-
primary or nurseries with focus on English language
skills. Also, lack of clarity in guidelines about
admission of 5-year-old children in schools often
means they lose out on supplementary nutrition and/
or elementary education as they have to be put either
in the AWC or the primary school. Private nurseries
and kindergartens are perceived to be better than
AWCs by beneficiaries. Parents also send children to
primary school at the age of 5, thus cutting short their
time at the AWC by a year or so.
ECCE for children below 3 years: The Draft New
Education Policy 2019 takes cognizance of the
learning needs of the children below 3 years of
age. This includes aspects such as cognitive and
emotional stimulation of the infant through talking,
playing, moving, listening to music and sounds, and
stimulating all the other senses particularly sight and
touch. Exposure to languages, numbers, and simple
problem-solving is also considered important during
this period. Under ICDS, there is no clear strategy on
psycho-social stimulation of children below 3 years
through counselling of parents. It is critical that the
ICDS should devise strategies to cover children below
3 years under the early childhood care and education
component. Counselling material and guidelines
should be developed to focus on this component with
adequate arrangements for training and capacity
building of the Anganwadi Workers (AWWs).
Perception on Pre-School Education: The community
lacks awareness about the role of an AWC and the
services offered by AWC. Moreover, the AWC have a
perception of poor service delivery in terms of SNP
or PSE. The image of the AWC and the AWW has low
community recognition as an agency.
AWWs alone are not skilled enough to provide the
play-based, non-formal training required for children
aged 0-6 years. Even though there are course books
and toys now provided to the AWCs (which were
observed in field visits across states), need to pay
more attention on the ECCE component.
There are several other concerns associated with the
ECE component. A large indoor and outdoor space is
advised by the guidelines, but this is almost never
available due to a lack of proper infrastructure. Many
AWCs, especially in urban areas, are cramped and
poorly ventilated. They do not have enough space for
the children to play and learn properly. Many AWCs do
not have equipment like swings, sand/water areas etc.
due to lack of space and/or funding. Separate interest
areas and activity corners are also not available in
most AWCs due to this lack of space. Modifications
to learning materials for children with special needs
were not observed in any of the AWCs.
Some AWCs, like the Urban Merging Centres, divide
the children into age-based groups as outlined by
the ECCE guidelines. However, this is not a common
practice and most AWCs cannot adhere to these
guidelines due to a lack of human resource and space.
As suggested by the guidelines, some naturally-
occurring materials are adapted by AWWs in their ECCE
activities (observed in Chhattisgarh, for example),
but this is not a common practice. More AWWs can
be trained in this respect to increase these numbers.
While most AWWs do follow the prescribed ECCE
course book to plan their activities and align their
long-, medium- and short-term goals, they often have
to neglect ECCE activities due to other tasks that are
expected of them (explored in detail in the state-wise
findings). Using the AWW as a universal government
program resource takes a toll on the ECCE component
of the ICDS scheme.
There is a need to provide the parents of these
beneficiaries with more information about the
rationale behind play-based learning, so that they may
understand that the goals of ECCE are not realised in
the manner of formal teaching (rote learning, pen-to-
paper methods, tests and exams etc). This is needed
to shift the parents’ aspirations to be more in line
with the ECCE goals, so that they do not feel that
play-based learning is in any way ‘lesser’ than formal
teaching (which is often what they use to judge their
child’s progress).
The prominent reasons for not sending children in
Anganwadis are regional differences. In Bihar for
example, Seemanchal is flood-affected; Gaya, Jamui,
Aurangabad are affected by poverty therefore it
is highly dependent on AWCs services; the lands
of North Bihar are fertile, so population there is
consequently less dependent on services. Caste and
familial affluence is also a major factor: uptake of
services is less with upper caste children, perhaps due
to food sufficiency, whereas children from resource-
poor/oppressed caste families are more dependent on
the ICDS for nutrition. Besides, some people assume 29EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
that services provided by AWCs are poor/not up to the
mark, and hence are not willing to send their children
to the AWCs.
Biggest challenge is the competition faced by AWCs in
the face of private nurseries and convent schools. In
Andhra Pradesh, for example, we found that parents
demand same facilities, infrastructure and syllabus
and this is difficult given limited funds and lack of
specially trained teachers who can successfully use
the play-based learning approach. This results in low
attendance at AWCs especially in urban areas.
According to AWWs, most of their time goes into child
activities of ECCE program and AWCs gets only 250
rupees in a month for ECCE program. They also do not
get separate funds for ECCE supplies like stationery.
There is no fund set aside for the ECCE program.
AWCs manage expenditure for ECCE activates at their
own level for teaching items, as pen pencil, crayons,
notebooks etc. There is no facility for ceiling/wall
fan in AWCs where the children play and learn, and
during hot weather they face discomfort because of
this. There is an issue with children safety because
AWCs are often situated outside of the villages and
parents do not want to send their children there.
AWWs are often burdened with the teaching aspect,
which needs formally trained teachers exclusively for
0-6 year old children. There is a need for a separate
Anganwadi Teacher post. Toys and teaching aids are
often in shortage. Many AWCs demand for TVs and
audio-visual aids for ECCE.
In Uttar Pradesh, ECCE is being successfully run in the
districts visited. The AWCs use charts, posters etc to
teach children 0 to 59 months. The AWCs makes toys
by hand to use in teaching. In addition, AWCs teach
children about hygienic practices like washing hands
before eating food, and after defecation. The English
and Hindi alphabet, pictures of animals, man, and
WASH pictures were on the wall in the AWCs.
In Bihar, though the ECCE activities were observed to
be happening, the AWW is engaged in other activities
and the work of register maintenance which affects
their work adversely, especially during the working
hours. In Nalanda, it was also observed that while
new AWCs receive ECCE materials, old AWCs do not.
There is a lack of egalitarian practices with respect
to distribution of resources across AWCs. Under the
Poshak Yojana, a lump sum amount of 400-500 rupees
is provided to the beneficiaries to purchase a uniform/
dress for their child, but some of the parents spend
the money on other things.
In Rajasthan, all the six services were available in the
sampled AWCs with fluctuations in the supply side in
Udaipur district. ECCE activities were also undertaken,
but there was no regular supply of its materials.
ECCE was well functioning in the Udaipur district.
AWWs deliver ECCE services on regular basis, but the
irregular supply of ECCE materials is affecting overall
functioning of the program. Some firms/companies
based in Udaipur have adopted some AWCs under their
CSR and provided the suitable materials on regular
basis for 2-3 years. At many AWCs the discontinuation
of these services has been reported.
Government has taken initiatives in the past to
promote ECCE. “Anganwadi Chalo Abhiyaan” was
launched in to order to bring all the un-registered
children to the AWC, based on the survey. With this,
“Kilkari”, “Umang and Tarang” books were launched
and distributed under this initiative. Also, the focus
has remained to deliver all the standard services at
AWCs, and to make them like private schools. Due to
all these initiatives the enrolment rate has increased
3 times, as reported by supervisors. Benches, uniform
and stationery (notebooks, pencils, and erasers) were
being provided from the donation at many AWCs.
In Jaisalmer, ECCE was not well functioning in the
district. Pre-school kits have not been supplied to the
AWCs for the past 3 years.
In Delhi, Aadhaar card is mandatory for enrolment in
AWCs. Some parents who have migrated from villages
do not have this with them. As for children (0-5 years),
MCP card and birth certificate are the requisites for
Aadhaar. Due to their resource-poor and uneducated
background, some parents do not understand the
importance of pre-school education.
4.4. OTHER ICDS SERVICES
Nutrition and Health Education: Many peripheral
programs are time-bound, with the AWWs given
limited time to complete the tasks. This means
that they have to sacrifice time and effort spent on
nutrition and health education activities. Even though
AWWs and Supervisors make regular home visits,
conduct VHSNDs and plan awareness activities, it is
sometimes difficult to physically reach beneficiaries
residing in very remote areas. Lack of hygiene at the
beneficiaries’ homes also at times puts the children
at risk of disease, despite the AWC being clean and
hygienic. Cultural differences, especially in the case
of tribal beneficiaries, can diminish the effect of
nutrition and health information being disseminated.
Health Check-up: No specific barriers have been
mentioned with respect to health check-up service.
However, private hospitals are preferred by
beneficiaries due to better hygiene in some cases. 30EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Referral Services: In case of health emergency or
health care need the AWW advises the beneficiary to
consult with the ANM and ASHA. Nevertheless, there
are problems in the health check-ups and referral
services mainly because the AWWs are not seen as
clinical persons. Instead, it would be useful to club
these three aspects into a single domain of nutrition
and health education and counselling.
Immunization: In Andhra Pradesh, immunization is
done at the PHC for urban AWCs. AWWs and ANMs
conduct home-visits (though not together). The
immunization is done on time in AWCs that were
observed. In Gujarat, it was reported that members
of certain communities (a very small number) choose
not to immunise their children due to religious and
cultural beliefs.
Other Activities: In Uttar Pradesh, various activities
and days like VHSND, Suposhan Swastha, Mela, NRC,
Kishori and Ladli Diwas, Bachpan Diwas and Godbharai
and Mamata Diwas etc are organised in Uttar Pradesh.
Identification of SAM / MAM children, categorization in
stunting / wasting / underweight children, antenatal
checkups, distribution of IFA tablets and monitoring
of their consumption, increasing awareness for
institutional delivery (ex: 102 Ambulance Service,
nearest hospital, monitoring Hb, growth, BMI of
girls and providing IFA Blue tablets). All these
services delivered on the abovementioned days and
programs.
In Barabanki, 73 of 118 SAM children were promoted
into green zone out of the red zone in July 2019.
260806 IFA blue tablets and 6702 packets of Poshahar
were distributed among 6702 dropout school girls
(11 to 14 years) in July 2019. More than two thirds
of the (5243 of 7680) pregnant beneficiaries had ANC
checkups. Improved anemia level was seen among 65
percent anaemic women in July 2019. More than 98
percent children were breastfed within one hour after
birth in Barabanki district.
In Bahraich, 251 out of 2032 SAM children were referred
to NRC, and 622 out of 8474 MAM children were referred
to CHC and NRC out in month of July-2019. The number
of anaemic girls in Bahraich district was found to
be 1872 (11 to 14 years) in July-2019. More than 90
percent (16888 out of 18220 target beneficiaries) of the
pregnant women benefited from antenatal checkups,
immunization, and distribution of IFA tablets. Under
VHSNDS, 52954 of 366689 children were immunized and
their growth was monitored in July-2019. In the same
period, 24876 children were weighed, 5577 children
immunized and 50521 beneficiaries had ANC checkups,
immunization and were given IFA tablets. In July 2019,
9356 girls (11 to 14 years) were given IFA tablets by
Suposhan Swastha Mela.
In Bihar, every Wednesday, VHSND day is held at
the AWCs where the ANMs provide health checkups,
immunization, and counselling to pregnant women.
NRC is not available at the block level, so parents are
not interested in sending their child to the district
NRC. Also, the district NRC in both Muzaffarpur and
Nalanda have no proper facilities.
In Udaipur, every Wednesday VHSND day is observed
at the AWCs, in which the ANMs conduct health check-
ups of the pregnant women, immunization, counselling
was provided to the women. There were no regular
health checkups conducted in the Jaisalmer district;
only immunization has been reported so far by AWWs
and beneficiaries.
In Uttarakhand, the beneficiaries (women and
children) are provided immunization at AWCs in Udham
Singh Nagar district. AWWs organize health awareness
meetings with pregnant and lactating mothers where
they speak about how to take care of the baby, where
they can go for their delivery etc. Usually, all the
women in the area attend these meetings. Rashtriya
Bal Swasthya (RBS) team visits twice a year for
distribution of deworming tablets, once in February
and once in November. AWCs distribute the IFA tablets
among women, adolescent girls and children; they
also provide ORS and zinc. AWWs/AWHs speak to
the beneficiaries about consuming green vegetables
throughout their pregnancy.
In Chhattisgarh, no issues have been reported related
to health and medication services provided at AWCs in
the sampled districts. Health services are delivered
by ANMs and ASHAs on every second Tuesday, and
beneficiaries are called based on their requirement
and scheduled services.
4.5. BENEFICIARY ASPIRATIONS
Emphasis on qualitative inquiry; details, anecdotes,
examples help understand the implementation process
and the challenges associated with it better. In an
administrative structure that is heavily top-down, this
kind of study gives us a chance to highlight the concerns
and issues faced by the field functionaries—something
that does not usually take place within the ICDS since
it does not have a robust feedback mechanism in place
for its frontline workers. By bringing to the fore their
experiences and suggestions, this study provides the
government an opportunity to address these hurdles
and improve the implementation of the ICDS from the
bottom up. 31EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Andhra Pradesh: AWWs were reported to be caring and
helpful; cash rewards during the first pregnancy were
received by all eligible interviewed beneficiaries.
Quality of rations and menu diversity needs to be
improved, according to the beneficiaries. Quality of
ECCE and AWC infrastructure is expected to be at par
with convent schools and private nurseries.
for sending the kids to the AWCs. Similarly, in migrant
communities and tribal belts, we see reduced uptake
of the ICDS services because of this mobility.
Rajasthan: Beneficiaries have reported that they
are not provided good health services at AWC. AWCs
were running in school buildings, with very limited
educational materials in Jaisalmer district.
Uttarakhand: The study team got a positive response
from beneficiaries in Udham Singh Nagar. Most of them
were housewives and agricultural workers who got
married between ages 18 to 24. They had no formal
education and at least two children. Their children
(3 to 6 years) attend the AWCs for the benefits of
the ECCE and other ICDS services like immunization,
ANC check-up, supplementary nutrition and medical
services. AWWs make home visits in case they are
unable to attend the health check-ups. They are also
referred to the hospital or dispensary if their child is
seriously ill. Their children learn numbers, alphabet,
and short poems and so on as part of their preschool
activities. Some of the beneficiaries had awareness
and knowledge about malnutrition/undernutrition.
Beneficiaries understand the importance of the AWCs
and its services. Women and children like the taste of
THR and the hot cooked meals provided. According
to the beneficiaries, there is no discrimination among
the beneficiaries at the hands of the AWWs.
Uttar Pradesh: Beneficiaries reported that AWWs
regularly provide them with information about
various programs/schemes of government; they
help beneficiaries benefit from the programs and
their behaviour is reported to be good. AWCs deliver
services as ANC check-up, immunization, child growth
monitoring and IFA tablets, THR and daliya khichadi
(hot-cooked meal) for children under 6 years. AWWs
and ANMs organize awareness meetings regarding
health and hygienic practices, and doctors visit
the AWCs from time-to-time. Quality and taste of
Poshahar is reported to be good and beneficiaries
make various recipes with it like Ladoo, Mal puwa,
Namkin Para, Mitha Para, Namkin Pakauri, Cake,
Namkin daliya ka Chila and etc. Beneficiaries also feel
that AWC reduces burden of childcare and that allows
them to use their time in other productive work.
There was no discrimination reported at AWC by the
beneficiaries. Beneficiaries gather at AWCs and share
their experience and information regarding health
and others issues. The study team observed through
interviews with beneficiaries that the AWWs play a
significant role in referral cases.
I enrolled my name in AWC in
4th month, that day on wards they
are providing milk and egg. Before that
they gave THR to my daughter but now
they are giving only milk, egg and food.
~ ICDS Beneficiary, Andhra Pradesh
I think it will be a very good thing
if they introduced teaching English
at the government school or the Anganwadi
School”.
~ ICDS Beneficiary, Andhra Pradesh
Bihar: There is a low level of registration in PMMVY
because of issues of proper documentation (frozen
accounts of beneficiaries, birth certificate issues,
Aadhaar correction, etc). As such, the beneficiaries
become disinterested due to strict documentation
procedure and do not register. Overall, the
beneficiaries reported that they were satisfied with
the ECCE program and the ICDS services provided;
the nutrition education for pregnant women was
especially received with enthusiasm.
Chhattisgarh: Beneficiaries reported the requirement
of chicken, fish milk, fruit and eggs as a part of the
supplementary nutrition. They also demand a proper
toilet facility and electric fans, wherever these are
not available. They also demand that a library/
collection of books should be available at AWCs.
Delhi: According to the beneficiaries, AWCs are
beneficial for their kids. The food is of good quality
and highly nutritious. AWWs teach children about
basic etiquette and discipline; they also prepare
children for primary education. This is satisfactory to
the beneficiaries.
Gujarat: In relatively poor localities in urban settings
parents are constantly mobile and there is no motivation 33EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
PROCESSES, TECHNICAL SUPPORT
AND MONITORING
05.
5.1. POLICY GOVERNANCE AND
MONITORING
Institutional mechanisms and processes established for
interactions between the various nodal authorities and
stakeholders are of critical relevance for the success of
a policy or program. These key components of policy
governance are to function collectively to achieve
certain desirable goals and objectives in keeping with
the socio-cultural norms. A review of policy governance
entails analysis of problems associated with the various
stakeholders (including authorities, program personnel
and beneficiary) and the implementation mechanism
including guidelines, monitoring mechanisms and
the sociocultural context. ICDS has well planned
administrative and organizational set up under the
aegis of Ministry of Women and Child Development with
structured program implementation and monitoring
mechanisms at district, block, sector and village/
cluster level. Digital platforms are also emerging as an
effective tool for monitoring of processes and impact.
India has over half a billion internet users, making
it one of the largest and fastest-growing markets
for digital consumers. Digital technologies such as
websites are widely used by the people to access
various information and knowledge around several
topics. Nevertheless, despite the many innovations and
constant improvements being made to the ICDS system,
there are certain barriers that exist in the path to
making the universal reach of the ICDS a reality. As with
any program, there is always room for improvement.
This section reviews key issues and concerns associated
with ICDS governance and service delivery.
5.2. ICDS WEBSITE OF STATES
A content analysis of the ICDS websites of all the states
in India presents vital insights for mutual learning and
ICDS website updation across states. We reviewed the
amount of information related to the ICDS scheme
on the official websites, frequency of updates, and
the language of the website. These parameters are
hypothesized to play crucial roles in access to ICDS
related information to the people. Among the states
visited as part of this study, ICDS website of Uttar
Pradesh opened up in Hindi (official language of the
state) when logged in for the first time. While basic
information (objectives and agendas) were clearly
mentioned, the updates (in terms of notices and
updated information) were missing in the website.
Similarly, Rajasthan had a Hindi style website
(although merged with women empowerment), but
with much more frequent updates. Website of Women
& Child Development (WCD) of Gujarat was available
in both English and Gujarati (without Google translate
option) and with regular updates only in terms of
notices and advertisements but not with performance
budgets. On the other hand, Assam had a website
(only in English) which had minimal information (the
objectives and agendas) with no recent updates.
Bihar, West Bengal and Maharashtra had the most
comprehensive and detailed websites of the ICDS
(WCD) in terms of details, content, and regular
updates. The ICDS website of Bihar was also functional
with details about disclosures related to program
personnel, the program components and services
being delivered. While the regularity in updates in
the case of West Bengal was not higher than that of
many states, it included portals to services like rapid
reporting system, online ISAC reporting system etc. It
also had an online official login link which gives private
access to the officials of ICDS. On the other hand,
Maharashtra ICDS website displayed details related
to the POSHAN Abhiyaan in the most comprehensive
manner incorporating online dashboard details, IEC
materials, and POSHAN guidelines.
Although the central WCD website had information
on the contact details of all AWCs and the projects,
most regional websites lack this information. Through
the content analysis we can suggest that the ICDS
websites of all Indian states, need to be: accessible to
the localities in regional languages; regularly updated
with on-going and upcoming events and notifications;
comprehensive with detailed information of the
objective, guidelines, and different benefits of the
scheme; have access to different related portals
(like CAS etc); have details of nearest AWCs and ICDS
offices. Success stories of each state needs to be
updated regularly making replicability easier. Official
login (as in West Bengal website) could be used by
officials of ICDS to access different information online. 34EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
5.3. SOCIAL AUDIT
Social audit is conducted by the intended beneficiaries
and stakeholders and therefore assumes high policy
relevance in monitoring of welfare programs. Following
the implementation of MGNREGA, social audits are
increasingly viewed as an effective tool to review
strengths and weaknesses in service delivery. A social
audit process involves the community for verification
of program output and results vis-à-vis the reports
and ground realities. Oral testimonies and evidence
is obtained from the community and are compared
with the official records. The social audit process is
effective to understand the alignment of priorities,
activities and fund utilization. The audit provides
vital information on usefulness of the initiatives as
well as the quality of service delivery.
MOTHER’S SUPPORT GROUP OR MATRI SAHAYAK GUT (ASSAM)
Background: With the objective that the programs and schemes focusing the development of Women & Children
are implemented effectively through the Anganwadi centres, it was felt that mothers of the primary beneficiaries
i.e. children below 6 years of age of the locality can be involved in management and operation of these schemes.
Against this backdrop, the State Government have initiated, vide notification no. SWD.617/2011/61 dated 2nd
March 2012, the constitution of ‘Mother’s Support Group (MSG) or Matri Sahayak Gut’ in each of the AWCs in all
the ICDS projects of Assam w.e.f. 1st April, 2012.
Rationale: The mothers as stakeholders will be fruitful if involved in management and supervision of the scheme,
mobilization of beneficiaries and counselling.
Objectives: To involve mothers as the primary stakeholders in the management and supervision of the AWCs in
addition to the Anganwadi Centre Management Committee.
Activities: Mothers of all the children registered at AWC, together form a group, designated as “Matri Mandal”.
This matri mandal elect 7 mothers out of their group to constitute “Matri Sahayak Gut” (MSG). The president and
the secretary will be made ex-officio members of VHSNC (under NRHM), and AWCMC. The Matri Mandal meeting
is to be held on 5th of each month, where MSG will discuss issues relating to AWC & performance of AWW. The
secretary of MSG shall be responsible to keep record of proceedings of meetings. State resources will provide
necessary funds for Matri Mandal meetings & events. Reports of performance of AWC shall be presented and
discussed at Gaon Sabha, VHSNC, AWCMC meetings. Performance of AWW & AWH to be assessed on parameters
relating to attendance of AWC, timely opening of AWC, provision of good quality morning snacks, hot cooked
meal & THR, maintenance of growth card/registers, VHND, RI etc on scale of outstanding, good and poor, and
reports shall be submitted to CDPO/DSWO through concerned supervisor by 10th of each succeeding month.
Main responsibilities of MSG
Management and supervision of ICDS scheme and mobilization of beneficiaries: The total beneficiary houses will
be divided among the MSG members to share responsibility of mobilization of beneficiary for registration and
availing services under AWC.
MSG members will also support AWW to organize monthly meeting of Matri Mandal and events viz. Prathom Aahar
at every 2nd month, Matri Amrit quarterly and bi annual demonstration of recipes will be organise to cover 12
months of year for one event every month.
MSG members also coordinate with ASHA & AWW to ensure attendance of beneficiaries in VHND, RI, NHED and
make people aware about facilities provided under ICDS through interpersonal communication & IEC via songs,
street play etc.
They will advise villagers on the matters like anemia, malnutrition, ARSH, early marriage & pregnancy.
MSG members are provided training under Sensitization programs organized by ICDS supervisors, CDPOs, DSWOs
by end of April, each year. The training programs are interactive and cover topics viz. supplementary nutrition,
Growth monitoring & use of MCP cards, , PSE and TLM from low cost no cost materials, common health problems
pertaining to that area, personal hygiene, nutritional value of different local foods, orientation to performance
assessment of AWW etc.
At the end of year MSG will assess their own performance, based on attendance of matri mitra, beneficiaries in
VHND, RI etc, participation of president & secretary in Gaon Sabha and AWCMC meetings. The DSWO on basis of
self-assessment report submitted by MSG will recommend top 5 best performing MSG for citation and recognition
by Deputy Commissioner on 15th August of each year.
Source: https://socialwelfare.assam.gov.in/portlet-innerpage/best-practices 35EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Under MGNREGA, the social audit process and
procedures are developed and overseen by a Social
Audit Unit (SAU) which is an independent organization,
identified or established by the State Government to
facilitate the conduct of social audit by Gram Sabhas.
The SAU comprises of key functionaries such as the
Social Auditor, Resource Persons (State, District and
Village level), District Program Coordinator and
Program Officer. The key objective of the social audit is
to promote transparency and accountability as well as
inform and educate the people about their rights and
entitlements. The social audit also provides a forum to
express the needs and grievances and helps increase
community participation for greater inclusiveness.
The social audit process under MGNREGA is well-
elaborate with guidelines and regulations around
human resources, social audit team composition and
trainings as well as database support for review of
program procedures and output. Alternatively the
ICDS could make use of the social audit recommended
under the VHSND and either ways the processes would
contribute to greater systemic accountability and
quality assurance.
Similar to MGNREGA, the ICDS also has a huge beneficiary
base and large-scale investment for provisioning of
SNP. With repeated claims of poor coverage and low
quality of SNP supplies it is important for ICDS to
establish a social audit mechanism. The social audit
can be developed independently or in convergence
with MGNREGA. Some States have formed Community-
level AWC Committees with a similar mandate. For
instance, ICDS Delhi has constituted Anganwadi
Support and Monitoring Committee (ASMC). ICDS
Assam has formed Mother’s Support Group or Matri
Sahayak Gut. The ICDS can strengthen such existing
initiatives by developing social audit guidelines and
procedures.
5.4. PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVE
Performance-based incentive is an important
approach to motivate employees to work productively
and achieve desirable goals and objectives. The
performance-based incentive can be linked to
individual performance on selected set of indicators.
The AWWs are offered honorarium for delivery of key
ICDS services. However, they can be motivated with
performance-based incentives to complete certain
tasks and achieve targets that are helpful for coverage
or quality improvement of the ICDS. The Government
of Uttar Pradesh has launched a Performance based
incentive program for AWWs.
Under this scheme, AWWs will be incentivized based
on their performance on a set of indicators. This
scheme aims at improving both quantity and quality
of efforts of AWWs by providing performance-based
financial incentives to effectively increase the
momentum in improving nutritional status of children
in Uttar Pradesh. Following two conditions should be
fulfilled to be eligible for incentives 1) Number of
working days in AWCs should be at least 25, and 2) List
of all the registered beneficiaries must be uploaded
and updated on the website, www. lakshyasuposhitup.
in. Based on the above, incentives are given on the
following:
A. Aadhaar Seeding of Beneficiaries: Following is the
classification for the criteria and amounts to be
given as incentives (in Rupees).
% Aadhaar
Seeding of
Beneficiaries
Incentives (in Rs)
AWW Mini AWW Helper
> 95% 800 600 400
85% - 95% 500 350 250
75% - 85% 200 100 100
% Child
Beneficiaries
Measured
Incentives (in Rs)
AWW Mini AWW Helper
> 85% 200 150 100
70% - 85% 150 100 75
B. Height and weight Measurement of Child
Beneficiaries (0-5 Years): Under this, following
is the classification of activities, and criteria for
incentive distribution:
Measurement of height and weight of children
aged 0 to 3 years must be done on the day of THR
distribution.
Measurement of height and weight of children
aged 3 to 5 years must be done on ‘Bachpan Diwas’
i.e. 5
th
day of every month.
C. Improvement in Child’s Nutrition Status: It is
estimated that about 45 lakh children in Uttar
Pradesh are undernourished out of which about
15 lakh suffer from Severe Malnutrition (SAM).
Given that the probability of mortality among
those suffering from SAM is much higher, it is
imperative to identify and improve the nutritional 36EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
AWC FeatureIncentive Points
1Room size min 225 square feet (equal of 15 ft X 15 ft), devoid of any land lord
furniture (for some areas, like say JJ Clusters where pucca accommodation is
not available, this criterion will have to be customized)
1
2Clean Toilet facility (with daily cleaning)
1
3Clean Drinking Water facility
1
4Interior cleanliness, painted walls
1
5Natural light and ventilation
1
6Adequate Electrical Lighting
1
7Working Fan
1
8Clean, clear and safe approach to Anganwadi
1
9Minimum 20 children (2.5 years and above) attending Anganwadi regularly
(6 days a week, 3.5 hrs/day) for ECE (with regular, timely and full duration
operation of Anganwadi by both Worker and Helper)
1
10
Fully functional Anganwadi Samiti (with complete membership structure and
regular meetings)
1
Total Points10
Point scoring scheme: A 10/10 score earns the team AWC Upgradation
status of SAM children at the outset. For this,
AWWs and other grass root level workers will be
provided with monetary incentives based on the
observed improvements in the nutritional status
of SAM children. Following are the criteria for
incentivization:
Target
Incentives (in Rs)
AWW Mini AWW Helper
From Red to
Green
500 500 250
From Yellow
to Green
300 300 150
The Government of Delhi has also developed a
scheme to incentivize AWW, Supervisor and ASMC
(Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee aka
Anganwadi Samiti) to work as a team and improve
the working of their Anganwadi. AWCs in Delhi
do not follow a uniform standard of operation or
service delivery. Consequently, AWCs range from
those with very basic and erratic service delivery to
a minority which stands out for their sincere effort
and commendable engagement with the community.
An incentivized approach to Anganwadi upgradation
can potentially ensure uniform, systematic and
informed raising of the bar across all AWCs in Delhi.
In addition, the graded and phased approach is
practical to implement and sustain in the long run.
In this approach MoWCD incentivizes the triangular
team of AWW – Supervisor – ASMC to score points for
their Anganwadi and earn the upgradation of their
AWC based on the points scored. By incentivizing
all three stakeholders we can ensure they together
feel the ownership and work as a team to uplift
their AWC. Based on the scores the AWC are entitled
for a set of furniture, playing set and toys as well as
other learning materials. 37EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
5.5. NGO AND CSR SUPPORT
In recent years, there has been increasing focus and
attention on nutrition and nutrition-related sectors
such as water, sanitation etc. National and international
developmental agencies and partners have contributed
toward improving the strategies and coverage of
nutrition interventions with greater involvement of
community to improve awareness, following of IYCF
practices and timely health care seeking.
UNICEF has been supporting the Government of India
in nutrition development through technical support
for various strategies being implemented under the
ICDS. In recent years, both have agreed on a five-
year Country Program Action Plans (CPAP) to provide
technical assistance in various initiatives of the
Ministry of Women and Child Development. Besides
UNICEF, several other international organizations and
development partners such as the Department for
International Development (DFID, United Kingdom),
World Food Program (WFP), and CARE India are
supporting the MWCD in achieving its objectives of
nutrition development and well-being.
In recent years, several initiatives under Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) are noted that have
contributed toward strengthening of ICDS infrastructure
and service delivery in various selected states. For
instance, the ICDS in Maharashtra has partnered with
a number of private sector companies under the
CSR drive and have attempted strengthening of ICDS
infrastructure and service coverage. Similarly, various
donor agencies, Trusts and Foundations have come
forward to support nutrition development through
the ICDS apparatus. In Maharashtra, the Tata Trusts
is providing technical support for Strengthening the
System for Convergence training amongst frontline
workers ANMs, AWWs and ASHAs (AAA). The initiative
also aims to sensitize the Panchayat Raj Institution
and draw attention towards convergence with ICDS
and their roles and responsibilities. The Tata Trusts
have also partnered with the Government of Rajasthan
to combat maternal and child undernutrition. In
particular, the Project Making It Happen supported
by the Trusts aims at realizing this potential through
optimizing implementation, utilization of services,
monitoring and delivery.
5.6. THR PRODUCTION MODELS
The Supreme Court issued orders with regard to ICDS
in 2001 and 2004, followed by a landmark judgment
in 2006 to ensure ‘universalization with quality’ in a
time-bound manner. The Supreme Court prescribed the
minimum nutrition provision that must be guaranteed
under ICDS. It further envisaged decentralization
of procurement by eliminating the involvement of
contractors and encouraging the engagement of local
SHGs and mahila mandals in supply and distribution.
The court order aimed to enhance transparency,
decrease leakage, and improve quality by increasing
local ownership of the program. The primary objective
is to decentralise the procurement method under
ICDS in order to eradicate problems of corruption and
non-supply. SHGs that meet quality and infrastructure
requirements are given the opportunity to produce,
distribute and supply THR in line with the above-
mentioned prescriptions.
Nevertheless, three models of THR production and
distribution exist across India: Centralized Production
Facilities, Decentralized Production Facilities and
Decentralized Self-Help Groups (Flanagan et al
2018). As described by Flanagan et al (2018), in the
Centralized Production Facility model (for example,
Telangana), one production facility is contracted to
produce and distribute THR for an entire state. These
facilities procure the raw ingredients for all orders,
often have in-house quality testing, and transport the
THR to communities (typically at the block level).
Centralized facilities can be run either by state
governments or private corporations.
In the Decentralized Production Facility model (for
example, Kerala), producers are typically contracted
to produce THR for AWCs across multiple communities
or at the Block level. These production facilities
are run by SHGs who are responsible for procuring
materials (in a consortium or individually) producing
the THR through an automated or semi-automated
process and transporting the THR to AWCs or the CDPO
office. In this model SHGs may also form federations
or consortia and work together for larger scale
production.
The Decentralized Self-Help Group model (for
example, Rajasthan), is the most decentralized
model. These SHGs are contracted to provide THR
typically to only one or two AWCs per SHG. SHGs
procure ingredients locally and produce THR often
with limited or no automation. There is limited to no
quality testing done in SHG models.
There are some challenges associated with each of
these models. In case of Centralized Production
Facilities, it has been observed that THR is not
reaching all beneficiaries, especially in rural areas.
Also, corruption and poor quality are rampant
in the private facilities. In case of Decentralized 38EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Production Facilities, the key challenges are: lack
of guaranteed contracts and demand from ICDS,
limited management experience in SHGs; and delayed
feedback from external quality testing leading to
limited impact of results on THR production. In case
of Decentralized Self-Help Groups, the challenges
are inability of SHGs to use fortified food products
and micronutrient premix in THR production; lack of
mechanism to improve skills of SHGs and quality of
THR; and financial viability concerns as economies of
scale are not realized due to small contracts.
There are, however, a number of areas for improving
the implementation of the THR production and
distribution. The review by Flanagan et al (2018)
suggests that all ICDS financial transactions should
be made digital and all steps of THR production and
distribution monitored through a logistics monitoring
and information system. The contracting of firms
of SHGs for THR production should meet minimum
technical qualifications to ensure quality control.
In view of the advantages and disadvantages of the
various models, it emerges that THR production
should follow a decentralized approach but the
contract quantity should be adequate enough to
ensure optimal production and satisfactory quality
without affecting the financial viability of the
firms. In this regard, supporting the development
of SHGs into food-processing industry is an area for
convergence of welfare programs with banking and
financial system.
5.7. AWC REPORTING FORMATS
The AWWs have to maintain a set of 11 registers which
has to regularly up-dated and reported to support
program monitoring. The AWWs have to also fill up
monthly and annual reporting forms. The Registers
are supposed to be printed and provided by the State
Governments. However, mostly the AWWs use simple
registers available in the market and prepare rows and
columns for necessary information as per the required
formats. The information reported in the registers
serve several purposes including helping the AWW
to locate and track all women and children in AWC
area. The records are helpful to identify who requires
which services, who have received services and who
are left out. The information reported in the register
is verified by the Supervisor and is useful to prepare
the monthly progress report (MPR) to understand the
status, progress and performance of the ICDS. The list
of registers and data recording sheets are as follows
(ICDS-MIS User’s Manual):
Register 1: Family Details
Register 2: Supplementary Food Stock
Register 3: Supplementary Food Distribution
Register 4: Pre-School Education
Register 5: Pregnancy and delivery
Register 6: Immunization & VHND
Register 7: Vitamin-A Bi-Annual Rounds
Register 8: Home Visits Planner
Register 9: Referrals
Register 10: Summaries (Monthly and Annual)
Register 11: Weight Record of Children
The Calendar Tool Book
Data Transfer Sheet
AWC Monthly Progress Report (AMPR)
AWC Annual Status Report (AASR)
The reporting and record maintenance can be
cumbersome, particularly when AWWs are being
involved in increasing number of community-based
events and activities. In this regard, the ICDS should
consider reviewing and reducing the reporting
requirements from AWWs. For example, Register 6
- Immunization and VHND is essentially coordinated
by the MoHFW, thus it is only reasonable that the
reporting of these indicators can be assigned to ANMs
and ASHAs, respectively. As such, the ANMs and ASHAs
also maintain a record of services offered through
them. Such duplication in data collection can be
reduced for efficiency gains in reporting and quality
improvements. Similarly, the reporting of information
in Register 7 on Vitamin-A Bi-Annual Rounds can be
assigned to the ANM. In fact, dosage for immunization
and Vitamin-A are supplied through the health system
and streamlining the reporting protocols can also lead
to improvements in program reporting.
Evidence from Time allocation studies (Kaur et al
2016) as well as our observations suggests that AWWs
play minimal role in referral services. In fact, the
referrals are only counted as an advice for visiting
a qualified provider in a public health facility. Also,
the AWW may not necessarily possess relevant skills
and qualifications. The Register 9 on Referrals
can be discontinued for simplifying the reporting
requirements. The Referrals can alternatively
be treated as counselling service for health care
utilization. 39EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
5.8. COMPARING ICDS WITH NHM
Compared to ICDS, the NHM is of recent origin
(launched in 2005) with huge budgetary allocation and
serves as an important measure to improve access to
maternal and child health care services, particularly
in rural India. Over the years, NHM has expanded its
coverage both physical (urban areas) as well as clinical
(non-communicable diseases etc.). The approach
toward administration and implementation of NHM,
however, varies considerably from ICDS. Moreover,
NHM is perceptibly more successful in achieving the
underlying objectives than ICDS.
Although, both ICDS and NHM focus on grass root
level service delivery by engaging community-level
functionaries yet they are markedly distinct in
implementation mechanisms. The NHM has established
a network of District and Block level program managers
who are directly appointed on a contractual basis by
the State Health Society (District Health Society)
under the aegis of Department of Health and Family
Welfare across states/UTs. Regular and frequent
review meetings and focus on NHM investments and
performance are also instrumental in ensuring general
social relevance. These aspects, along with greater
departmental autonomy in recruitments and financial
allocations have facilitated appointments at all levels
without long delays or major vacancies.
The NHM has a broad scope and accordingly has
included several items in the Program Implementation
Plan (PIP) for budgeting and implementation whereas
the Annual Program Implementation Plan (APIP) of
ICDS is limited to few aspects that are covered under
the program. Unlike NHM, ICDS has not demonstrated
any expansion in the scope and nature of activities.
For instance, the concept of untied fund under NHM
for various public health facilities is well defined
and implemented. Whereas, ICDS has not developed
adequate provisions for such untied fund or specific
line items to strengthen technical support for the
program. In fact, from an analytical perspective,
the NHM budget can be viewed to serve three broad
expenditure needs viz. salary and honorariums,
infrastructure upgradation and maintenance and drugs
& logistics. In comparison, ICDS is focused on two broad
expenditure needs related to salary/honorariums and
supplementary nutrition. Clearly, low emphasis and
resource allocations for infrastructure strengthening
(including facilities for learning component) has
remained a key weakness of the ICDS.
The NHM has streamlined financial reporting formats.
The budgeting procedures are broad based and take
into account a large number of schemes and initiatives
under the umbrella of NHM. The ICDS, however, is
less dynamic and is yet to envisage any new initiative
under the umbrella of ICDS. The NHM, for instance,
has a rigorous emphasis on upgrading the health
facilities to meet the IPHS standards. The ICDS lacks
initiatives to spell out adequate standards and norms
for infrastructure upgradation at all levels. Training
infrastructure is also an area deserving greater policy
focus under ICDS.
The data reporting system – Health Management
Information System (HMIS) - in NHM is streamlined with
clear reporting formats matched to the data portal and
adequate provision of data entry operators (DEOs) at
all levels. Across States, NHM has a systematic process
of data consolidation from lower health facilities
to higher administrative units. The burden of data
reporting on the grass root levels workers is relatively
less. In contrast, the AWWs have higher burden of
data reporting and maintenance of registers. There
is no systematic approach toward data consolidation
for in-built assessments at higher levels. The ICDS-CAS
is in its infancy and suffers from logistical as well as
capacity perspectives. Unlike HMIS, ICDS-CAS is not in
public domain and does not facilitate wider review of
program indicators at district, state or national level.
There is an urgent need to upgrade the data reporting
infrastructure and human resources under ICDS.
Finally, while the NHM is largely focused around
maternal and child health, the ICDS is unintentionally
associated with an important objective of women
empowerment, particularly through its human
resources as well as the SHGs model in SNP supplies.
The two components of SNP and SHGs are thus
inextricably linked but should be re-examined from
efficiency perspective by prioritizing the envisaged
goals of the ICDS.
5.9. COMPARISON WITH MGNREGA
The ICDS and MGNREGA works in convergence for
the construction of AWC buildings in rural areas. The
Gram Panchayat is the focal point for convergence
and can facilitate various infrastructure strengthening
activities through MGNREGA. The operational guidelines
of MGNREGA lists other relevant departments with
which the scheme converges: Ministry of Agriculture,
Ministry of Forest & Environment, Ministry of Water
Resources, Department of Rural Development,
Department of Land Resources and Department of
Drinking water and Sanitation. While such inter-
departmental convergence is seen in the ICDS as
well, but it seems to be stronger in the MGNREGA
due to large economic importance attached with the 40EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
program. This also implies that the Gram Panchayats
can have considerable leverage in strengthening
the AWC infrastructure through liaison with various
departments and the scope for availing funds through
Gram Panchayat Development Plans. The Convergence
Action Plan can emphasise on such possibilities and
explore opportunities for pooling funds to enhance
rural development and well-being. The MGNREGA also
involves the Gram Sabha to approve of the Annual
Plan and Labour Budget, which not only keeps the
village administration involved in the process, but also
holds them accountable. Social Audit is an important
and successful feature of the MGNREGA. This can
be adopted within the ICDS as well, which can help
institute some accountability and quality assurance in
the SNP delivered at the AWCs.
5.10. COMPARISON WITH NCS
While women in the organised sector can avail day
care for their children under various Acts and Schemes,
working mothers in the unorganised sector still face
a problem finding adequate day care facilities for
their children. This problem is compounded in urban
areas, where it is difficult for working women to leave
children alone at home or with neighbours due to added
concerns about safety and security of the child. Thus,
the erstwhile Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche Scheme
(RGNCS) is an essential scheme for such mothers to be
able to provide good care for their children while still
being able to work and earn a livelihood. The Steering
Committee on Women’s Agency and Child Rights for
the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-17) helmed by the
Planning Commission suggested that the AWCs may be
upgraded to AWC-cum-crèches; that norms should be
revised and more flexible models be adopted for the
scheme so that children can be provided with safe,
nurturing, community-based spaces for their growth
and development.
According to a July 2019 government press release, the
now-renamed National Crèche Scheme is a Centrally
Sponsored Scheme across all States/UTs “to provide
day care facilities to children (age group of 6 months-
6 years) of working mothers. The Scheme provides
supplementary nutrition, health care inputs like
immunization, polio drops, basic health monitoring,
sleeping facilities, early stimulation (below 3 years),
pre-school education for 3-6 yrs”. It is apparent that
most of these overlap with the objectives of the ICDS,
and immunization, health monitoring, and ECCE are
provided at AWCs in urban areas as well. While the AWCs
do have robust numbers of children in attendance,
there was no explicit mention of integration of the NCS
into the ICDS system (at grass root level or further up
the administration). In practice, these services were
being provided to all children who were registered at
the AWC.
A few problems, however, can be highlighted. Since
the AWC does not primarily function as a crèche, the
hours of its operation do not go beyond afternoon—
this means that while day care is being provided to the
children, they ultimately do return home after having
their mid-day meal. Working parents may find this to
be inadequate, since even in the unorganised sector,
working hours do extend well beyond the afternoon.
AWWs plan to conduct home visits in the afternoon,
which means they are unable to extend their hours
at the AWC for providing this extended day care.
Hiring of additional staff might be needed to tackle
this issue. One of the important services that the NCS
is to provide is sleeping facilities, but based on our
findings there is a clear lack of space in urban areas,
leading to cramped and congested AWCs. This can be
counterproductive to the NCS objectives. Thus, even
though in essence the AWCs under the ICDS do provide
some of the day care facilities envisaged by the NCS,
there is a definite need for more concerted efforts
to integrate the NCS with the ICDS. This will ensure
that working parents in urban areas can fully avail the
services of the NCS, as envisaged by the government.
5.11. PMMVY AND ICDS
STRENGTHENING
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
is a maternity benefit program implemented in
all the districts of India. PMMVY aims to support
pregnant and lactating women, particularly those
with disadvantaged socioeconomic background, by
providing partial compensation for the wage loss in
terms of cash incentives so that the woman can take
adequate rest before and after delivery of the first
living child. The cash incentive provided would lead
to improved health seeking behavior amongst the
Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM).
Under PMMVY, a cash incentive of Rs. 5000 is provided
directly to the Bank / Post Office Account of Pregnant
Women and Lactating Mothers (PW&LM) for first
living child of the family subject to fulfilling specific
conditions relating to Maternal and Child Health.
PMMVY is implemented using the platform of
Anganwadi Services scheme of Umbrella ICDS under
Ministry of Women and Child Development in respect
of States/ UTs implementing scheme through Women
and Child Development Department/ Social Welfare 41EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Department and through Health system in respect of
States/ UTs where scheme is implemented by Health
& Family Welfare Department. PMMVY is implemented
through a centrally deployed Web Based MIS Software
application and the focal point of implementation
would be the Anganwadi Centre (AWC) and ASHA/ ANM
workers.
PMMVY has a significant spillover effect on ICDS
strengthening. In particular, PMMVY is required to be
implemented through a centrally deployed Web Based
MIS Software application and the AWCs are identified
as a focal point of implementation. The eligible women
desirous of availing maternity benefits are required to
register under the scheme at the Anganwadi Centre
(AWC) if the PMMVY is implemented through the ICDS
apparatus.
This is reflected in the form of Master Data prepared
for the PMMVY whereby all AWCs should map with a
Village/ Town/ City and all AWCs should be reporting
into a Sector which is linked to a Block / Project. Such
verification process has helped to identify and digitize
the actual number of AWCs. This further enables the
ICDS system to be linked with escrow account and
Public Financial Management System (PFMS) for the
beneficiary payments.
Monitoring System (ICT-RTM) for improving the service
delivery and ensuring better supervision of schemes
by deploying the Common Application Software (CAS)
solution across the country covering all Anganwadi
Centers (AWCs). This monitoring system is based on
a common application software named ICDS-CAS
available in the smart phone provided to AWWs. The
ICDS-CAS is expected to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of AWWs by embedding job aids and
tools in their smart phones. The ICDS-CAS would
help populate the ICDS registers conveniently and
also facilitate growth chart generation. This will also
improve program monitoring because of real time
information and alerts to various stakeholders for
prompt action and decision making.
The ICDS-CAS thus has dual advantage and serves
both AWW as well as the ICDS monitoring staff. Since
ICDS-CAS has an individual focus, the data entry
requirements are large. In comparison, the NHM-
HMIS is utilized mainly for program review and course
correction. The NHM HMIS has witnessed significant IT
investments over the last 10 years and has emerged as
a successful pan-India network for key indicators on
public health system and services. The ICDS-CAS would
require substantial IT investments to create such
broad-based IT infrastructure and human resources
to make ICDS-CAS a tool for program monitoring and
review.
In its initial phases the HMIS had relied on physical
reporting from lower level facilities. The data was
mostly aggregated at the block or district level and
forwarded to State for validation and submission. The
physical reporting requirements are also limited in
case of HMIS and only aggregated data is required by
the system for progress reviews. However, the ICDS-
CAS is based on the concept of digital entry from the
AWC level. This is more challenging both from logistics
(mobile and connectivity) as well as human resources
(training and efficacy) perspective.
The ICDS-CAS, however, can be more useful for
program reviews if it integrates physical reporting
from lower level to digital reporting at block level.
The universal coverage of ICDS data is critical to draw
attention toward CAS. Allowing access to CAS data
and making the key indicators and data accessible is
another important area for CAS. The HMIS releases
the data and several analytical reports and key
indicators in the public domain. This also leads to
course correction as well as substantial improvements
in data quality and veracity.
Difficulty here is… reporting has
become more. Reporting in each
and every aspect. Like…Earlier it was
only monthly progress report was there in
ICDS. Now it has become so many reports.
Many schemes are there, so time to time
reporting has become more and from
the HOD side also, they keep asking for
reporting and while making the report
I have to be here in the office to submit
the report, there our time is getting cut.
Otherwise, if we are free from reporting
we can go to the field and we can meet our
goals like that.
~ CDPO, Andhra Pradesh
5.12. ICDS-CAS AND NHM-HMIS
The MoWCD has implemented the Information and
Communication Technology enabled Real Time 43EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
FINANCIAL ISSUES AND
MANAGEMENT
06.
6.1. ICDS FINANCIAL ALLOCATIONS
Table 6.1 and Figure 6.1 presents the ICDS budget for
the year 2019-20. The budget allocated for each major
item is also presented. The Central assistance for
2019-20 is Rs.1992779 lakh. Out of which, Honoraria
(47.0%), SNP (33.9%), and salary (6.5%) jointly account
for about 87.4% of the total Central assistance. About
7.5 per cent of the central assistance is allocated
toward infrastructure and rent. Infrastructure budget
includes expenditure on up gradation of AWCs,
provision of drinking water and toilet facility and
construction of AWCs under MGNREGA have received
4 per cent of total expenditure. The expected budget
comprising of both Central assistance and proposed
expenditure by State is Rs.3317195 lakhs. It may
be noted that the Centre-State expected budget is
estimated by combining the Central assistance with
minimum expected State/UTs contribution as per
the cost-sharing norms for salary, Anganwadi services
(General), SNP and infrastructure. However, certain
States may be allocating greater (or less) than
required normative budget for ICDS.
Table 6.2 below presents the State-wise Centre-
State combined expected budget for ICDS for the
year 2019-20. Since there is substantial variation
in number of children in the age group 6 months to
6 years across States and UTs, similar variation is
visible in the proposed budget. The lowest budget
is observed for Lakshadweep (206 lakh) and the
highest budget is observed for Uttar Pradesh (497323
Budget Item
Central Share Budget, 2019-20 Centre-State Expected Budget, 2019-20
Rs. (in Lakh) % Share Rs. (in Lakh) % Share
Salary1290836.537347811.3
Honoraria 67572833.9 105628931.8
POL / Hiring Vehicle109440.5170880.5
Uniform 128270.6200520.6
Medicine Kit 125990.6196870.6
PSE Kit436712.2684472.1
Rent 516742.6807932.4
Administrative Expenses 167500.8262490.8
SNP93681247.0 149325145.0
Training45970.269800.2
Infrastructure980944.91548804.7
Total1992779 100.0 3317195100.0
Table 6.1: ICDS budget (central share and centre-state combined), 2019-20
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Note: Centre-State Expected Budget is estimated by combining the Centre share with minimum expected State/UTs contribution as per the
cost-sharing norms for salary, Anganwadi service (General), SNP and infrastructure. Certain States may be allocating greater than required
normative budget for ICDS.
Anganwadi Service (General) includes the following items: Honoraria, Petrol, Oil and Lubricants (POL), vehicle hiring, uniform, medicine
kits, pre-school education (PSE) kit, rent, and other administrative services.
Infrastructure – This includes budget expenditure on upgradation of AWCs, provision of drinking water and toilet facility and construction
of AWCs under MGNREGA. 44EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
lakhs). More than 50 per cent of total budget across
Bihar, Chandigarh, Karnataka, Daman and Diu, Uttar
Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya and Nagaland
is reserved for the SNP component. The highest
allocations for salary are observed for Arunachal
Pradesh (31.2 per cent) and Sikkim (33.5 per cent).
States/UTs Salary
AW Services
(General)
SNP TrainingInfrastructure
Total
(Rs. In Lakh)
A &N Islands 14.9 48.7 26.0 1.4 9.11566
Andhra Pradesh 13.9 35.8 40.5 0.1 9.7147368
Arunachal Pradesh 31.2 36.6 25.5 0.8 5.916690
Assam10.2 43.6 42.2 0.3 3.7130378
Bihar8.2 38.8 51.4 0.2 1.4252278
Chandigarh11.7 35.8 52.4 0.1 0.01615
Chhattisgarh 14.9 38.9 40.5 0.3 5.3122719
D & N Haveli 14.4 46.2 27.3 0.0 12.1680
Daman & Diu8.4 32.1 59.5 0.0 0.0315
Delhi11.5 51.6 36.7 0.2 0.033780
Goa16.0 36.6 40.1 0.2 7.03513
Gujarat8.6 39.6 47.4 0.3 4.0125743
Haryana15.7 53.2 28.8 0.1 2.148713
Himachal Pradesh 16.8 55.4 25.0 0.5 2.334149
Jammu & Kashmir 17.4 69.3 10.8 0.3 2.248319
Jharkhand13.0 35.2 50.8 0.0 1.0105021
Karnataka10.2 35.7 52.1 0.2 1.8174578
Kerala15.8 50.0 29.5 0.5 4.267033
Lakshadweep0.0 46.5 53.5 0.0 0.0206
Madhya Pradesh 8.8 36.2 45.6 0.2 9.2254209
Maharashtra 13.6 41.7 43.0 0.2 1.5234953
Manipur16.8 36.7 37.5 0.5 8.529551
Meghalaya10.3 23.9 55.9 0.3 9.622903
Mizoram22.8 31.6 39.2 0.6 5.96998
Nagaland17.6 25.8 54.4 0.5 1.716277
Odisha12.1 34.4 45.2 0.2 8.0188120
Puducherry9.6 78.5 0.0 1.0 10.91220
Punjab10.8 33.9 16.9 0.3 38.181044
Rajasthan9.6 43.4 46.0 0.3 0.7132403
Sikkim33.5 45.0 21.0 0.4 0.13084
Tamil Nadu14.3 35.1 48.3 0.3 2.0135792
Telangana16.1 36.4 41.7 0.3 5.593039
Tripura14.6 40.3 41.8 0.4 2.823848
Uttar Pradesh 8.9 33.1 57.6 0.1 0.3497323
Uttarakhand 12.5 44.0 35.0 0.3 8.242222
West Bengal7.0 44.4 41.6 0.1 6.9239809
All India11.3 38.8 45.0 0.2 4.73317195
Table 6.2: State-wise centre-state combined expected budget, ICDS 2019-20
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Note: See Notes for Table 6.1 for budget items
The highest allocations for general services (excluding
salary) are observed for Jammu and Kashmir (69.3
per cent). The expenditure on training is negligible.
Table 6.3 presents the State-wise Centre-State
combined expected budget, number of beneficiaries
(both children as well as pregnant and lactating 45EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
mothers) and budget per beneficiary for ICDS for
the year 2019-20. The budget share is the highest
for Uttar Pradesh (15.0%), whereas Madhya Pradesh
(7.7%), Maharashtra (7.1%), Bihar (7.6%) and West
Bengal (7.2%) each have a share of over 7% in total
ICDS budget. The highest numbers of beneficiaries
States/UTs
Expected Budget
(Rs. in Lakh)
Budget Share
(%)
Beneficiaries
Beneficiary
Share (%)
Rs. Per
Beneficiary
A & N Island1566 0.05 9591 0.0 16327
Andhra Pradesh147368 4.44 2264402 3.2 6508
Arunachal Pradesh16690 0.50 189060 0.3 8828
Assam130378 3.93 3030677 4.3 4302
Bihar252278 7.60 5969856 8.5 4226
Chandigarh1615 0.05 48547 0.1 3326
Chhattisgarh122719 3.70 2216000 3.1 5538
D & N Haveli680 0.02 19363 0.0 3511
Daman & Diu315 0.01 5150 0.0 6108
Delhi33780 1.02 437046 0.6 7729
Goa3513 0.11 52996 0.1 6628
Gujarat125743 3.79 3104693 4.4 4050
Haryana48713 1.47 839339 1.2 5804
Himachal Pradesh34149 1.03 398112 0.6 8578
Jammu & Kashmir48319 1.46 798450 1.1 6052
Jharkhand105021 3.17 2744555 3.9 3827
Karnataka174578 5.26 3948737 5.6 4421
Kerala67033 2.02 815494 1.2 8220
Lakshadweep206 0.01 3450 0.0 5973
Madhya Pradesh254209 7.66 6571443 9.3 3868
Maharashtra234953 7.08 5196154 7.4 4522
Manipur29551 0.89 340984 0.5 8666
Meghalaya22903 0.69 454119 0.6 5043
Mizoram6998 0.21 155222 0.2 4509
Nagaland16277 0.49 278810 0.4 5838
Odisha188120 5.67 3918422 5.6 4801
Puducherry1220 0.04 26806 0.0 4552
Punjab81044 2.44 671496 1.0 12069
Rajasthan132403 3.99 2667157 3.8 4964
Sikkim3084 0.09 24500 0.0 12586
Tamil Nadu135792 4.09 2440152 3.5 5565
Telangana93039 2.80 1500000 2.1 6203
Tripura23848 0.72 332353 0.5 7175
Uttar Pradesh497323 14.99 12392606 17.6 4013
Uttarakhand42222 1.27 597062 0.8 7072
West Bengal239809 7.23 5911318 8.4 4057
India3317195 100.00 70374122 100.0 4714
Table 6.3: State-wise ICDS expected budget share and budget per beneficiary, ICDS 2019-20
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Note: See Notes for Table 6.1 for budget items
are observed for Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
West Bengal, Bihar and Maharashtra. The budget per
beneficiary per year is the highest for Andaman and
Nicobar Islands (16327) and lowest is for Chandigarh
(3326). The budget per beneficiary per year for Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar and Assam is around Rs. 4000. 46EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
6.2. FINANCIAL FLOWS
Financing and budget flows are an important part
of the implementation process in ICDS. States have
different structures of fund flows and this often has
direct effects on the service delivery in the state. This
section discusses fund flows, flexibility and financing.
The issue of incentivization of ICDS staff was also
discussed with the respondents, and the following
section presents these findings in some detail.
6.2.1. ICDS APIP Norms
The cost-sharing ratio between centre and States/
UTs for various components is presented in Table 6.4.
There is a greater burden of salaries on the States/UTs
with legislature. This is associated with large number
of vacancies of Supervisors and CDPOs. The unit costs
for various components of AW services (General)
as well as SNP are the same for all the States/UTs.
This approach of APIP development does not allow
deviation across States. The components of the APIP
are fixed and do not demonstrate testing of alternative
ideas for improving service delivery through new
programs and initiatives. Even in case of SNP the
cost norms do not account for the possible variation
in transportation costs associated with geographical
conditions. The APIP thus fails to integrate the local
needs and requirements.
6.2.2. ICDS Financing
In 2019-20, the Central share in ICDS budget amounts
to Rs.19927 crores. Honoraria (47.0%), SNP (33.9%),
and salary (6.5%) jointly account for about 87.4% of
the total Central assistance. About 7.5 per cent of the
central assistance is allocated toward infrastructure
(AWC construction, upgradation, drinking water,
toilet and rent). If corresponding State share as per
cost-sharing norms is included then the total ICDS
budget is expected to be at least Rs.33171 crores.
Figure 6.1: ICDS expenditure items and share (%) in Centre-State expected budget, 2019-20
States/UTs/
Particulars
AW
Services
(General)
Salaries SNP
Upgradation of
AWCs
Construction of toilets
and drinking water
facilities
States/UTs (with
Legislature)
60:40 25:75* 50:50 60:4060:40
NE / Himalayan States 90:10 90:10 90:10 90:1090:10
UTs (without Legislature) 100:0 100:0 100:0 100:0100:0
Source: MoWCD (No.14-4/2018-CD.II (e-66710) dated 25
th
March 2019)
Note: *Central assistance on salaries of select AWC functionaries only
Table 6.4: Cost sharing ratio between Centre and States/UTs for various components
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Note: See Notes for Table 6.1 for budget items 47EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
The minimum expected State budgets varies from
Rs.12586 per beneficiary per year in Sikkim to Rs.3827
per beneficiary per year in Jharkhand. Although, Uttar
Pradesh has a 15% share in total ICDS budget but it
also accounts for 17.6% share of beneficiaries. This
translates into Rs.4013 per beneficiary per year which
is much lower than several other States. The expected
PSE component budget is 75 paise per child per day.
Budgetary allocations are inadequate vis-à-vis the
expectations and requirements of the state. Poor
utilization of infrastructure funds/training funds was
reported in the states visited. In many cases, the
budget is deemed adequate to maintain status quo,
but as we approach the grass root level, we see that
this is not the case. Rules, regulations and norms for
flow/release of funds for infrastructure development
need to be reviewed and streamlined. There is scope
for convergence with GPDP.
In many states, CSR initiatives and NGO partnerships
are a source of funds. Organizations adopt AWCs
and beautify them and/or provide additional
infrastructure. However, this is not the ideal situation
since i) these funds are not perennial and can be
withdrawn in the future; ii) this creates an imbalance
among the AWCs in the area, where the AWCs that are
not adopted are not at par with the ones that are.
State innovations in programs are tilted toward
adolescents/women; not enough funds go towards
other aspects of the ICDS like ECCE and referrals.
Leakages also occur, for example, in Assam, where
there is no flexibility to use funds that are already
lying in ICDS accounts: a lot of paperwork must be
done and many political hoops that have to be jumped
through before these can be utilised. Currently, the
Program Officer is unable to talk to the DC to be able
to use these.
Rules, regulations and norms for flow/release of
funds for infrastructure development need to be
reviewed and streamlined. There is definitely scope
for convergence with departments at the district
level. For example, rent norms and allowances for
electricity and sweeper services are not sufficient.
There are no contingency funds made available to the
functionaries, due to which they often have to pay
out of their own pocket. These reimbursements are
also severely delayed and this demoralises the staff.
6.2.3. ICDS Society
The formation of ICDS society is of relevance to
expedite the flow of funds for ICDS activities. The ICDS
does not have a Society at the State and District level.
This is unlike National Health Mission (NHM) which has
established both State Health Society and District
Health Society as vertical support structures for
different national and state health programs. Through
this arrangement the DHSs can manage both treasury
and non-treasury sources of funds. Under NHM the DHS
is viewed as an addition to the district administrations
capacity, particularly for planning, budgeting and
budget analysis, development of operational policy
proposals, and financial management etc. Because it
is a legal entity, the DHS can set up its own office
which has adequate contingent of staff and experts
and can evolve its own rules and procedures for hiring
the staff and experts both from the open market as
well as on deputation from the Government. DHS is
thus established as a facilitating mechanism for the
district health administration as also the mechanism
for joint planning by NHM related sectors. The DHS
can receive grant-in-aid from the State Government
and/or State Health Society; grants-in-aid from
the Central Government, if it decides to give the
whole or part of grants directly to District Society
as well as grants and donations from trade, industry,
institutions and individuals. The DHS can also receive
funds from disposal of assets. Presently, the ICDS
follows a cumbersome process for fund transfers
through District or Block Development Officers.
There is no flexibility in terms of fund transfer and
expenditure which causes delays in procedures and
implementation. Formation of ICDS society can also
expedite issues related to appointment of contractual
staff for the activities.
It may be noted that to facilitate the implementation of
ICDS, Gujarat has registered State and District level ICDS
Society that function under the administrative control
of the Department of Women & Child Development.
The State ICDS society Management Unit (SISMU) is
responsible for implementing, monitoring, managing,
supervising, and guiding the day to day functions of
ICDS. Similarly, 26 District ICDS Society Management
Unit (DISMU) are registered for supporting SISMU
across the districts. The State ICDS Society, Gujarat,
Gandhinagar has received fund from Government of
Gujarat. The Integrated Child Development Services
Scheme is being implemented through 26 Districts in
all over Gujarat. The ICDS society conducts statutory
audit through CAG empanelled auditor.
6.2.4. Financial Incentives for ICDS
Functionaries
When asked about their thoughts on incentivization,
not many AWWs openly admitted to wanting
incentives; but this can be attributed more to their
hesitation than the idea itself. When probed further, 48EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
they revealed that even though AWWs are not in the
ICDS for the honorarium (which—compared to their
workload is modest—to put it mildly), performance
grants are definitely an appreciated idea among the
functionaries; it can be linked to AWC indicators /
Project indicators to motivate them on a collective
platform. Career trajectories should also be
considered for these incentives. Issues like pensions,
health insurance and other benefits were also brought
up by the functionaries interviewed.
6.2.5. Funding for Promotion of
AWW and Supervisors
The position of AWC Supervisor is vacant in many
situations. These are not filled and have risk of lapse.
The MoWCD has issued guidelines for promotion of
the eligible AWWs and Supervisors. This has also led
to increasing number of contractual appointments.
Also, there is shortage of skills and technical support
for ECCD as well as Nutrition counselling. Needs
assessment of AWC is also an important area for
planning training and capacity building.
6.2.6. Scope for ICDS Flexi-pool
The APIP offers limited scope for innovations in
community outreach activities and even infrastructure
development. It is reasonable that within a broad
framework of ICDS objectives and priorities, the States
should be provided flexibility to plan and implement
state specific action plans. The state PIP would spell out
the strategies and activities as well as the budgetary
requirements to achieve the outputs and outcomes.
This will have the advantage of strengthening local
planning at the district level and below.
Besides, the approval of State APIP would also imply
approval of the District APIP. The ICDS flexi-pool
should be particularly allowed for ICDS functionaries
at the block level and below to experiment scope
for a community worker or skill that can accelerate
reduction in undernutrition prevalence in the country.
Budget for IEC activities can also be considered under
a flexi-pool approach to boost innovative practices for
enhancing awareness on nutrition and health. Budget
for infrastructure strengthening under ICDS can also
be included under flexi-pool.
Notably, the guidelines issued by Ministry of Finance
(F.No.55(5)PF-II/2011 dated 6
th
September 2016) on
flexi-funds within centrally sponsored scheme (CSS)
allows States to set aside 25% of any CSS (Central
and State share combined for any given financial
year) as flexi-fund to be spent on any sub-scheme
or component or innovation that is in line with the
overall aim and objectives of the approved scheme.
However, this has to be specifically implemented and
States should be encouraged to present new ideas and
initiatives to achieve the objectives of ICDS.
6.2.7. ICDS Financial Management
and Reports
ICDS has developed various formats for submission of
utilization certificate and statement of expenditure.
However, the state-level financial management
reports, formats and procedures can be developed
for uniformity. Such an approach is followed by the
NHM which has formed Financial Management Group
(FMG) that functions under the NRHM Finance Division
of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The FMG is
involved in planning, budgeting, accounting, financial
reporting, internal controls including internal audit,
external audit, procurement, disbursement of funds
and monitoring the physical and financial performance
of the program, with the main aim of managing
resources efficiently and achieving pre-determined
objectives.
6.2.8. CAG Audit Observations
The audit of the ICDS program was carried out for the
period 2006-07 to 2010-11 to understand why it has not
achieved the desired goals. A total of 2730 Anganwadi
Centres from 273 project offices of 67 districts from
13 States (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh and West Bengal were selected for the audit.
The nutrition indicators from National Family Health
Survey 2005-06, population of the States and funds
released were the parameters used for identifying the
States. The performance was measured with respect
to three services: supplementary nutrition, pre-school
education and nutrition and health education under
the scheme. The findings indicate that the program
has been unable to address the nutrition health issues
and immunization coverage has remained low because
of absence of the monitoring mechanisms.
Lack of planning is clearly indicated by the fact
that the program did not assess the infrastructure
requirements or has been indifferent to the needs of
AWCs. More than 50 per cent of the buildings are built
on rented lands. Also, one-fourth of the buildings are
made of semi-pucca or kachcha material. It has been
observed that most of these buildings do not have
adequate space for the children. There are no kitchens
or space for outdoor activities for the children. Lack of
drinking water facilities and toilets is also observed. 49EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
The surroundings in which these AWCs are built can
itself lead to a number of preventable diseases among
children. It is not uncommon to come across AWCs
which have inadequate utensils and non-functional
equipments. Medicine kits are also not available at
the centres due to lack of co-ordination among the
stakeholders.
The identification of the beneficiaries and monitoring
of the program is inadequate which raises question
about the implementation process. Between 2006-07
and 2010-11, there was a gap of 33 to 45 per cent
between the eligible beneficiaries identified and
those receiving supplementary nutrition. Also, a
huge proportion of children were not weighed. There
were discrepancies with respect to data on nutrition
reported for the children. There was a shortfall in the
number of personnel trained under the State Training
Action Plan. The process to procure food from the
Ministry of Women and Child Development has also
suffered from co-ordination failure with the Ministry
being able to allocate only 78 per cent of food grains
demanded by State.
The major reason for the failure of the program other
than lack of co-ordination is the inability to use the
funds, especially, to recruit the functionaries who
could ensure smooth functioning of the program.
During the period 2009-11, 53 per cent AWCs did not
receive the flexi fund. The shortfall in expenditure
on SNP ranged from 15 per cent to 36 per cent during
2006-11. Clearly, the average daily expenditure per
beneficiary on SNP is low. The actual expenditure on
salary of ICDS functionaries is very high which leaves
very meager amount for other key components. Also,
the fund meant for ICDS is being parked in activities
such as civil deposits and personal ledger, which are not
permitted under the The monitoring and assessment
of services under the SNP and PSE is not adequate and
has led to lapses in successful implementation of the
scheme.
6.2.9. HR related Financing Issues
The AWWs usually devote more than 4 hours working
for the AWC activities. The working hours increase
further with additional tasks of VHNDs or in case of
unrelated activities such as election commission duty
or survey completion as mandated by local authorities.
The AWWs also find it frustrating when deterred from
primary role as AWW. The non-AWC work is a major
diversion and this additional work at times has time-
bound deliverables which become hindrance to ICDS
work. Also, the payment for the extra work is not
made on time. It is important to review the TA / DA
norms for various functionaries to attend trainings and
meeting. These should be timely released as often
reimbursements (transport, minor repairs in AWC)
take many months to reach the AWWs, which leads to
them having to borrow money/continue spending out
of their own pocket AWC.
Gap in salaries of the regular and contractual CDPOs or
AW Supervisors is a source of discontent. For instance,
in Assam, the salary of the regular CDPO is more than
twice that of the contractual CDPO. Also, some of
the CDPOs are working on the contractual position
for considerable number of years. As a consequence
of these issues, the CDPOs lack motivation to work
efficiently. Also, monetary problems can serve as
a hindrance in monitoring the AWC. There is also
mention of statistical assistant for the CDPOs but this
position is not functional.
Providing performance grant to AWWs is an appreciated
idea and can be linked to AWC indicators / Project
indicators. Moreover, while there is a scope for career
advancement under ICDS but only a handful are able
to progress from one position to a senior position
(such as from AWW to AW Supervisor or from CDPO to
DPO). The AWWs, AWHs and the AW Supervisors are the
most vulnerable and there should be social security
mechanisms for workers serving for a given duration
with the ICDS. Despite guidelines from the MoWCD
the progress on this front need further attention for
effective and speedy implementation.
Completeness and digitization of the identification
records of ICDS scheme employees and workers including
the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers is necessary to
improve transparency and knowledge about placements,
transfer postings and facilitate timely communication of
office orders. These are also necessary to ease financial
payments (salaries, honoraria, and incentives). Use of
PFMS should be universal for payments. All the States/
UTs are recommended to develop digital records
to facilitate systematic programmatic reviews and
monitoring of staff.
While time bound promotion could be explored;
performance parameters need to be aligned with the
program for this to be executed. There is irregularity in
promotions; functionaries are promoted to Supervisor/
CDPO posts without them having the required skill
set; there is also no formal procedure and guidelines
for promotions in the ICDS system. This needs to be
rectified as a priority. Although, procedures and norms
exist across States/UTs but timely implementation
is necessary to resist the notion of stagnancy in job
profile. Career trajectories should be considered to
attract skilled personnel toward the ICDS scheme. 50EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
6.3. STATE-LEVEL FINANCIAL ISSUES
AND CONCERNS
6.3.1. Andhra Pradesh
Insufficient budgets are provided for expenses like
electricity and sweeper etc. CDPOs pay out of their
own funds, and sometimes these amounts go up to
25,000 INR per year with no reimbursements in sight.
More funds are needed from the Centre, especially
to be used for improving AWC infrastructure. Since
AWC buildings are not viewed as eligible for subsided
electricity under the Electricity Department rules,
they cannot avail this facility and have to pay full
price for power supply. This can be easily rectified
by some targeted state-level convergence with the
Electricity department.
ICDS funds were frozen by State government in March
2019, which led to bills and reimbursements piling up
at the district and Project level. The machinery was
still reeling from this in May 2019.
Reimbursements are processed on the CFMS
(Comprehensive Financial Management System), but
it takes 2-3 months to reach the payee, which is a
significant delay. Salaries are also delayed for 2-3
months at a time. Similar delays are experienced
in receiving funds for vehicles, workers’ Travel
Allowance, rent and electricity bills. AWWs stated
that their current honorarium of 10,500 INR is low and
they expect a raise. Pensions are also sought by AWWs
who have dedicated their lives to the ICDS scheme.
Incentives are in place for use of CAS mobile,
increasing attendance of beneficiaries, and uploading
the growth monitoring data in a timely and complete
manner. Other suggestions for incentivization that
came from the functionaries were: ECCE activities,
motivating women to attend the AWC for community
building activities, stopping child marriage and abuse,
rescuing abandoned children.
6.3.2. Assam
The idea of performance-based incentives was greatly
welcomed by the functionaries at different levels in
Assam. In fact, a similar initiative of acknowledging
the works of better performing AWWs by giving small
gifts and certificates had previously helped in boosting
the competitiveness and confidence of the AWWs in
the districts of the state.
It was reported that there was no flexibility in using
previous funds of ICDS by the district level officials.
Moreover, the demoralization of the department
because of previous scams intensified such situation
of having accumulated funds in a district. On the
other hand at the State level, the functionaries used
the interest accumulated on previous funds to develop
model AWCs in several districts.
6.3.3. Bihar
There is a delayed allotment and receipt of funds from
the state. The central government norm to allocate the
money is same for all the states in which they direct
implementation accordingly. But all states do not have
the same capacity for implementation, wherein lies
the regional inequity. “There is difference in amount
of 1-2 rupees for those whose child are normal and
those whose child are SAM. This is a social problem
and needs social provision,” as one respondent put it.
In Bihar, the beneficiaries are told to purchase the
THR on their own and upon proof of purchase they
are transferred the amount by ICDS. The funds are
transferred to the account of Anganwadi Vikas Samiti
for purchase of THR and Hot cooked meal rations.
Delayed allotment of funds to the district introduces
a delay in payments at different levels within the
district.
CSR funds from organizations like Vedanta are used to
provide for infrastructural support and renovations.
Doctors for You has developed around 10 AWCs in
Muzaffarpur and Seikhpura from their own funds;
AXIS Bank financially supports around 500 AWCs.
Britannia works on the development of education and
communication in the state.
Salaries of the staff are pending and deposited in their
account after the gap of 3-4 months including AWWs
and AWHs. There is a need to provide increments in
salary, performance-based incentives, and pensions
after retirement.
6.3.4. Chhattisgarh
The ICDS department did not release any funds for
AWC maintenance, and AWWs were repairing the
buildings and furniture using their own money. As one
AWW reported, she once received 5000 rupees around
four years ago, but nothing has been given to her after
that. At one AWC in Ambikapur, there was no money
given for AWC building maintenance and the AWW was
spending money from her own pocket for this work.
She used to receive only 500 rupees annually as flexi-
fund, but that has also ceased coming to her for the
last two years. The annual amount allotted to AWCs
for maintenance and repair has not yet reached the
AWWs. AWWs are not happy with their salaries, they
demand more. There are no extra benefits were given 51EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
to the functionaries for the extra work that they are
asked to take up for both the ICDS requirements and
for the other associated departments. Also, there is
no fund allotment for maintenance of AWCs in some
cases.
6.3.5. Delhi
The budget assigned to rent a place for AWCs is
insufficient. Almost 5000 AWCs are functioning
in rented buildings currently. The rental norms
of Rs.6000/- per month do not allow renting a
reasonably hygienic room for the functioning of the
ICDS. Consequently, the AWCs function in slum areas
with poor water, sanitation and hygiene. To overcome
this constraint some of the AWCs are co-located and
function as a hub thereby deriving economies of scale
in financing. However, such concentration of AWCs
may imply that the distance and time to reach the
AWCs for some of the beneficiaries can increase.
6.3.6. Gujarat
AWWs function in areas where there is low household
income and the beneficiaries come from a resource-
poor socioeconomic background; lack of timely
reimbursement affects their functioning as well
as personal finances. Funds take a long time to get
approved, and inter-departmental dynamics get in
the way of smooth, quick transfer of funds in certain
cases. Development funds that can facilitate the
functioning of AWCs do not get used appropriately.
6.3.7. Rajasthan
There were issues reported in budget and funding:
utilization of funds was very low for ECCE training in
Jaisalmer district. Due to this, ECCE training was not
conducted everywhere in the district. Also, due to
delays in payments to SHGs, THR has not been supplied
at the AWCs for the past 6 months. No hot cooked
meal was provided at AWCs due to shortage of funds.
Limited funding had been allotted to Jaisalmer, which
makes delivering of basic ICDS services impossible
when the district runs out of funds.
6.3.8. Uttarakhand
Udham Singh Nagar district sometimes faces funding
issues as there are delays in budget sanctions. This
problem affects the implementation of the ICDS
program at the project level (Block and AWCs).
Vedanta NGO helps in constructing buildings for AWCs
in this district, but this is not a solution to the bigger
problem.
6.3.9. Uttar Pradesh
The districts get funds from states under three
categories: for district level staff management, for ICDS
scheme, and for child development Pushtahar director
and others expenses. There are many particulars
factored into these categories, for example, wage,
compensations, travel, and office expenditure, rent
for offices, medical expenses, uniforms for children,
computers, and office equipment.
In Bahraich, under the ICDS, 87.72 percent of the
allocated budget for 2018-19 was utilized. 61.26
percent of the funds were utilized on employment
compensation. 7 percent funds were used on
Pariyojana office rent and on other items, and about
6.5 percent was used for uniforms for children.
In Barabanki, more than 98 percent of the allocated
budget for 2018-19 was utilized. The proportion of
the utilized budget was mostly spent on the employee
compensation, compensation of inflation, office
expenditure, expenditure on uniforms, expenditure
on medical facility and others. According to DPO
Barabanki, the ICDS sometimes faces issues in
financing regarding particular programs and schemes.
There are no funds provided for the ECCE program.
6.4. KEY ISSUES IN FINANCING
Timely release of dues/honorarium is very important
to ensure that functionaries do not have to pay from
their own pocket, and are not demoralized by the
delays. Reimbursements should cover incidentals
that are locally required and seasonally required.
TA/DA norms should be revised and formalized for
various functionaries to attend trainings and meetings
regarding ICDS activities.
Recurring cost norms on AWC running expenses need
to be formalized and paid out regularly. Rental norms
should be revised in a timely manner to reflect and
account for inflation and current rental trends;
especially in urban areas, where renting AWC buildings
is the norm (and also one of the major expenses).
CSR initiatives cannot be relied upon as the sole source
of funds for beautification of AWCs. If the pilot program
in Andhra Pradesh (under APRIGP) is a success, it can
be replicated in other states for beautification and
maintenance of AWCs. There is definitely scope for
convergence with GPDP. There should be flexibility of
using other accumulated funds, like interest gathered,
even at the district level. As one of the functionaries
pointed out, there is a need to adopt the DBT (Cash
Transfer) based approach instead of equity-based
approach in providing supplementary nutrition to
SAM/MAM children. 53EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
HUMAN RESOURCES AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
07.
7.1. ICDS HR AND FUNCTIONARIES
The ICDS functionaries are the most crucial component
of the program to ensure effective coverage and
smooth delivery of the key services. Much of the
implementation and convergence process depends on
these frontline workers, therefore, it is important to
understand the problems of these human resources
(HR), and the suggestions they have to make to improve
the ICDS system. The following section discusses the
key findings on aspects related to training, staffing,
monitoring, evaluation and incentivization of the ICDS
staff. A section on the time-use by AWWs and notes
on capacity-building as reported by AWWs offers vital
insights about various HR concerns and grievances.
7.1.1. ICDS Vacancies
As of 2018-19, 30.1% of sanctioned positions for CDPOs
and 27.7% of sanctioned positions for Supervisors are
vacant across the country. Maharashtra, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka and Jharkhand had
more than 40% of CDPO vacant sanctioned posts.
Due to large vacancies there is an increased burden
of monitoring and review on the CDPOs and AW
Supervisors. About 6.9% of sanctioned positions for
AWWs and 7.6% of sanctioned positions for AWHs are
vacant across the country. Bihar has a vacancy of 17.1%
followed by Maharashtra, Telangana and Delhi which
had a vacancy of more than 10% among sanctioned
AWW positions.
7.1.2. HR Training and Capacity Building
With wide heterogeneities in AWW age and educational
background, there are several challenges in training
and capacity building efforts. Trainings are mostly
centralised with uniform syllabus and style rather
than innovating with local experiences and ground-
up approach. For instance, language barriers make
knowledge transfer harder as it might be difficult
to appropriately translate or find context-specific
examples for effective learning. Travelling is almost
necessary for all AWWs for attending these trainings
and consequently often quality control and monitoring
of sessions becomes difficult and trainings end up as
a formal exercise.
For example, the training on ECCE is critical but it also
requires considerable time allocation which is often
difficult to be worked out amidst the tight schedule of
the frontline functionaries. More intensive trainings
and capacity building is required for improving the
data quality and report preparations. Such limitations
result in slow improvements in data capture and are
associated with delays in report compilation at block,
district and state level. Besides, there is also a need
to check language compatibility for reporting (both
online and offline), especially in CAS.
Even with incremental learning approach (ILA), there is
a loss of knowledge due to the chain-transfer method;
by the time the module travels down the hierarchy to
the AWWs, a lot of important information is lost. State
and District Resource Groups (SRGs and DRGs) need to
work more closely to make sure that frontline workers
are able to absorb maximum amount of the contents of
the modules. Additionally, modules that are centrally
developed need more than language translation: they
need to be translated to suit the socio-cultural milieu
into which it is going to find application. This calls
for higher levels of translational requirements than
merely literal translation. For example, moringa
may be an excellent resource for iron and vitamins
in Chhattisgarh, but may not be available in certain
Himalayan states. Therefore, mere literal translations
may not serve the purpose.
Trainings need to be decentralised and localised
to enable better participation from female staff.
Suggestions have been made to provide the training to
the candidates who are in the second, third and fourth
positions in the merit list during selection for various
posts and promotions. This will help channelize the
functionaries’ experience and energy towards the
ICDS outreach, instead of giving rise to unhappiness
and negative attitudes due to rejection.
7.1.3. Staffing
Posts are lying vacant in most states, which lead to
overburdened functionaries. Current numbers of
vacancies are as follows: CDPOs and Supervisors (40-
50%); AWW and AWH (5-10%). This is a grave concern 54EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
for the efficiency and implementation of the ICDS
scheme. Supervisor positions are hugely vacant,
lapsed and/or contractual. Data Entry Operators and
Statistical Assistants are also missing in most states.
Existing staff is also overburdened with multiple
tasks over and above their core job chart (Aadhaar
work, various government schemes and campaigns,
mobilizing for Jan Andolan, election duty etc.)
This hardly permits the AWC supervisors and CDPOs
one visit to each AWC per month. The quality of
supervision thus suffers, and does not allow internal
communication and AWC development. Travelling is a
problem for the AWC supervisors in rural Assam and
tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh. Despite such difficult
geographical terrain there are limited provisions for
transportation allowances.
The Public Service Commissions (PSCs) functioning can
also cause delay in recruitment in states like Assam.
Vacancies are then filled on contractual basis. Delayed
and lesser salaries subsequently lead to mental
pressure and unhappiness among these contractual
staff. Long delays in hiring is also associated with
the large number of Lawsuits filed against ICDS (in
states like Assam) by contractual staff, that does the
same work as regular staff, but has a different pay
scale. As one respondent put it, ICDS administration
is subjected to around “1000 (litigation) cases in 6
months”.
There is also a lack of human resource for ECCE;
skilled pre-school teachers are needed to deliver non-
formal play-based learning to children below the age
of 6, as per the ECCE framework.
Minimum salary and honoraria norms for ICDS
functionaries (AWW, AWH, contractual CDPO and AWC
Supervisor) should be revised. The AWW honoraria
vary across States. An AWW in Bihar receives Rs.5650
per month whereas in Delhi and Andhra Pradesh she
receives Rs.9678 and Rs.11500 per month, respectively.
The monthly honoraria should be enhanced based
on service of AWWs. Variations are also noted for
contractual and regular CDPO and AWC Supervisor
salaries. For instance, in Assam a contractual CDPO
receives only about half of the salary of a regular
CDPO. The career progression and salary/incentive
issues if invested in can have positive impact of
motivation of FLWs to perform better.
7.1.4. Monitoring
There is a requirement for regional level governance
as well as improved governance at the project level.
In Assam for example, there is limited relationship
between the AWWs, Supervisors and the CDPOs. The
AWWs at times prefer to call the CDPOs for help
directly rather than approaching their supervisors.
This is mostly because the role of supervisors is not
clear to the AWWs. Office space does not exist for
Supervisors.
Constant requests for data and other non-ICDS
goals need to be met. This means that CDPOs and
Supervisors spend more time meeting these needs
than making field visits (15 days out of a month are
spent doing non-ICDS work in Gujarat, for example).
Data accuracy is very weak, and growth monitoring/
MIS/MPR is not digitised: this leads to a lot of
inaccuracies. Added to this is the fact that there are
no skilled employees or infrastructure for the digital
components of monitoring in ICDS yet.
Logistics planning proves difficult: THR and SNP
supplies have to be collected by the AWW from the
PDS shop. This transportation is time-consuming
and expensive. It also takes considerable effort to
distribute THR to beneficiaries who do not/cannot
come to the AWC. Homogeneity is thus needed across
states, even with regard to supply. For instance, in
Assam, the DPO processes demands for hot cooked
meals ration in batches, and waits for them to
accumulate. This leads to delays and lapses in supply.
7.1.5. Incentivization of ICDS Staff
Career trajectories should be considered: elderly
AWWs working in Assam have been protesting
against the retirement age. Pension scheme is to
be introduced, but other benefits should also be
considered for the field functionaries. Performance
grant is an appreciated idea amongst the respondents;
it can be linked to AWC / Project indicators. For
example, in order to escalate the efforts to reduce
the burden of child undernutrition at AWCs- level,
Performance Linked Incentive Scheme was launched
in Uttar Pradesh.
Under this scheme, AWWs will be incentivized based on
their performance. This scheme aims at improving both
quantity and quality of efforts of AWWs by providing
performance-based financial incentives to effectively
increase the momentum in improving nutritional
status of children in Uttar Pradesh. The incentives are
based on indicators such as Aadhaar seeding of the
beneficiaries, anthropometric measurement of child
beneficiaries and improvements in nutritional status
of MAM and SAM children.
In fact, there are several opportunities to extend
performance-based incentives for AWWs. For instance, 55EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
successful AWWs referrals and compliance with
NRC admissions is an important area with objective
assessment. Similarly, CAS uptake can also be further
incentivized even as the monetary incentives should be
met for those who have completed the CAS trainings.
7.1.6. AWW Working Hours and Time
Allocations
The AWWs are expected to work for about four and
half hours per day. Most of the AWWs work as per
the norm though sometimes trainings, meetings and
other duties increase the working hours. The AWWs,
however, are required to undertake diverse activities
during this period of 270 minutes. This has implications
for time allocation across activities. The handbook
for AWWs prepared by the National Institute for
Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD)
expects that an AWW would ideally spend about 270
minutes for the daily activities of the AWCs. The time
allocation is expected to be 2 hours for preschool
education, 30 minutes for preparation and distribution
of supplementary nutrition, 30 minutes for treatment
of common childhood illnesses, ailments & referrals,
30 minutes for filling up records and registers and 1
hour for making 2-3 home visits.
However, a study by Kaur et al (2016) on time
allocation of selected AWWs finds considerable
imbalance in terms of time allocation and program
priority (Table 7.1). It is noted that the AWWs end up
spending close to 90 minutes on record and register
entries and allocates much lower time on preschool
education. The AWW usually do not encounter cases
for treatment or cases of minor illness. The AWWs
spent considerably less time on home visits. In fact,
considerable time is spent on other activities such as
meetings as well as other unspecified (personal) tasks.
The time allocation patterns are also affected by
the tasks assigned to the AWCs. For instance, in
Chhattisgarh it was noted that the AWWs work more
than the recommended time. There is also imbalance in
time allocation across activities. In particular, a lot of
time is allocated toward preparation of supplementary
nutrition in Chhattisgarh. This is attributable to the
implementation of Mahatari Jatan Yojana (MJY) for
providing hot cooked meal to pregnant women at the
AWC. However, Rajasthan does not operate any such
hot cooked meal initiative; consequently the AWWs
are less burdened and spend about four and half hours
at the AWC.
Source: Kaur et al (2016)
Note: #Total % share of time spent on recommended activities
* no case was reported during the observation period
** health education to beneficiaries, listening to their problems, meeting with ANM, MO, training at CHC, pulse polio duty, talking with
other AWW on clarification of doubts, visiting other AWC
*** unspecified work includes tea time, coming late to AWW, going early from centre, going out for personal work
Table 7.1: Mean time spent by AWW against recommended time per activity per day
in selected AWCs in a northern city of India
Activity recommended by NIPCCD
Recommended time (minutes) Mean time spent (minutes)
Minutes % Share Minutes % Share
Preschool education120 44.42810
Supplementary nutrition3011.12810
Treatment of minor illness*3011.1——
Records3011.18331
Home visit6022.273
Total (recommended activities) 270 100# 14654#
Other activities**——7026
Unspecified work***——5420
Grand total270100271100 56EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
7.1.7. HR Structure of ICDS:
Insights from SNEHA Findings
A Study by the Society for Nutrition, Education and
Health Action (SNEHA) demonstrates that skill and
behavioral improvement training can lead to an
increase in motivation and willingness to perform at
an optimum level. Our findings suggest that while
more or less regular training in technical knowledge
(e.g. basics of nutrition, malnutrition, immunization)
was reported by most AWWs, they lacked training in
skill-based knowledge (e.g. effective home visits,
planning, time management). This is apparent
in the fact that they have to spend long hours
fulfilling reporting requirements, which diminishes
their efficiency as AWWs. While data duplication is
definitely an effect of the lack of a smooth transition
from manual to digital forms of reporting, some skill
building training might also help in making better
use of the time available. None of the respondents
interviewed for this study explicitly reported being
trained in skill-based knowledge.
In accordance with the SNEHA findings, these skills
training modules must include time management,
communication, giving and receiving feedback,
supervision and training of trainers (ToT), so that
field functionaries can build upon their skill and
confidence. The SNEHA study found a measurable
increase in the functionaries’ levels of general
motivation, conscientiousness, (decrease in) burnout,
intrinsic motivation, resource availability, supportive
supervision, extrinsic motivation and job satisfaction.
The SNEHA study also suggests that post trainings,
regular handholding and observation sessions need
to be conducted by the supervisor. This is missing in
our findings from the field; AWC Supervisors are so
burdened with monitoring multiple AWCs that they
hardly get time to provide constructive feedback to
the AWWs. We also see that there is a significant loss
of knowledge down the chain through the ILA method.
As suggested by the SNEHA protocol, the training
methodology must then be participatory in nature,
thus ensuring greater engagement and retention of
learning by the trainees.
As suggested by the SNEHA findings - and our
subsequent comparisons with on-ground findings —
there is a need to concentrate on capacity building
training of the functionaries. At the moment, apart
from being overburdened and underpaid, they are
also under-skilled, which often leads to a lack of
motivation and job satisfaction. By providing more
skill-based knowledge and following up with regular
handholding and observation sessions by Supervisors,
the functionaries’ levels of motivation and satisfaction
can be improved upon greatly. This will no doubt
have a positive impact upon their ability to fruitfully
contribute to the implementation of the ICDS at the
grass-root level.
7.1.8. Issues in Capacity Building
There is difficulty identified in adapting to the
digitization of reporting methods. Even after training,
older AWWs and/or the ones who are not formally
literate, find it difficult to understand and operate
smart phones. In fact, these AWWs have to depend on
someone from family/community to help them every
day with data entry.
The ILA method is not as effective due to reduced
knowledge transfer at each level. Refresher trainings
need to be conducted more often. Language is a barrier
sometimes, especially in remote/tribal projects. It is
also suggested that the AWWs require more training
on ECCE. Some administrative officials also perceive
that the ICDS does not seem to take any action or
interest in updating the training programs. The top-
down approach to training also means travelling and
staying in the district headquarters. This takes up
a lot of time and effort when AWWs have to go for
training. In their wake, the AWCs are run by AWHs who
are not trained for this job.
Too many apps are to be updated (often with the same
data). This takes a lot of time and effort from the
AWWs. Data duplication also occurs because manual
data reporting in registers is still expected. Frustration
is reported when AWWs are deterred from primary
role as an AWW due to multiple government programs
that they are told to cover at the grass root level.
AWWs are often demotivated and frustrated due to
the delays in payment of salaries and reimbursements
of various allowances. Electricity bills and other
expenses remain unpaid for months; insufficient funds
and slow reimbursements result in reduced efficiency.
The field functionaries’ morale takes a hit in such
cases and affects motivation and performance.
It was suggested by respondents across multiple
sampled states that the selection procedure of AWWs
and AWHs be changed; that it should be done through
conducting examinations that test their technical
competency. The training needs should thus include
locally relevant methods of operating that stem from
local experiences but also form a part of capacity
building that is locally relevant. 57EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
7.2. HUMAN RESOURCES FOR ICDS
The ICDS scheme is placed under the purview of
Women and Child Development Department usually
headed by a senior IAS officer of the Government of
India. The ICDS scheme is implemented through the
State/UT administration consisting of senior officials
of the State governments who assume charge for day-
to-day monitoring and review of various components
of ICDS scheme. At the district level, the ICDS scheme
is led by a District Program Officer. Each district
operates the program through a defined cluster of
AWCs referred to as the ICDS Projects. Each Project
is managed by a Child Development Project Officer
(CDPO). The CDPO is assisted by AW Supervisors who
are responsible for review and reporting of information
for about 25 AWCs. Each AWC has a dedicated AWW
and AWH. The AWH also assumes the role of cook for
the hot-cooked meal component of the ICDS. This
section presents information on vacant posts (in %) of
key ICDS functionaries by State/UTs in 2018-19.
Table 7.2 presents the posts vacant across the
States/UTs. There are a large number of vacancies
in posts for CDPOs and Supervisors. As of 2018-19,
30.1% of sanctioned positions for CDPOs and 27.7%
of sanctioned positions for Supervisors are vacant
across the country. There are significant inter-state
variations. Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,
Delhi, Karnataka and Jharkhand had more than 40% of
CDPO vacant sanctioned posts. 50% of posts in Dadra
and Nagar Haveli; and Daman and Diu are vacant,
while Lakshadweep also has no CDPO in place.
The other key post which is lying vacant in majority of
the States is that of supervisor. There are huge State
level variations. Pondicherry has a vacancy rate of 83%
followed by West Bengal which had a vacancy rate
of 67% among sanctioned Supervisor positions. More
than 40% of positions are vacant in Bihar, Tripura and
Tamil Nadu. Among Union territories receiving 100%
assistance from Central government, 50% of posts
in Daman and Diu are vacant, while 100% posts are
vacant in Lakshadweep.
The vacancies among AWWs and AWHs are relatively
low across States but nevertheless this also hampers
overall coverage and scope of the program. As of 2018-
19, 6.9% of sanctioned positions for AWWs and 7.6%
of sanctioned positions for AWHs were vacant across
the country. Bihar has a vacancy of 17.1% followed by
Maharashtra, Telangana and Delhi which had a vacancy
of more than 10% among sanctioned AWW positions. As
per the ICDS norms there should be one supervisor per
25 AWCs. This implies that either most of the workers
at the lower levels are working without supervision
or there is a lot of load on supervisors at the Centers
where a higher number of posts of supervisors are
vacant. Around 19% of the AWH positions are vacant
in Bihar followed by 15% in West Bengal, 11% in both
Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
Figure 7.1 presents the State-wise percentage vacant
posts of CDPOs/ACDPOs in 2014-15 and 2018-19.
Across most of the States and UTs the numbers of
vacant posts have come down. To elaborate, across
Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh where the
vacant posts of CDPOs were more than 40% in 2014-15,
are below 20% in 2018-19. The number of vacant posts
has increased across Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar
Haveli; Daman and Diu, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.
Figure 7.2 presents the State-wise percentage vacant
posts of Supervisors. The vacant posts for supervisors
have clearly declined between 2014-15 and 2018-
19. More than 40 per cent of seats are vacant in
Bihar, Tripura and Tamil Nadu. The highest increase
in number of vacant seats has been reported in case
of Lakshadweep. Figure 7.3 presents the State-wise
percentage vacant posts of AWWs. For some of the
States the number of vacant posts for AWWs have
increased from 2014-15. These States are Maharashtra,
Telangana and Delhi which had a vacancy rate of more
than 10% among sanctioned AWW positions in 2018-19.
For Bihar which has a vacancy rate of 17.1% in 2018-
19, the percentage of vacant posts was as high as
25% in 2014-15. For the position of AWHs presented in
figure 7.4, the vacant posts have come down for most
of the States. Only exception seems to be West Bengal
for which vacant posts have slightly increased to 15%.
Figure 7.5 presents the number of Operational AWCs
per CDPO/ACDPO by States/UTs (2018-19). The
number of AWCs per CDPO/ACDPO can vary across the
States because of the demographic characteristics
(population, geography, density) as well as the
existing vacancies in the ICDS department. The
number of AWCs per CDPO/ACDPO varies from 64 in
case of Arunachal Pradesh to 640 in case of Karnataka.
In major States like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West
Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Assam the CDPOs find
a high burden of AWCs for monitoring and review.
This is largely due to huge number of vacancies in
the department. Nevertheless, it is observed that for
most of the States, the number of AWCs per CDPO/
ACDPO is in range of 200 to 220. Figure 7.6 presents
the number of AWCs per AW supervisor by States/UTs
(2018-19). As of 2018-19, on an average there are 37
AWCs per AW supervisor in India. The number of AWCs
per AW supervisor varies from 24 in case of Jammu
and Kashmir to 171 in case of Puducherry. For most of
the States, the number of AWCs per AW supervisor is 58EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
GOI Share
in Salary
State/UTCDPOs Supervisors AWWs AWHs
25 Percent
Andhra Pradesh0.0 25.7 2.7 6.4
Bihar30.1 48.2 17.1 19.2
Chhattisgarh15.0 17.0 4.8 6.6
Goa0.0 0.0 2.1 1.8
Gujarat37.8 17.4 2.7 4.9
Haryana25.0 15.1 2.7 2.8
Jharkhand44.2 30.0 2.2 2.5
Karnataka49.5 31.6 2.0 4.4
Kerala3.1 0.1 0.6 0.6
Madhya Pradesh0.0 0.0 1.1 1.5
Maharashtra55.2 22.4 14.5 7.5
Odisha6.2 0.0 3.7 3.3
Punjab7.7 11.8 1.8 3.8
Rajasthan64.5 36.5 4.1 4.6
Tamil Nadu19.1 44.0 9.8 11.2
Telangana0.0 17.6 13.8 7.3
Uttar Pradesh49.5 43.0 8.7 11.0
West Bengal51.9 67.0 9.9 15.3
Delhi46.3 10.4 13.3 1.6
Pondicherry20.0 85.3 0.0 0.0
90 Percent
Himachal Pradesh 32.1 9.9 0.8 1.1
Jammu & Kashmir4.3 1.7 7.3 7.3
Uttarakhand18.1 17.7 3.6 5.1
Arunachal Pradesh 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Assam32.5 2.9 1.8 1.4
Manipur4.7 9.0 10.7 4.6
Meghalaya0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Mizoram0.0 4.4 0.0 3.9
Nagaland0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Sikkim0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Tripura33.9 42.4 2.3 2.3
100 Percent
A & N Islands0.0 10.7 0.1 0.0
Chandigarh0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Dadra & N Haveli 50.0 22.2 0.0 5.7
Daman & Diu50.0 50.0 4.7 4.7
Lakshadweep100.0 100.0 0.0 0.0
Total 30.1 27.7 6.9 7.6
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Based on information available for 1335524 AWCs
Table 7.2: Vacant posts (in %) of key ICDS functionaries by State/UTs, 2018-19 59EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
in range of 25 to 30. However, in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and West Bengal the number of AWCs
managed by AW Supervisors is almost twice than the
recommended norm. Table 7.3 presents the number of
beneficiaries per CDPO, AWS, AWW and AWH by State/
UTs for 2018-19. The highest numbers of beneficiaries
per CDPO, AWS, by are observed for Karnataka and
Figure 7.1: State-wise percentage vacant posts of CDPOs / ACDPOs, 2014-15 and 2018-19
Pondicherry respectively. The number of beneficiary
per AWW and AWH are highest across Chandigarh. This
confirms the increased burden on the CDPOs and the
AW Supervisors for quality monitoring and review of the
ICDS services. Given such high burden it is likely that
a large number of the AWCs and beneficiary services
may not be adequately reviewed and monitored.
Figure 7.3: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AWWs, 2014-15 and 2018-19
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Figure 7.2: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AW Supervisors, 2014-15 and 2018-19 60EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Figure 7.4: State-wise percentage vacant posts of AWHs, 2014-15 and 2018-19
Figure 7.5: Number of operational AWCs per CDPO/ACDPO by States/UTs, 2018-19
Figure 7.6: Number of operational AWCs per AW supervisor by States/UTs, 2018-19
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 61EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Table 7.3: Number of beneficiaries per CDPO, AWS, AWW and AWH by State/UTs, 2018-19
States/UTsPer CDPO Per AWS Per AWW Per AWH
A & N Islands23934791717
Andhra Pradesh1135920135464
Arunachal Pradesh21798583434
Assam2323716455965
Bihar1940732977785
Chandigarh185933099124124
Chhattisgarh1449117515462
Dadra & N Haveli2288632697698
Daman & Diu660133016565
Delhi1081014255851
Goa614813535555
Gujarat1841922757579
Haryana993612764445
Himachal Pradesh93307472627
Jammu & Kashmir70977633232
Jharkhand2770334499299
Karnataka4703128287581
Kerala44798443434
LakshadweepNANA4348
Madhya Pradesh1765523678396
Maharashtra2483020366568
Manipur995611284043
Meghalaya12878285490114
Mizoram679221328285
Nagaland522019707979
Odisha1464818216575
Puducherry899171934242
Punjab59989323234
Rajasthan3280324986067
Sikkim23315832323
Tamil Nadu903928616572
Telangana1275218186265
Tripura1085617164141
Uttar Pradesh35190416092107
Uttarakhand900115734055
West Bengal2627346156872
All India 1771023596774
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 62EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
7.3. STATE-LEVEL OBSERVATIONS ON
ICDS FUNCTIONARIES
7.3.1. Andhra Pradesh
In Andhra Pradesh, the AWWs are trained when
recruited, and subsequently are provided with
occasional refresher trainings. More recently, the ILA
modules have been introduced: 22 modules are covered
with the field functionaries. Training is sometimes
impeded by the fact that AWWs are not formally
literate in select areas, and also that in tribal areas
the language spoken differs. More technical training is
needed (how to navigate the apps, how to download
apps again if they get deleted due to lack space etc.).
Too many apps are to be updated (CAS, NutriTask,
Egg Barcoding etc); often, the same data has to be
duplicated in multiple apps. Older AWWs and/or the
ones who are not formally literate find it difficult to
understand and operate smart phones; they have to
depend on someone from family/community to help
them every day with data entry. This could result in
exploitation by those who help with such tasks.
Field functionaries as well as administrative officials,
at the level of the block all the way up to the District
level, have to undertake responsibilities for other
departments (e.g. they act as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan
officers, Aadhaar Enrolment Officers, Panchayati
Special Officers during elections etc). At the District
level, APD and PD both have Full Additional Charge
(FAC) of more than one position/department. This
burdens them excessively and results in their time
and efforts being divided and none of the work being
given proper attention as they have to rush through
everything they do to make time for everything to be
covered. Department dynamics negatively affect the
PD’s involvement in ICDS-related issues; a full time
PD should be appointed instead of carrying on with
FAC system. In terms of communication up and down
the chain of command, the Commissioner has a Video
Conference with field functionaries once a week to
relay important instructions and convey feedback.
In tribal areas, the issue of language and lack of
formal literacy act as barriers for the AWWs to
properly absorbing the capacity building trainings
being delivered. There is severe shortage of staff in
sanctioned positions: no Block Project Assistants or
District Coordinators have been appointed in the state
which leads to the burden of data compilation and
report creation to land upon AWWs and SUPERVISORs.
Data Entry Operators are needed at project level. A
minimum educational requirement of Intermediate
level (12
th
standard) is suggested to avoid the issue
of discomfort with technology and digital reporting
among AWWs. Frequent one-to-one training for all
cadres is deemed necessary by district level officials.
More feedback sessions are also suggested. Due to the
extreme heat in the region, it is strongly suggested by
AWWs that AWCs remain closed for the summer for the
well-being of the children and the AWW/AWH.
Not only are AWW salaries are delayed by months, the
service provider at the Giri Poshan Kendra Pakaluru
(satellite feeding station) has not been paid any
honorarium for more than 5 months (since she started
work), even though she teaches the children there
and also uses her personal utensils and firewood to
cook for the children. No compensation is provided
for these resources either.
7.3.2. Assam
There is a shortage of staff in the block level,
supervisors as well as CDPOs. There are 77 vacant
CDPO posts, for which the reason listed by the state
officials was that “a lot of scams happened. Almost
18 CDPOs have been working as contractual CDPOs
earning a salary which is less than 50 percent that of
a regular CDPO. Moreover, they reported a delay of 36
months in receiving their salary. They had informed
the State through several letters, but had not
received any response till the date of the interview.
Despite this, they had to travel to the sites (AWCs)
for monitoring and perform their work by spending
money out of their pockets (“which do not seem to
get filled”, as one of the respondents put it).
The frustration was observed during the interviews,
while they also reported the mental stress; they face
for their work without pay. The state level officials
reported that the delay in the recruitment process
is because it is being conducted by the Assam Public
Service Commission (which is another department
reported to have had several scams) and that “it takes
time”. The State on the other hand acknowledged that
it was difficult for them to motivate those working
on a contractual basis. Even at the grass root level,
there were several reports of AWWs who were working
beyond their retirement age (who would send in
their daughters-in-law to work). This creates several
problems in the training processes as well as proper
monitoring.
Travelling to the AWWs in rural and remote areas in
Assam was found to be problematic by the Supervisors
as this raised concerns related to their safety. They
had to take lifts/hitch rides with strangers (mostly
men) while returning from field during several
late evenings. They suggested that a vehicular
arrangement, especially for the Supervisors, would
help them in proper monitoring. 63EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
There is no digitalization of data happening in the
blocks or the districts. The district officials failed
to provide proper MPR reports for the last 2 years.
They have reported that the only digitalization that
took place was at the state level. There was a lack of
officials to do data entry or officials in the districts;
as a result, proper monitoring of the districts failed.
7.3.3. Bihar
The ICDS monitoring unit has been divided into 4 levels:
First, Anganwadi Vikas Samiti which consists of the
AWW Member Secretary, Ward Member, Beneficiaries
(the mothers who are literate; out of whom one is
Adhyaksh). Second is the AWC Supervisor; the third
level is CDPO, and the fourth one is DPO. DPO/CDPOs
are mostly engaged in work for other departments: 50%
of work they engage in is the law and order duty, and
meetings with different departments. They do not get
time to do their own work. AWWs are mostly engaged
in managing the registers for THR, immunization,
pregnancy, Bachpan Diwas, home visits to lactating
pregnant sabala, mahila mandal, God Bharai Program,
Annaprashan Diwas, Kanya Utthan Yojana, counseling,
and PMMVY. Apart from this, they are also engaged
in BLO duty, examination duty, health and education
surveys, census, polio campaign etc. This leaves them
little time to do their own work. Also, their salaries
do not compensate them for this scope of work. Due
to staff shortage, some of the Anganwadi Centers
function without AWWs. AWHs run these centers
alone, due to which the services provided are being
affected. The recruitment of AWWs is in the process
but, due to local political reasons the recruitment
process is delayed (case in point: Muzaffarpur). Just
one (or sometimes none) Data Entry Operator for the
district means that it is quite difficult to manage the
daily updating of records at the district and block
level; this affects the data quality and management.
“Angan App” (Real Time Monitoring) is equipped with
the functions of GPS and different functions. Supervisor
and CDPOs enter information during their AWC visits
(about attendance, food prepared or not, pictures of
the children, GPS location codes, beneficiary details
updated or not etc.) The app works offline as well,
which helps if there are network issues which do
affect the monitoring process. Discrepancies are
found in manually entered data in registers in AWCs,
and if the Supervisors and CDPOs do not regularly visit
the AWCs, the digital recordkeeping is also not done
properly by the AWWs. The same pattern of training is
often followed during the ECCE training sessions with
AWWs. Due to this, AWWs do not learn new things and
it diminishes their skills. Also, the trainings are not
organized at regular intervals. TOT training provided
to the CDPOs but they are much too busy in their
schedule to be able to train the Supervisors and AWWs
in turn. This creates a gap in knowledge.
To help decrease stunting rates, an incentive of
rupees 500 is given to the AWWs for first 6 months (of
an underweight beneficiary’s birth) to ensure the SAM
child comes under the normal category. If the AWW
maintains the growth of that child, an additional 500
rupees are given to the worker at the end of the year.
At the end of two years, 1000 rupees will be given to
the worker. So, the overall incentive provided to the
AWWs is rupees 2000 for each of the SAM children in
their care.
It has been reported that buildings and rooms are
rented out at great cost for the centre, but the
AWCs do not run for the whole day; instead, some
of these funds can be diverted towards increasing
the human resource and services of the ICDS for
better utilization. Suggestions have also been made
to change the selection procedure or criteria of the
AWWs and AWHs through conducting exam in which
their technical competency can be tested: presently,
the selection of AWW and AWH is done during Gram
Sabha meetings where local leaders and strongmen
influence the decisions made. Local conflicts and
court cases filed against factions delay the selection
further. No internal exams are conducted to promote
the CDPOs and DPOs either. They are in the same
rank for extended periods of time, which demotivates
them. Shortage of staff like Data Entry Operators,
Assistant CDPOs etc. also exists, which creates extra
burden on them.
7.3.4. Chhattisgarh
In Rajnandgaon, basic training for ECCE was given
to AWWs under “Sanskar Abhiyaan”. AWWs were
told about the importance of physical and mental
development in early childhood. They were also
taught the concept of “Learning through Play” and
were given training on its techniques. No issues have
been reported so far in this. The only problem reported
was regarding the materials given for children during
the training. The material is not proportionate to the
strength of children enrolled at AWC.
AWWs in Raipur have received basic training initially
and refresher training after every two years. They
have also received training under the Polio Eradication
Program. The only issue pertaining to training reported
by AWWs was that they were not provided with the
travelling allowance (TA). They have to a pay for their
transportation. Anganwadi workers reported that 64EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
they already have a very low salary and paying for
the transportation is an additional burden on them.
At one AWC in Ambikapur, due to the unavailability of
AWH the overall services were affected as the AWW
was not able to manage everything alone.
Overall, there is shortage of human resources.
Supervisors are being burdened with lot of work as
they have to monitor large number of centres. At
the AWW level, they have to carry out data entry
and maintain around 12 different registers for
beneficiaries’ records. This data entry/maintenance
process takes a lot of time and sometimes leads to a lot
of errors. The respondents suggest that the selection
procedure of AWWs and AWHs should be changed; it
should be done through conducting examinations
where their technical competency can be tested. No
internal examinations were conducted by the WCD,
Chhattisgarh to promote the CDPOs and DPOs. For a
long time now, they have been serving in the same
rank which affects their motivation levels.
As in Raipur district, CAS should be rolled out in other
districts as well to help reduce the burden on AWWs
and will bring efficiency in the monitoring process at
each level.
7.3.5. Delhi
The functioning of AWCs gets disrupted due to
biannual surveys. The AWWs are supposed to conduct
these surveys along with other responsibilities like
ECCE, THR distribution and home-visits. Thus, twice a
year, almost for a month ECCE delivery schedule gets
disturbed. Induction training has not been provided
to some Supervisors. However, other trainings like
NIPSIT, breast feeding, and trainings for 6 out of 21
dashboards have been provided.
At some places, an official WhatsApp group has been
formed where everyone including the AWWS shares
their live location everyday around 9:00-9:30 am.
All the locations are then forwarded to the senior
authorities. The Supervisors visit at least one center
every day for evaluating every process associated with
children and women, food and medicines. Registers
are maintained for all records. With some AWWs,
instructions need to be repeated multiple times
and individual focus is required. Shortage of staff is
definitely an issue, as every ICDS officer is managing
more than one project.
A sense of dissatisfaction has been observed in ICDS
staff. The contractual staff does not get any travelling
allowance. Sometimes, AWWs complain about the
difference in payment within the same program.
For instance, ASHAs get Rs. 2 out of the Rs. 6 for
distributing sanitary napkins under UDAAN scheme,
which is not the case for AWWs.
7.3.6. Gujarat
The AWW is treated as a universal program resource
for a number of government programs; the AWW
also has to take on role of ASHA and ANM (where
positions are vacant) in urban areas. This increases
her burden and thus gives her less time to focus on
her primary responsibility as AWW. There is a need for
higher level entry qualification to deal with multiple
responsibilities including paper work, online reporting
which is currently inadequate.
Poor connectivity in tribal areas leads to frustration
because of inability to communicate with AWWs and
CDPOs. The lack of skilled personnel for operating
online data entry results in delays in data flow and
information.
At CDPO and district level, functionaries reported
limited training for operating bureaucratic channels of
communication, knowledge of how to communicate,
regarding documentation and paper work. This not
only prolongs many processes, but also makes the
mid-level functionaries less effective as they cannot
provide good quality feedback into the program.
7.3.7. Rajasthan
In Udaipur district, ICDS workers have received
multiple trainings since they joined this program
and no issue has been reported in trainings so far.
However, no training has been conducted on record
maintenance in Jaisalmer district; training on ECCE
has been conducted in a few blocks only.
The monthly pay of AWW is approved by village
sarpanch in Jaisalmer district. Due to this, workers
are always pressurized for non-ICDS work. According
to respondents, in Jaisalmer the selection of AWWs
was done without any examination. The Panchayat
members of the village have a lot of control and
influence on AWWs to serve their own means.
The field level monitoring is done by the Supervisors in
Udaipur district. Overall, there is a shortage of human
resource in the district, so large numbers of AWCs are
supervised by a very small cadre of supervisors. There
are only 3 supervisors in the Jaisalmer district and
11 positions are still vacant. Due to this, no proper
monitoring was happening in the district and ICDS
services were not properly operational. It is very
difficult for a single supervisor to cover 50-60 AWCs
and the monitoring process become less effective.
There was no regular monitoring of AWCs reported 65EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
in the Jaisalmer district. The officials at district
level have reported about the funds limitations and
shortage of vehicles. Distance is another deterrent
factor in regular monitoring of AWCs.
Overall monitoring is done through “Rajdhara” mobile
app to track location and live data.
A lack of measurable targets at DPO and CDPOs level
was reported by the respondents. A need to fill the
vacant positions and making performance-based
incentives available to AWWs was suggested by the
functionaries.
7.3.8. Uttarakhand
Udham Singh Nagar district has one DPO, and 7 out of
10 sanctioned CDPO posts are filled at present. 77 out
of 85 sanctioned AWS posts are occupied right now.
The DPO, CDPO and Supervisors visit AWCs regularly
and check the assessment registers maintained
by the AWWs there. Records of beneficiaries’
information like pregnant women ANC check-ups,
Poshahar distribution, growth monitoring records are
maintained at the AWC. They also check the quality of
hot cooked meal given to children on a regular basis.
Supervisors reported visiting at least 2-3 AWCs in a
day.
The AWH / AWW / Supervisor / CDPO / DPO / State-level
officers have received training regarding ICDS services
delivery according to their roles in the ICDS program.
Most of them received induction training when they
joined posts. AWWs/AWHs do not get refresher training
in ECCE training and ICDS service delivery; they have
not received growth monitoring training either.
The AWWs report that their workload has now
increased. Earlier it was limited to providing children
and pregnant women with food and checking whether
they consumed it. It has now expanded to activities
beyond the boundaries of the AWC. But this has also
led to a vast network and connections; whenever a
new birth occurs in the area, the very first thing the
family does is getting their child registered with an
AWC. Pregnant ladies and adolescent girls, without
any hesitation or second thoughts, visit the AWWs in
the first place.
7.3.9. Uttar Pradesh
Bahraich is making its program functionaries more
effective by training (DPO, CDPO, AWS, and AWWs) to
plan and execute their tasks correctly and consistently
through the methodological, ongoing capacity building
approach of ILA. District level training for the DRG has
been covered 1 to 7 modules out of 21 modules of ILA.
Likewise, at the block level ILA training given 1 to 7
modules of ILA to block resource group, in which there
was 149 Block Resource Group (BRG) staff present and
rest of the BRG staff to be trained. While at sector
level, the group only covered 1 to 6 modules out of
21 modules of ILA training in 119 sectors in May 2019.
Similarly, 2895 functionaries have been trained the
first 7 modules of ILA out of the total 21 July 2019,
and rest of the functionaries will be trained in next
month of the year.
Bahraich has one DPO, one Statistical Officer, one
Administrative officer and 15 CDPOs. 96 out of 103
posts for Mukhya Sevika are occupied in the district,
while 1 post for Pradhan Sahayak and Kanishk Sahayak
is vacant. 199 of 3094 sanctioned AWWs posts are
vacant. 2394 out of 2619 AWHs posts sanctioned
are currently occupied. A total of 431 posts in ICDS
department are vacant in Bahraich.
In Barabanki, district level training conducted by the
DRG has covered all modules of the ILA. Similarly, at
the block level also all modules have been completed,
for which 73-76 percent of the BRG was present. At
sector level, AWWs participation was more than 99
percent in ILA modules training; one of the AWWs
informed the team that she had attended various
training sessions and had received 20 -23 days training
in the last financial year.
Barabanki has one DPO, One Statistical Officer and
one Administrative officer, and 12 CDPOs out of 16
sanctioned posts. 93 out of 112 posts of Mukhya Sevika
are occupied, while 12 of the 17-post sanctioned for
Pradhan Sahayak and Kanishk Sahayak are occupied.
2653 out of 2799 AWWs sanctioned posts are currently
occupied and 17 Mini AWWs posts are vacant. Similarly,
for the fourth-grade posts as AWHs, 2575 posts are
occupied out of 2799 AWHs posts sanctioned. All 7
posts for drivers are vacant. A total 439 posts are
vacant in the ICDS department in Barabanki.
The DPOs, CDPO and Supervisors in both districts
regularly visit AWCs and check the assessment
registers in which AWWs record the beneficiaries’
information like ANC check-ups for pregnant women,
SNP distribution, and growth monitoring records.
They check the quality of hot cooked meal provided
to children on a regular basis. Supervisors reported
visiting at least 2-3 AWCs in a day. The CDPOs and DPOs
have not been promoted for a long time and their pay
scales are not proportionate to their experience and
workload. The AWWs promoted to Supervisors are not
skilled enough for this role. A departmental exam for
these promotions might be a good option. AWWs also
reported that they have to work on tasks for other 66EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
departments, which affects the ICDS services delivery.
AWWs think that they work hard for ICDS, but do not
get sufficient wages for the same.
7.4. SUMMARY OF KEY HR ISSUES
Sanctioned positions need to be filled at the earliest,
especially BPAs/DCs/DEOs and CDPOs.
ILA approach leads to leakage of knowledge when
transferred down the functionary hierarchy. Recruits
need to have the skill set required for an increasingly
digital job profile: to ensure this, a qualifying test
and/or intensive digital training needs to be given
before they join the ICDS. Administrative-level posts
like CDPOs and Supervisors should be regularised,
since regularization promises institutional memory
and knowledge about the functioning of the system,
as opposed to contractual hiring. This will bring
some much-needed stability to the ICDS middle
management. Recruitment of CDPOs and Supervisors
should also be conducted annually or once in two
years, through official examinations conducted by
State Universities or the Secondary School Education
Board, instead of through PSCs. This will save the
delays in recruitments which are common currently,
and will make sure that functionaries are not denied
promotions by virtue of them not having been selected
through the PSCs.
The Supervisor position needs strengthening,
expansion and capacity development. Offices should
be provided to them, and a clearer job chart will help
demarcate their scope of work. We suggest that a new
contractual post be instituted in the ICDS system: that
of a Child Development Program Assistant (CDPA).
The CDPA would be more mobile and dynamic in
the field compared to the CDPO, who is more static
given their reporting and management duties. The
CDPA will be the CDPO’s helping hand, with almost
similar responsibilities as the latter, and would be
well equipped with the skills of a statistical officer;
this will help in data-driven monitoring at the project
level.
There is much heterogeneity in AWWs’ skills
and trainings. There is a need for standardizing
recruitment norms as well as conducting induction
trainings. A better form of training needs to be
devised. Too many training sessions hinder the AWC’s
daily functioning since the AWW has to be away for
the duration of the training. Trainings can be clubbed
together so that fewer days are lost. Direct trainings
need to be provided to the Supervisors and AWWs in
order to reduce their dependency on the CDPOs. The
training program should be modified to provide regular
technical training to AWWs; this is important since
more and more of the reporting and recordkeeping
happens online now. AWWs skills in this regard come
across as poor. Most of them have only studied up
till matriculation and some of them are unable to
acquaint themselves with technology quickly.
Feedback and complaints from the field functionaries
(AWWs, Supervisors), though raised in front of the PD
and district officials (as observed in a review meeting
in Andhra Pradesh, for example), are dismissed
immediately as non-issues. The advice given is along
the lines of achieving targets and deliverables or “if
you want to save your jobs”. This is a very detrimental
approach to treating human resource and is harmful to
the health of the ICDS structure itself. Functionaries
need to be heard and their problems need to be
treated as seriously as the targets that have been set
by the government.
AWWs/AWHs honorarium should also be taken
into consideration: it should at least be raised to
a minimum subsistence level. We recommend an
increase of honoraria of AWWs every 5 years on the
basis of an assessment potentially based on reporting,
management of registers etc. (AP and Assam have
some such schemes for assessment which can be
modified and replicated). We also recommend regular
annual refresher training sessions for the AWWs, after
which the outcome can be measured through an
assessment: which in turn can contribute towards the
overall assessment framework used for deciding their
increase of honoraria (every 5 years). Some portions
of AWWs’ monthly honoraria should also be linked to
a Provident Fund for increased economic security.
This can actually make the position of the AWW more
lucrative to educated, dynamic young people who are
currently deterred from joining the ICDS due to the
meagre payment and lack of pension.
Introduction of a pension scheme might also help
reduce the number of such aged AWWs, a proposal has
been already made about a fixed pay after retirement;
proper policy guidelines regarding recruitment of
full time ICDS functionaries, preferably without the
involvement of PSCs.
Reducing the number of apps and data duplication will
save time and effort. Technical inputs and counseling
in ECCE is an urgent need. Needs assessment in both
these areas is an important issue to be tackled at the
earliest. There is also a need to improve the ILA, as
well as to update the training centers. 67EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
There is irregularity in promotions; functionaries are
promoted to AWS/CDPO posts without them having the
required skill set; there is also no formal procedure
and guidelines for promotions in the ICDS system. This
needs to be rectified as a priority. Digital validation
and referencing of AWW/AWH/AWC is needed to ensure
better data accuracy. While time bound promotion
could be explored; performance parameters need to
be aligned with the program for this to be executed.
Career trajectories should be considered. Old AWWs
working in Assam have been protesting against the
retirement age. Pension scheme is to be introduced,
but other benefits should also be considered for
the field functionaries. Performance grant is an
appreciated idea among the respondents; it can be
linked to AWC/Project indicators. Incentives can be
given to ASHAs/AWWs for referrals and compliance with
NRC admissions; CAS uptake motivation and incentives
need to align with the aspirations of the AWWs.
7.5. AWC INFRASTRUCTURE
Availability of drinking water facility and toilet facility
is a basic requirement of the AWCs. Figure 7.7 and 7.8
present the status of drinking water facility and toilet
facility across operational AWCs of various States/UTs
for the year 2018-19. At the all-India level, 86% and 69%
of operational AWCs report of having drinking water
facility and toilet facility, respectively. Availability of
drinking water facility is the lowest across Manipur
(21%), Arunachal Pradesh (29%) and Karnataka (54%).
Eight States/UTs, including Uttar Pradesh, report
100% coverage of drinking water facility. Across 11
States/UTs the availability varies from 50% to 80%.
Availability of toilet facility at AWCs is much neglected
aspect across States/UTs. In Manipur, only 27% of the
operational AWCs report of having a toilet facility.
19 States/UTs have less than 80% coverage of toilet
Figure 7.7: Percentage operational AWCs with drinking water facilities by States/UTs, 2018-19
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data
Figure 7.8: Percentage operational AWCs with toilet facilities by States/UTs, 2018-19 68EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
facility. Table S4 (Annexure 2) provides information
on changes in coverage of drinking water facility and
toilet facility between 2015-16 and 2018-19. At the
all-India level, there is a 20-percentage point and 16
percentage point increase in availability of drinking
water facility and toilet facility across operational
AWCs, respectively. Bihar reports highest change of
70 percentage point in provisioning of drinking water
facility at AWCs (from 20.5% in 2015-16 to 90.9% in 2018-
19). Telangana also registers remarkable increment
from 40% in 2015-16 to almost cent percent coverage
of drinking water facility in 2018-19. Chhattisgarh and
Uttarakhand also report considerable improvement
but still more than one-fourth of the operational AWCs
in these States lack drinking water facility. Nagaland,
Manipur, Odisha, Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh and
Meghalaya report negative change in drinking water
availability. Besides, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh
and Puducherry report lack of coverage expansion of
drinking water facility across AWCs between these
years. Change in toilet facility coverage needs further
attention even among States with highest progress
such as Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and
West Bengal (over 30 percentage point increase since
2015-16).
Table 7.4 shows the distribution of AWCs (with required
data) by type of building or place for functioning. In
2018-19, 43.5% of the AWCs were functioning from
government building, 26.6% from rented spaces, 17.8%
from school, 5.3% from Gram Panchayats whereas
remaining 6.8% were functioning in other community
areas including open space. Between 2015-16 and
2018-19, there is a gradual increase in the share of
AWCs with own government buildings. However, there
is a small reduction in the use of school premises for
AWCs. The proportion of AWCs operating in Kutcha
structures have reduced from 19.3% to 10.9%. Most of
these Kutcha structures are in rented AWCs. Table 7.5
reports the state-wise distribution of AWCs by type of
building or structure used for operations in 2018-19.
Over 90% of the AWCs in Arunachal Pradesh (mostly
Kutcha structures), Mizoram and Tripura are operating
from government buildings. In Jammu and Kashmir
and Delhi most of the AWCs are operating from rented
structures. In Uttar Pradesh about 60% of the AWCs
are operating in school premises. In Odisha, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Telangana, and Uttarakhand over 25% to
30% AWCS are functioning from schools. In Haryana
and Punjab about 20% to 25% AWCs are located within
GP building premises. In Meghalaya and Maharashtra,
7.9% and 3.6% of the AWCs, respectively, operate in
open community spaces.
Type of Building/Place for AWC (in %)2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19
Government Building
Kutcha 0.0 0.2 0.2 1.8
Pucca 30.8 34.2 35.7 41.6
Rented (at AWW/AWH House)
Kutcha 2.0 2.4 2.3 1.9
Pucca 4.9 2.3 2.3 3.3
Rented (at Others House)
Kutcha 13.2 13.6 5.1 6.0
Pucca 13.2 11.2 16.4 15.4
Community Space (School)
Kutcha 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.6
Pucca 20.7 21.1 21.7 17.2
Community Space (Gram Panchayat)
Kutcha 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.2
Pucca 4.8 5.1 5.3 5.1
Community Space (Other)
Kutcha 2.7 2.8 2.8 0.4
Pucca 6.2 5.3 6.4 6.1
Community Space (Open Space)
Kutcha 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.0
Pucca 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3
All AWCs (with data)
%100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
N1245642 1256090 1268822 1335524
Table 7.4: Type of building or place for AWCs, India 2015-16 to 2018-19
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 69EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Table 7.5: State-wise distribution of building or place for AWCs, 2018-19
States/UTs Government BuildingRented House School Gram Panchayat Others
Andhra Pradesh33.548.0 9.5 2.9 6.2
Arunachal Pradesh 93.26.1 0.5 0.3 0.0
Assam63.718.9 17.4 0.0 0.0
Bihar26.261.3 4.0 8.5 0.0
Chhattisgarh66.926.1 2.5 1.8 2.7
Goa11.259.6 23.0 2.0 4.3
Gujarat78.814.1 1.1 0.7 5.3
Haryana41.225.5 9.2 24.2 0.0
Himachal Pradesh 10.749.6 16.5 1.9 21.3
Jammu & Kashmir2.696.4 0.9 0.1 0.1
Jharkhand56.436.4 3.3 1.6 2.3
Karnataka60.017.0 6.8 2.3 14.0
Kerala68.925.0 1.3 2.3 2.5
Madhya Pradesh71.827.3 0.3 0.1 0.5
Maharashtra53.118.6 15.2 0.0 13.1
Manipur39.328.3 5.1 12.1 15.2
Meghalaya44.63.4 25.0 19.1 7.9
Mizoram98.71.3 0.0 0.0 0.0
Nagaland75.719.3 0.0 0.0 5.0
Odisha24.721.8 25.8 10.2 17.5
Punjab5.212.0 28.5 21.9 32.4
Rajasthan42.017.1 30.3 6.4 4.2
Sikkim72.318.2 1.0 0.9 7.6
Tamil Nadu79.113.5 2.3 2.8 2.3
Telangana29.135.6 26.9 0.9 7.5
Tripura94.32.9 0.0 0.0 2.7
Uttar Pradesh15.212.2 60.4 12.2 0.0
Uttarakhand13.737.9 26.1 13.3 9.0
West Bengal47.017.5 12.3 2.6 20.6
A & N Islands23.631.7 1.1 32.7 10.8
Chandigarh29.862.2 0.2 4.2 3.6
Delhi0.499.4 0.0 0.1 0.2
Dadra & N Haveli 51.348.0 0.7 0.0 0.0
Daman & Diu74.516.7 0.0 3.9 4.9
Lakshadweep25.274.8 0.0 0.0 0.0
Puducherry43.252.0 0.4 3.6 0.8
All India43.526.6 17.8 5.3 6.8
Source: MoWCD ICDS Data 70EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
7.6. ICDS INFRASTRUCTURE
Infrastructure is important for the AWCs and the ICDS
system overall to function. This includes both, physical
infrastructure like buildings, electricity, water,
storage, supplies etc., as well as digital infrastructure
like CAS, state-wise apps for growth monitoring, data
and voice network/connectivity, and technical know-
how. The following section discusses findings with
respect to these aspects of the ICDS.
7.6.1. AWC Infrastructure and Basic
Facilities
At the all-India level, 86% and 69% of operational AWCs
report of having drinking water facility and toilet
facility, respectively. No systematic data is available
on electricity connections. Besides, there is no policy
provision for ensuring electricity supply at all AWCs. In
Rajasthan, for instance, none of the AWCs operating in
own building have electricity connection. One in every
ten AWC is operating in a Kutcha structure whereas
every fourth AWC operates in a rented building.
Gram Panchayat: Recognition of link between
AWCs and PRIs is weak at the higher levels of
ICDS administration. Currently the linkages with
MGNREGA Work Plan are weak as a consequence the
developmental funds available with the GPs that can
facilitate the functioning of AWCs do not get used
appropriately.
AWC Requirements: It is common to observe that
the toilets are located outside the AWCs. Also, there
are a number of requirements related to availability
of running water inside the AWC, fences around the
AWC premises, more (and better toys) for children,
uniforms for children and AWW and AWH training
centers at taluka level.
7.6.2. Urban AWCs
AWC Clusters and economies of scale: since there is
often no space available in certain neighbourhoods for
the AWC, clustering is done wherever space is found.
However, this increases distance for beneficiaries.
Economic cost to the beneficiaries is increased because
of this clustering and having to pay for transport to be
able to access to it. Poor rental norms and abysmal
conditions of AWCs in urban slums result in sub-par
conditions for AWCs to function in often cramped and
improperly ventilated.
Office space of Supervisors/CDPOs: Proper office
space is needed for these functionaries; no vehicle
is available to them even when they have 2-3 blocks
under them, which are often far-flung. They then
have to hitchhike and this gives rise to monitoring and
safety issues in remote areas and states like Assam.
Training infrastructure for AWWs: Training often
happens out-of-state, which leads to a lack of proper
monitoring and quality control. Distance is an issue
for the functionaries to travel for these trainings.
Such training locations that are out of state have
implications for women workers who are burdened by
gendered responsibilities on the home front, and lack
the ability to negotiate new spaces and mechanisms
of reaching there.
Urban Conundrum: The ICDS suffers from lack of
administrative and logistics structures in urban areas
for AWCs. The lack of identified space for functioning
of AWCs is due to lack of regulatory mechanisms on
where and how to set it up in urban areas. Inability
therefore to identify persons responsible for this is
a major concern although to some extent Urban
Local Bodies do facilitate but specific regulations are
needed to overcome this weakness of ICDS in urban
areas. Although, some urban areas have experimented
with Community Hub models for AWCs in Urban areas
but these requires guidelines for practices/provisions.
The Community Hub models can undermine the
distance norms but have other benefits. There
is considerable migration among poor parents in
urban areas. In relatively poor localities in urban
settings parents are constantly mobile and there is
no motivation for sending the kids to the AWCs. This
also leads to less attendance for AWCs. There are
even greater existential threats to AWCs from private
nursery school operators in urban areas. Parental
aspirations in urban areas match with social positioning
in private nurseries. AWCs have to position themselves
in that market. There is the perception among the
beneficiaries that AWWs are not as qualified and
knowledgeable as the private teachers and are not
qualified to educate their children. As a consequence,
there is desired social mobility, obtained by sending
children to private nurseries.
7.6.3. Rural AWCs
There is poor provisioning of basic facilities like
water, electricity, toilets, play yard, access roads.
Flood prone areas, seismic zones, temperature, hilly
and remote areas (like Dalaivalasa in Andhra Pradesh)
become harder to access and deliver services in.
In terms of digital infrastructure and internet
connectivity, poor connectivity in rural areas also
deters many other reporting requirements. 71EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
E-governance for program data and financial flows is
seen in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for example, where
the CAS Dashboard enables everything to be digitally
monitored; especially areas like funding.
Funding challenges also arise, like lack of funding for
AWCs, and issues with other departments over land
and construction of AWCs (like in Gujarat). Inter-
departmental squabbles exacerbate issues.
ICDS should seek greater convergence and collaboration
with the Gram Panchayats in rural areas to facilitate
AWC related construction and maintenance activities
on a regular basis. For instance, the convergence
efforts at this level in rural areas warrants a
minimum resource commitment toward social
sector expenditure related to AWCs under the Gram
Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP). The procedures
(technical and financial) to facilitate convergence
should be streamlined to recognize a) convergence
in terms of different type of work contributions for
a particular activity and b) financial pooling across
funding source to facilitate completion of a particular
activity.
7.6.4. Tribal AWCs
Accessibility is a big issue in tribal areas, with hilltops
and other hindrances making it difficult to travel to
and from the AWCs. Supervisors are unable to pay
visits to far-flung areas since they have no transport
of their own and also have concerns over their safety
in such remote areas.
Infrastructure is often in shambles, with the salaries of
contractual employees remaining unpaid for months.
Often times, these employees have no way to raise
complaints or provide feedback to the district/state
administration.
Language, cultural beliefs and customs differ, which
may affect the uptake of services in the area (like in
Andhra Pradesh, where the tribal population did not
think of a high IMR as a cause for concern). Mobilizing
community is difficult in such cases. AWWs are often
not formally literate in these areas, which makes it
harder to teach them how to operate smart phones.
7.6.5. AWCs in 6th Schedule Areas
As per Article 244 of the Constitution of India, the 6
th
Schedule deals with the administration of the tribal
areas in the four north-eastern states of Assam,
Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Autonomous
District Councils (ADCs) under the Sixth Schedule
have authority over various legislative subjects
and are entitled to receive grants-in-aid from the
Consolidated Fund of India to meet development
expenditure on education, health care, education,
roads etc. The autonomy is expected to offer
greater opportunity for economic development and
ethnic well-being. However, they lack financial
autonomy as these ADCs significantly depend on
state governments for developmental funds and for
decisions regarding undertaking of developmental
activities. In Assam, we observed autonomy issues
hinder ICDS functioning and implementation in the
area. One way to alleviate this issue would be to
merge the ICDS department with Governor’s office
in order to ease the flow of funds and streamline
process.
7.6.6. Ecological Aspects of
Infrastructure
Regional variations like issues with storage space,
areas or AWCs being prone to animal infestations can
have an adverse effect on the implementation of the
scheme. Hilly areas, flood prone areas have their own
set of issues like accessibility, natural disasters and
safety concerns for the beneficiaries as well as the
field functionaries.
It is important that the ICDS budgeting for AWC
construction should be sensitive to regional variations –
storage/animal infestations, hilly areas, flood prone
areas, child friendly houses. It should take into account
ecological aspects (earthquake proof construction)
and climatic conditions (extreme winters etc) to
develop model design (Room + Kitchen + Toilet +
Playing Area). Meanwhile, the rental norms should
be informed based on local conditions and desired
quality of infrastructure.
7.6.7. ICDS CAS
CAS has been rolled out in many states in conjunction
with other state-based apps (like ‘NutriTask’ and
‘Rajdhara’). However, some problems continue to
plague this software rollout. AWWs often have trouble
using smart phones and/or navigating the apps; poor
network connectivity in tribal/remote areas makes
uploading data very difficult. Troubleshooting is
a big problem due to lack of technical know-how:
e.g. app gets deleted accidentally, or the phone
malfunctions. Added to this, sometimes AWWs’ family
members use up their mobile data packs on personal
use, leaving no data for actual work. AWWs who are
not formally literate cannot operate the phone/app
and depend on someone from their village to help 72EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
them upload and sync data, which leads to delays/
no-shows on the app. This accrues memos in their
names, even though they are doing their task of
growth monitoring and recording on time. The need
of the hour is to develop apps with critical inputs
from the field functionaries themselves, so that the
technology actually aids them in carrying out their
tasks—instead of them being subservient to the app
or smart phone because they have been kept out of
the design and brainstorming process.
CAS uptake should be motivated and incentivized as
the trainings and refreshers vary in intensity. Also,
AWWs who are less comfortable with mobile phones
pick up the application on their owAndhra Pradesh
has implemented CAS. Here it was noted that older
and illiterate AWWs have difficulty in operating
the app. This leads to incomplete records and thus
penalization of the AWW despite having carried out
growth monitoring. Some of the AWWs also complain
about the pace of training. On the other hand, there
is a tendency for complacency due to reliance on
apps. Also, there should be more frequent training
for the AWWs as things are new and forgettable.
These issues call for strengthening or establishing
District Training Centres with adequate staff for
regular training and capacity building of various ICDS
functionaries. Also, the trainings should be Projector
LCD based. The trainings should be followed up with
digital connectivity across areas.
While a lot of monitoring and supervision is done
digitally, network issues hinder smooth, real-time
reporting. With a shift toward digital reporting ICDS-
CAS, availability of electricity is a basic requirement
for the AWCs. However, poor connectivity in tribal
areas leads to frustration because of inability
to communicate with AWWs and CDPOs. As a
consequence, even though online uploading of
information and photos are a welcome move but it
is difficult to achieve because of IT issues. Limited
training for operating bureaucratic channels of
communication, knowledge of how to communicate
and documentation as well as paper work can lead
to poor quality feedback from mid-level officials into
the program. This calls for improved governance at
Project level. In particular, the AWC Supervisors needs
strengthening, expansion and capacity development.
In some cases (such as in Assam), there is limitation
of understanding the relationships among the AWW,
supervisors and the CDPOs, the AWWs at times
prefer to call the CDPOs for help rather than their
supervisors.
7.7. STATE-LEVEL OBSERVATIONS ON
ICDS INFRASTRUCTURE
7.7.1. Andhra Pradesh
With respect to physical infrastructure, in 2017-2019,
10,000 buildings for AWCs were reportedly built in
partnership with MGNREGA; incomplete buildings
were also sought to be completed. If the PRI has space
available, it provides rent-free buildings to the ICDS
for AWCs. A pilot program under APRIGP is testing out
beautification of AWCs in 12 mandals. No separate
toilets for girls exist in the AWCs. Hilltop and tribal
areas have accessibility issues; Supervisors find it
tough to reach, often having to make the journey on
foot. In urban areas, Urban Merging Centres have been
created as a response to the beneficiaries’ aspirations
of sending their children to convent schools and
private nurseries.
The transportation of the THR supply from the PDS
shop to the AWC is to be paid for by the AWC and is
often times expensive for her. Reimbursements, if at
all made, are severely delayed.
NutriTask app has issues with interface, uploading
etc. Apps often get deleted from the AWWs phones
and they have to go down to the Sector office to get
them restored.
CAS has been rolled out in entire state. However,
CAS smart phones tend to get damaged quickly, and
no replacement is made by the government. Hence,
AWWs have to buy new phones from their personal
funds. Laptops have been promised to the CDPOs and
Supervisors, but they are yet to receive the same.
District officials have also encouraged AWWs to take
the help of relatives and young community members
to upload the data on CAS and NutriTask. However,
this does not address the issue of capacity building in
AWWs, and increases their dependence on others for
a vital growth monitoring process.
Network connectivity is a huge issue, especially in
tribal/hilltop areas. Faster network operators are
needed, instead of BSNL which is the only choice
currently. At a review meeting the district officials
responded to this complaint by field functionaries
by dismissing it as a non-issue, adding “data can be
uploaded offline and synced later”. But this is not a
proper solution since this means the AWW has to travel
every day to the place where she does get network
(often many kilometres away). 73EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
7.7.2. Assam
The infrastructure of many of the sampled urban AWCs
visited was extremely poor. The AWWs failed to get
a proper rented place in the urban areas: the reason
stated was the irregularity in receiving the rent grant
from the government. The local people did not prefer
renting out their compounds to the AWC as there is no
guarantee/security of being paid rent. As a result, the
AWCs rely on temple spaces and verandas of benevolent
localities to conduct their AWC activities temporarily. It
was also reported by the state officials that the funds
only cover the construction of AWCs but there were no
specific funds for the maintenance of the AWCs.
Most of the tribal AWCs which were prone to floods and
rains remained in poorer conditions despite several
notices to the higher authorities of the system. They
then receive support from the tribal community
members in terms of shelter and food.
The weighing machines received from the State
government were not well-functioning and did not
give accurate measurements. “The entire goal of ICDS
fails when you fail to record their accurate weight and
height”, as pointed out by one of the respondents.
7.7.3. Bihar
There are no proper offices for DPO & CDPOs; almost
half of the AWCs run in school buildings & community
halls where basic amenities like toilets and drinking
water facilities are not available. No meeting halls
are available either, so they totally depend on the
district office for these venues. No storage rooms
are available for ICDS materials; all of which are
kept in the CDPOs office. The rent rates as per ICDS
guidelines are not sufficient, in which case it is very
difficult to manage the building or room and necessary
facilities for the sanctioned amount in urban areas.
Only wiring is available at some AWCs, electricity
connection is unavailable. Also, there is no support
provided from the local community in any form (by
the Gram Panchayat and the local leaders), whether
for buildings, funds and basic amenities. No funds
come from the ICDS for electricity bills. Functionaries
suggest that the ICDS develop its own infrastructure
(buildings), revise the ICDS guidelines with respect
to rent rates, provide the administrative cadre with
their own offices, and provide storage rooms.
CAS is fully operational in 6 districts. However, in 11
districts only 1
st
phase of CAS training is completed. In
Muzaffarpur, the first phase of CAS training has been
completed, and topics covered under the training
were mostly related to survey entries and the handling
of the app, e.g. how to operate the CAS mobile app,
real time monitoring, mobile surveys, how to feed in
the details of pregnant and lactating mothers, and the
home visit app. Nalanda district still does not have an
operational CAS.
7.7.4. Chhattisgarh
AWWs reported that infrastructure at AWCs certainly
needs improvement: the storage space constraint has
been an issue at every AWC. AWWs use their own funds
even for repair work needed at the AWCs. The jars/
boxes for storing dal, flour, spices etc. are purchased
by AWWs and no reimbursements for these expenses
have been made to them. All the AWWs demand new,
better quality toys for students. Government has
distributed LPG gas cylinders to few AWCs, but other
AWCs are waiting for the same. In sampled AWCs in
Rajnandgaon district, there was no provision of lights
and fans.
CAS has been rolled out in Raipur district but the
quality is quite compromised, as reported by AWWs.
At the time of the survey, AWWs were facing problems
of smart phones hanging and issues related to validity
of the SIM cards. CAS has not been rolled out in
Ambikapur and Rajnandgaon districts.
7.7.5. Delhi
Lack of infrastructure is one of the major barriers for
optimum execution. It has been reported that very
small areas are available to rent out for AWC buildings.
At most of the centres, weighing machine for infants
(0-11 months) is not available. They have been asked
by the higher authorities to share them with the
nearby AWCs. The maximum rent amount assigned is
very less (Rs.6000 per AWC) and the owners generally
do not agree to include water and electricity charges
in it. Hence, a very confined area is available for AWC
activities. Though the proposal of hub centres is under
implementation, finding a larger area is difficult as
most of the 22 square yard area is taken up by the
families residing there already. Even schools do not
agree to rent out their classrooms.
7.7.6. Gujarat
In urban areas, rented AWCs are very congested and
often need to be shifted elsewhere. This means that
the AWC often does not remain in the community
anymore, but further away depending on where there
is place found. This runs the risk of discouraging some
beneficiaries from commuting all the way to the AWC.
Some of these AWCs are “smart AWCs” which have 74EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
TVs as digital teaching aids: this came across as an
aspiration among AWWs who did not run smart AWCs.
There is a lack of identified space for functioning of
AWCs due to lack of regulatory mechanisms on where
and how to set it up in urban areas. This leads to
an inability to identify persons responsible for this.
To some extent Urban Local Bodies do facilitate the
process, but regulations are needed since functioning
of AWCs is weakened because of this.
Online uploading of information and photographs is a
welcome move, but it is difficult to achieve because
of IT issues like the lack of know-how among AWWs
about operating smart phones, connectivity issues
etc. However, informal platforms of reporting and
monitoring, like WhatsApp, are used widely in a move
towards digitalization of the scheme.
7.7.7. Rajasthan
In Jaisalmer district, services at AWCs are very limited
due to the irregular monitoring and geographical
constraints in the district. On the demand side, major
constraints are shortage of drinking water, and limited
distribution of raw materials for food preparation.
The supply side barriers are shortage of vehicles for
regular monitoring, long distance between AWCs, very
limited fund allocation, unavailability of workers,
and frequent changes in human resources at district
and block level. All the sampled AWCs in Jaisalmer
district had no proper infrastructure. AWCs are run in
school campuses mostly, and are given small rooms
in a corner without any maintenance at all. GPs have
constructed AWC building in many villages but the
quality and location of the buildings has remained
compromised similarly. In Udaipur district, Vedanta
Zinc International has adopted around 270 AWCs
in Girwa block. All the adopted centres have good
physical and digital infrastructure. LED televisions,
solar lights, water connection, necessary stationery,
sitting benches and water purifiers are provided there.
The motive has remained to bring AWCs up to the
level of private schools by providing all the necessary
infrastructure and design. They have adopted many
other AWCs in other blocks in the district.
The average distance from one GP to other is around
30 kms, which is a big hurdle for the district officials
to regularly visit AWCs. The shortage of vehicles is also
reported there. Distribution of Iron supplements and
other related materials; regular monitoring of AWCs
by supervisors; distribution of hot cooked meal for
3-6 years children; distribution of THR; and regular
attendance of beneficiaries at AWCs are all affected
due to the great distances.
CAS is fully operational in Udaipur district. AWWs
were given the training of CAS and supervisors are
always available in case of any issues that arise in
operating CAS for the AWW. In training, mainly the
areas covered were e.g. how to operate CAS, data
entry, registrations, real time monitoring etc. The
AWWs who were less qualified or who never used
smart phone reported facing a problem in operating
CAS initially. CAS was not introduced in the sampled
blocks in Jaisalmer district.
7.7.8. Uttarakhand
The study team observed that the infrastructure
was poor at one of the AWCs in Udham Singh Nagar
district. The team witnessed ceiling was falling in,
the walls of the AWC building were not plastered and
there was no facility for electricity and fans in the
AWC. There is no vehicle facility in many blocks, and
where it is available, the sanctioned vehicle fare is
very low. According to CDPOs, there is not enough
space in CDPO Bhawan, and the rooms are very
small. Infrastructure of AWCs is a big concern during
monsoon. There is a need for more facilities such as
more swings, other than just toys; this will bring AWCs
at par with a typical play school.
CAS is helpful for AWWs to the maintain records and
it saves them time while maintaining and comparing
manual records. However, AWWs are expected to
maintain both digital and manual records, which is
a tedious task to undertake. Most of the AWWs have
received CAS training for feeding beneficiary records
into the software.
7.7.9. Uttar Pradesh
There are a total of 3094 functional AWCs in Bahraich.
Only 1135 AWCs function in own buildings, while
1581 AWCs run in primary school premises, 139
AWCs in Panchayat Bhawan. 38 AWCs in the village
and 201 AWCs in urban areas have rented buildings.
Safe drinking water is available in 2966 AWCs. 2873
AWCs have toilet facility. Beside this, the study team
visited Lalpur and Pawhi AWCs observed that there
was no toilet for 0-59-month-old children, and while
electricity connection was present, electric fans were
not. Space for sitting and playing was insufficient in
the AWCs.
There are a total of 3052 functional AWCs in Barabanki.
Only 705 AWCs have their own buildings, while 1624
AWCs in primary school premises, and 359 AWCs in
Panchayat Bhawan. 9 AWCs in religious places, 2 AWCs
are in open space and 353 AWCs are rented. Safe 75EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
drinking water is available in all AWCs in the district.
2946 AWCs have toilet facility; only 1151 AWCs have
kitchen facility, and 1312 AWCs have proper storage
facility. 2457 AWCs have adequate indoor space for
preschool children, 2636 AWCs have adequate outdoor
space for preschool children, while both adequate
outdoor and indoor space for preschool children is
available in 2470 AWCs. All AWCs are running in pucca
and semi pucca houses. The study team saw that
the sampled AWCs had well-maintained rooms and
separate kitchen room and storerooms. They also had
toilet and a safe drinking water facility.
CAS is used extensively by AWWs in Bahraich and
Barabanki districts. CAS reduces the burden of
maintaining of the physical register for the AWWs who
use it. CAS keeps records of all their beneficiaries:
pregnant women, SAM and MAM children, identification
of red and yellow grade children, calculation of when
pregnant women’s due date etc.
Implementation of CAS in Bahraich district: More than
92% AWCs (2855 AWCs out of 3094 AWCs) have received
devices with the block wise inventory sheet with IMEI
numbers. TSU Team and Block Transformation Officers
provide technical support to blocks in registering all
devices. 100% of these devices have been unboxed,
verified and distributed batch-wise along with
username and password to the Anganwadi Workers
(AWWs) with the labelling done on all of them. More
than 97% of the devices have been configured and used
at least once. Helpdesks have been set up at block
level itself in order to provide immediate response
to any bug found. More than 90% of the AWWs are
currently feeding the beneficiary list onto their
devices. More than 80% of the AWWs were found to
be happy to have a smartphone as this is the first one
they have ever operated. AWWs have been capturing
data with CAS in Bahraich since December 2018.
Implementation of CAS in Barabanki district: More
than 95% AWWs (2924 AWCs out of 3052 AWCs) have
received devices with the block wise inventory
sheet with IMEI numbers. TSU Team and Block
Transformation Officers provide technical support
to blocks in registering all devices. 100% of these
devices have been unboxed, verified and distributed
batch-wise along with username and password to the
Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) with the labelling done on
all of them. More than 97% of the devices have been
configured and used at least once. More than 98% of
AWWs are currently feeding beneficiary records into
devices. More than 98 % AWWs trained through four
phase of training. In some projects, 100% AWWs are
trained in CAS.
7.8. KEY ISSUES IN ICDS
INFRASTRUCTURE
The merging of urban AWCs in the form of Urban Merging
Centres (UMCs) in states like Andhra Pradesh seems
to have garnered good feedback from beneficiaries.
3 AWCs are merged, and the children are divided into
age-groups like in a nursery/private school: nursery,
LKG, UKG. Each AWW takes up teaching one group and
thus they learn according to their age. Some Smart
AWCs (like in Gujarat) also have TVs that are used
as teaching aids. These ideas can be implemented
in urban areas to align with beneficiary aspirations.
However, distance and commuting time should be kept
in time when clustering AWCs. AWCs need more toys
and educational aids. Also, mats, fans, chairs, hand
towels, hand wash, first aid kits need to be provided
to each AWC to ensure that physical infrastructure
is in place for the ECCE component to be carried
out properly. If the material cannot be provided, at
least funds for the same should be budgeted for. A
competitive program can be created for beautification
of the AWC with the help of the PRI. The prize will be
instituted by State Govt for the concerned PRI and
AWC.
The policy makers should lay special emphasis on the
AWCs located in the flood prone areas. The state level
officials reported of successful mobile AWCs during the
floods. Some of these initiatives could be expanded to
other localities which are minimally but still affected
by floods and rains; proper monitoring and quality
check in delivery and the products is required.
Conveyance for Supervisors is needed to access
remote areas and projects. However, as one Supervisor
pointed out, even mopeds/scooters will not be of
much use in hilly areas since the journey up to the
hilltop has to be made by foot due to lack of roads
and accessibility. This requires longer-term planning
and convergence with other relevant departments-
geographic inaccessibility is a challenge in remote
areas which potentially affect the delivery of services
across departments.
Network connectivity issue needs to be resolved at
the earliest. Some sort of partnership with private
network operators who have stronger connectivity in
these areas can be one solution. Otherwise the field
functionaries have to spend hours every week travelling
down to areas with good reception just to upload and
sync their data. This leads to unnecessary waste of
effort, time and money which the functionaries can
use more productively by working on other aspects of
the ICDS. 77EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
CONVERGENCE AND
CONVERGENT ACTION
08.
8.1. CONCEPT OF CONVERGENCE
The National Nutrition Strategy (NITI Aayog 2017)
emphasises on strengthening convergence of State/
District Implementation Plans for ICDS, National Health
Mission (NHM) and Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and similar
other programs for jointly addressing the different
determinants of undernutrition. The Aspirational
Districts Program also calls for convergence between
different schemes and interventions across difference
governance levels. Convergence efforts essentially
seek to draw upon synergies in implementation of
government schemes. Further, convergence can ensure
greater complementarity between public initiatives
(Centrally Sponsored Schemes) and the private efforts
of a household. For this purpose, convergence action
plans are developed and executed across States and
Districts.
As such, convergence is identified as a critical theme
in organizational theory and is mostly referred to as
through concepts such as integration, collaboration,
coordination and cooperation
1
(Axelsson and
Axelsson 2006, Garrett and Natalicchio 2011, Kim
et al 2017). Convergence, however, can be viewed
from an operational perspective as – peripheral
convergence and core convergence. The former
refers to convergence in execution of activities or
services requiring minimal resource commitments of
the concerned line departments. The latter, however,
involves planning and decision-making for joint
implementation of selected processes and procedures
warranting substantial pooling of financial and non-
financial resources of the concerned line departments.
Convergence thus emerges as a multi-dimensional
concept having both vertical and horizontal layers.
1
Kim et al (2017) define these terms as follows: “Integration: the high-
est-order of relationships with shared structures or merged sectoral
remits. Collaboration: enhancing one another’s capacity and sharing
of some resources or personnel to facilitate strategic joint planning
and action on certain issues, while maintaining sectoral remits. Co-
ordination: altering one’s activities to achieve a common purpose;
interactions are often unstructured or based on a loose goal-oriented
agreement and working together on certain issues while maintain-
ing sectoral remits. Cooperation: sharing or exchanging information
or resources only; continuing to work in separate sectors with little
communication or strategic planning on issues”.
The vertical layers are identified as follows: Policy
layer, Implementation layer and Action layer. The
policy layer involves highest levels of decision-making
at the national-level or State-level and quintessentially
deals with conceptualizing the policy and outlining the
principles, norms and guidelines for policy execution.
The implementation layer is responsible for steering
and executing the plan and requires effective
stewardship to overcome roadblocks and supervision
in rolling out the initiatives. The action layer is
concerned with the functional part of undertaking
activities or delivering services as mandated by the
guidelines or as improvised by the program leaders.
Each of these layers is surrounded by horizontal
concerns viz. priorities, resources and capacities.
Convergence requires a set of common developmental
priorities or objectives of two or more ministries or
line departments or grass-root level functionaries.
Inability to identify a common objective disallows
commitment to devise policies that can harness the
convergence potential of two or more departments
across any vertical layer. Attitudes and inherent
attributes of the functionaries or the concerned
departments are instrumental in fostering convergent
action.
But despite consensus on needs and priorities, resource
constraints can emerge as a significant barrier for
convergence. The resources are both financial as well
as non-financial including human resource (technical
or managerial) and can be experienced at each of the
vertical layers. Finally, variations in capacities at each
level can decelerate the progress and even dilute the
impact of convergence initiatives. These capacities
are reflected in gaps in planning and logistics at the
highest levels to elementary aspects such as variations
in training and implementation capacities across line
departments and grass-root level functionaries.
8.2. PERIPHERAL AND CORE
CONVERGENCE
Peripheral convergence refers to synergies in execution
of activities or services requiring minimal resource 78EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
commitments of the concerned line departments,
particularly at the local level. Mostly the grass-root
level functionaries of the line departments including
the ICDS, NHM, Panchayati Raj (implementing MGNREGA
or various welfare schemes), and Education come
together to collaborate on goals of their respective
departments as well as those of the ICDS.
The following are some areas that illustrate peripheral
convergence:
1. Convergence Action Plan: Following the launch of
the POSHAN Abhiyaan, convergence action plan
(CAP) is developed from National to the Block
level for delivering nutrition related schemes.
The CAP committee is responsible for carrying
out all the work related to convergence such as
plan development, conducting periodic review,
work coordination, monitoring and evaluation,
identifying gaps and suggesting measures to fill
the gaps. However, CAP committee at lower levels
have greater focus on implementation whereas
they are less empowered to fill gaps related to
financial and operational challenges. Issues such
as provision of drinking water, electricity, toilet
or construction and refurbishments of AWCs are
difficult to be resolved without specific guidelines
from the Centre or the State.
2. AAA Community-based Events: Planning of
community-based events led by ANMs, AWWs
and ASHAs (AAA) has brought about significant
expansion in coverage of basic health and nutrition
services as well as increasing the frequency of
delivering behaviour change communication and
awareness services. The AAA platform – mainly led
by NHM - is an important example of peripheral
convergence that requires minimal resource
commitments of various line departments. The
Village Health and Nutrition Day (VHND) is planned
under various localized forms (such as Mamata
Divas) in a fixed day - fixed site format and
delivers key services like immunization. The AAA
also undertake home visits and conduct growth
monitoring and health and nutrition counselling.
3. Kitchen Gardens (Nutri-Garden): Widespread
uptake of kitchen garden initiative across AWCs
is observed in several States (including Andhra
Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat). The
kitchen garden is often developed in convergence
with MGNREGA, Department of Horticulture or
through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
initiatives. The kitchen gardens are mostly
developed in the AWC premises, or on a patch
of community land in the village. The produce is
used for the Hot Cooked Meals (HCM) at the AWC
to improve the quality and diversity of the meals.
4. Linkages with SHGs: Health layering is supported
through several Women-SHGs platform with
technical and financial support from government
or donor agencies. These initiatives are widespread
in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. These initiatives
actively engage the community health workers
(AAAs) to improve knowledge and utilization
of ANC, PNC services and family planning
methods, delivery under supervision of health
professionals, consumption of micronutrients,
dietary supplements, timely breastfeeding and
vaccination of children. The CAP guidelines also
call for greater involvement of SHGs and Cluster
Federations in VHSNDs to strengthen convergence
and monitoring and management of nutritional
status of women and children.
5. Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP): Minor
works for AWC building (such as refurbishments
or boundary wall construction etc) as well as
efforts for provision of drinking water and toilet
facility at the AWCs is considered under GPDP.
However, the GP priorities vary across States and
are also shaped by the State-specific guidelines
on work priorities and resource allocations. The
GP President and other Elected Representatives
(ER) are also expected to actively participate in
community-based events.
The following are some aspects that outline efforts
toward core convergence:
1. AWC and School co-location: Co-location of AWCs
within the premises of Government Primary School
is noted across several States and is very common
in Uttar Pradesh. However, greater efforts
are needed to ensure convergence of human
resources from the education department and
ICDS department, particularly the school teachers
and AWWS, respectively. The two departments
have to also resolve the issue with age overlaps
of students and beneficiaries (5-6 years old are
eligible for both school admission and ICDS pre-
school education component).
2. AWC building construction: Collaboration between
ICDS and MGNREGA is critical for construction of
AWCs. Besides, the GPs play an important role
in allocation of land for the AWC construction.
However, the construction requires operational
guidelines both from the Centre and the State while
deciding upon resource allocations. Although, the 79EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
MGNREGA convergence guidelines have allocated
up to Rs.5 Lakh for AWC construction but the
implementation has to be actively pursued at the
State and District level whereby additional cost
has to be borne by the State. It may be noted
that the GPs alone may not be empowered enough
to undertake such activities. Also, it is important
interpret that the cost-sharing ratios defined
for Centre-State funds (usually 60:40 for most
states) is not necessarily to be met at each and
every point of action. For instance, these can be
operationalized at District or Block levels for AWC
construction. Besides, the Central Government
guidelines allow using alternative sources of funds
(such as the State Finance Commission, Fourteenth
Finance Commission, Scheduled Castes Sub Plan
or Tribal Sub Plan) but State action is equally
important in facilitating funds utilization on
these activities. The pace of AWC construction is
accordingly affected by these various intricacies
associated with guidelines interpretations and
fund allocations.
3. Milk provision for children at AWCs: States have
displayed commitment to introduce milk item in
the ICDS food menu for children. For instance,
Mukhyamantri Amrit Yojana in Chhattisgarh aimed
at providing 100 ml milk to children at the AWCs.
However, the scheme was discontinued. A clear
coordination mechanism between the State
government (both Finance and ICDS departments)
as well as the milk union is critical to ensure
success of such initiatives.
4. Electricity, Drinking Water and Toilet Facilities:
Electricity, drinking water and toilet facilities are
among the basic provisions necessary in an AWC.
However, its provision varies considerably across
States. The ICDS Department in Rajasthan, for
instance, does not have a formal arrangement
with the Department of Power or the GPs
for installing electricity connection to AWCs.
Whereas, in Gujarat there is a centralized payment
mechanism for settlement of AWC electricity
charges. Similarly, in Andhra Pradesh free power
is provided to SC/ST households, but since AWC
buildings cannot be classified under this scheme,
the initiative to provide AWCs with free power
in collaboration with the Electricity Department
did not pan out. Besides, several AWCs operate in
rented buildings without appropriate piped water
connections or provisions. The AWW and AWH are
expected to make these arrangements. Toilet
construction and maintenance is the weakest
link in the infrastructure facilities for the AWC.
While the GPs usually are able to support toilet
construction but maintenance and solid waste
disposal remains a major challenge.
5. ICDS Recruitments: Recruitments of CDPOs and
AW Supervisors is mostly the responsibility of
the Public Service Commission of the respective
States. A significant proportion of these positions
are left vacant for years altogether leading
to added responsibility and burden among the
existing staff for managerial work of the ICDS. For
example, in Uttar Pradesh, despite requests from
the ICDS department, these delays in recruitment
can also occur due to delays in funding approvals
for the vacant positions and time-consuming
recruitment procedures including litigations.
8.3. INSIGHTS FROM FIELD VISITS
8.3.1. Andhra Pradesh
At the village and block level, we see convergence
in the form of kitchen gardens, which are run in
collaboration with MGNREGA, CSR initiatives etc.
MGNREGA helps with their construction, while CSR
initiatives distribute plant seeds and “nutri-baskets”
to AWCs and community members (in projects like
Gantyada and Bhogapuram). Akshay Patra scheme
is run in urban areas to supply hot cooked meals
to AWCs. AAA convergence happens at grass root
(PHC) level for immunization days, VHSNDs etc.
Convergence with MGNREGA and fast-tracking by
State has helped construct buildings for AWCs in many
districts. Also, convergence with departments like
RWS, Education, and PRI is sought for building AWCs.
AAA (ANM, Anganwadi worker and ASHA) convergence
meetings happen quarterly at Mandal level. AAA
team has house visits to malnourished and anaemic
beneficiaries. They are referred (if necessary under
SAM/MAM categories) and are provided Balsanjeevni.
ASHA goes along for deliveries. In the urban areas,
good amount of support was reported to be given by
the Municipal Council for AWCs. ITDA PO trains AWWs
in ECCE in tribal areas and hilltop projects.
Children from the AWCs are sent to
class 1 in various schools. For some
schools if rooms are vacant, they give to
the AWCs. In some schools the interested
primary teachers give training to the
AWWs.
~ CDPO, Andhra Pradesh 80EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
With respect to convergence around AWC construction,
Panchayat Raj Department contributes 50,000
rupees among the 7.5 lakh sanctioned per building.
They also provide utensils and electricity meters.
But there are problems with taking responsibility
as in-charge of the building construction, with a
lot of delays due to bureaucracy and paperwork/
red tape issues. A respondent commented that “A
building sanctioned in 2017 will get handed over in
2021.” Rural Water Supply (RWS) Department builds
toilets though no separate toilets for children are
provided. Education Department provides with vacant
classrooms for AWCs. The School Headmasters guide
the AWWs. After 5 years, the children join the schools.
Revenue Department helps with gathering sites for
buildings. Civil supplies are procured from the same
department.
At the district and state level, some examples of
convergence do come through: Chaitanya Rathams
(community awareness -mobiles/vehicles) and
Gana Jatras (community roadshows) planned in
collaboration with the District Collector Vizianagaram,
the Pregnant Women’s Hostel in Salur in convergence
with the ITDA. District Collector (Vizianagaram)
calls convergence meetings every Monday with ICDS
and Health, where PD, MO and others are present.
The District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO)
reported reviewing the 42 health indicators for the
district in these convergence meetings, after which
a joint action plan (JAP) is drawn. Immunization day
is arranged by the Health Department; ANM visits
the centre frequently. There is a good amount of
support for ICDS activities from the Vizianagaram
DC. Convergence was also found between WCD and
the Police and CWCs with regard to running One Stop
Centres, Ujjwala homes and Swadhar homes in urban
areas (especially in Vijayawada).
8.3.2. Assam
Convergence with Health Department was reported
to be strong at the block and the ground level, while
at the district level the emphasis was reflected only
on paper or was found to be superficial. However,
the custom of regular monthly review meetings of
convergence exists at the district level.
The field workers (even at the block level) relied
much on data collected by other departments
(mostly Health). The past scams of and related to
the Department of Social Welfare (of which ICDS is a
major component) has led to demoralization of the
Department in and around the government system.
This was also reflected in the conversations with
several AWWs and functionaries at higher levels, when
they mentioned how they (ICDS) have been looked
down upon by functionaries of other departments in
several occasions and events. This clearly lowered
their confidence and affected their reliance on their
own outputs.
The same was reflected in the interviews with the
Health Department officials. They mentioned that
they believe that the data collected by the ICDS to be
inaccurate. They also pointed out inefficiency in the
work done by ICDS functionaries and acknowledged
poor convergence at different levels. The Health
Department suggested looking at ICDS “not as a
scheme but as a Mission like the NHM”.
It was reported that service delivery for adolescent
girls were irregular compared to what is mentioned
in the ICDS guidelines. Ground level interviews
suggested a low emphasis from ICDS on this population
for around 5 years of time. Apart from the health
resources (iron tablets) there is an irregularity in the
delivery of all other services. This irregularity was also
seen in the functioning of the AWCs and one reason
for this was lack of attendance. The AWCs failed to
provide hot-cooked meals for a long time, for which
the children stopped coming to avail other services
from the AWCs.
The involvement of a Management Committee (MC)
(headed by the Sarpanch and the AWW) eases out the
decentralized process of THR procurement. Timely
supply in the funds to the MCs would ensure timely
distribution of the THR. The ICDS did not actively
take part on the special days (VHSND etc) as part of
convergence. They merely provided with the space and
the initiatives were taken by the Health Department.
It was reported that too many AWCs were proposed
and built previously (around 10-15 years back) in the
The AWCs are on rent, for urban
and we don’t have our own
buildings. We have to pay according to what
the owner’s demands. When the budget is
not on time, the AWW has to pay and then
she runs through trouble. They family,
husband beats her saying why will you pay.
At least for rent and honorarium we need
to have the budget in time. How long will
the workers wait for their pay?
~ CDPO, Andhra Pradesh 81EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
urban areas; the state level officials suggested that
these need to get cut down in the present day, as
monitoring and maintaining them was quite difficult.
The state does not hold any financial power in the
6
th
schedule areas (the tribal council has autonomy).
The ICDS could not review the service delivery in
those areas. Surprisingly, the tribal council had only
released the funds for the hot-cooked meals, but not
for the THR. The State also acknowledged that it was
not able to provide LPG connections in the AWCs. The
state team reported a break in the supply process
where accessibility is poor because of geographical
and topographical variations. Different mechanisms
of service and resource delivery should be applied in
these regions.
Because of the ongoing NRC scheme (National Register
of Citizens), almost 90% of the AWWs were involved
in NRC related work in the last year, which affected
the ICDS service delivery to a great extent (in terms
of providing almost all the services to beneficiaries).
Almost 80% of the supervisors were also involved in
such NRC-related activities which hindered their
monitoring and review work of ICDS.
8.3.3. Bihar
The ICDS is the parental department that approaches
other departments for collaboration in the state.
The stakeholder departments are Health, Education,
MoRD (consisting of the MGNREGA that constructs
the buildings for AWCs), Public Health Engineering
Department and Agriculture Department. Besides,
some of the schemes where convergence happens
are directly implemented through the Directorate
and their cooperation, like Kanya Utthan Yojana,
Poshak Yojana. Here, a template is prepared for the
convergence as per the guidelines of the central
government, the “State Convergence Action Plan”: 16
line departments are identified for the convergence
and roles and responsibilities are decided. The
“Nutrition Action Plan” for Poshan Abhiyaan is
implemented by Health Department.
Under the initiative, responsibilities are decided
for every SAM child case: the ANMs, ASHAs, AWWs
and AWHs are to identify the family of the child and
mentor them. Presently, there are approximately 2.5
lakh workers and 7.5 lakh SAM children in the state.
Each worker is responsible for 2-3 SAM children;
they concentrate purely on the child, observe their
growth, and counsel the family. Two approaches are
adopted: first, SAM children are identified at the time
of delivery, and second at the AWC or later.
Kanya Utthan Yojana is a scheme in convergence with
Education Department. In this scheme, an amount is
provided for the girl child in each stage. 1000 rupees
at birth, 2000 rupees at the age of one year, 1000
rupees after Aadhaar card is made, 2000 rupees if
she is enrolled in school, 5000 and 10000 rupees if
she passes 10th and 12th standard respectively, and
25000 rupees if she graduates. The total amount
provided to the girl child is 55000 rupees. This scheme
also bridges gap in the supplied materials: central
government provides pre-school education kits, but
not on a regular basis. UNICEF (supporting partner)
develops the guidelines, checklists, and provides
technical support.
At the ground level, Gramin Vikas Vibhag helps build
the AWCs under MGNREGA scheme, but not on a
large scale. Access to basic amenities like toilet and
safe drinking water is negligible, and does not get
any support from the Rural Department. Education
Department helps enrol the children in schools, and
for the “Kanya Utthan Scheme”.
With the support of Health Department, under
National Nutrition Mission campaign “Poshan Mela” is
celebrated in all blocks; participation and community
involvement is satisfactory. However, there is a lack
of interest from other departments, combined with
an overload of work for the ICDS functionaries, which
leads to less-than-satisfactory levels of convergence
at the district and block level.
8.3.4. Chhattisgarh
All health-related services are delivered by ANMs at
AWCs. The AWW has a list of beneficiaries based on
their health requirement or schedule. Accordingly,
she calls beneficiaries at her center once a month and
health services are provided by ANM as needed.
The AWWs reported that they have to do the work
of other departments as well as their own, and they
are not provided with any compensation for this
extra work. Many a times they have to pay for their
transportation, too. Very often, their time is used up
in Election duty and other panchayat work, leaving no
time for ICDS tasks.
In Raipur, there was an issue with maintenance in an
AWC: there was no boundary wall at the AWC and the
AWW has even requested at Panchayat to build it,
but nothing has been done so far. The toilet was also
broken at the AWC, with no repair work taking place.
In Ambikapur district, all the standard health services
are given on second Tuesday of the month by ANM 82EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
and ASHA at AWCs. Panchayat has made steel slabs
for THR storage and AWC; they have also arranged
for milk and protein powder to be distributed to
malnourished children at the AWC. In another AWC
however, convergence with Panchayat is not so great:
the water source was far from AWC and it was difficult
for the AWH to bring water to the AWC. The AWW has
requested the Panchayat to solve this issue multiple
times, but it has not been resolved yet.
8.3.5. Delhi
In Delhi, as it is an urban setting, space comes at a
premium. The ICDS in Delhi has envisaged cluster
AWCs which merge across smaller AWCs, which
enables pooling of rent and space to enable better
infrastructure and functioning of AWCs.
The ICDS scheme converges with the Health and
Education Departments. AWWs help with the
verification and documentation of children for the
admission process in schools. Some workers also
maintain contact with the doctors, ANMs, ASHA
workers and refer children and women to hospitals
and dispensaries.
Many of the AWCs have a Committee (samiti) of 12
representatives including a Chairperson, MLA, social
worker, beneficiaries, ANM, AWW, AWH, and ASHA. But
the frequency of these meetings has decreased over
the time. Moreover, the committee members keep on
changing due to people shifting to other places.
8.3.6. Gujarat
In Gujarat specifically, at the district and block level
other line departments were reported to not take the
ICDS and its officials seriously. They allegedly treat
the ICDS as a ‘lesser’ department, not treating the
requests from officials in the same pay grade with
enough respect and urgency. This has a negative
effect on the functionaries’ morale when it comes to
convergence with other departments.
In urban areas, better convergence with Municipal
Corporations is needed to ensure that AWCs do not
have to wait indefinitely for basic maintenance work
and support from the authorities. Currently, linkages
with MGNREGA Work Plan are weak in the state.
Multiple copies of the same information are collected
by AWW, ANM and ASHA. This leads to duplication
and sometimes even mismatch of data. Added to this
is the fact that all data needs to also be manually
entered into 11 registers: this means a lot of time
spent keeping records.
8.3.7. Rajasthan
In Udaipur district, convergence of ICDS was mainly
found with Health Department, PRI, and Education
Department. At ground level, the Panchayat has
supported ICDS to build and regular maintenance of
AWCs. No convergence activities or support from the
DDWS has been reported so far. Very often, AWWs
are given village related work e.g. MGNREGA survey,
Aadhaar card enrolment, ration card work: which
affects ICDS service delivery. Overall, in Jaisalmer
the convergence activities were not as strong as in
Udaipur. The distance between villages and the Block
Office remains a challenge.
According to a CDPO, Health Department is only
able to deliver immunization out of all the desired
services in Jaisalmer district. Some schools often cut
the electricity connection for room given to the AWC.
Convergence with GPs is very poor; if they construct
There is Rural development
department, like if we need to
construct a building for Anganwadi ,
MGNREGA grant will be used for that, so
we need support from Rural development
and WCD. Then there is health department
which works with ICDS like two sides
of a coin. Both of them can’t function
without each other. There is education
department, for pre-schooling for kids.
There is agriculture department, for
kitchen gardening. Food and civil supply,
food and consumer affairs, for the supply
and distribution of food. So there is a live
interaction with every department.
~ State Program Officer, Gujarat
When we need some construction
to be done or water supply needs to
be obtained. We speak to the committee
members about such needs, and ask them
to provide their funds for it, since we don’t
have the funds for it. We tell them it would
be good if they can get it done, since it
is for their own village. And we tell the
related branch officers to follow up about
it; we don’t go through the Magistrate. We
speak to them directly.
~ CDPO, Gujarat 83EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
building for AWCs it is always of very poor quality, or is
situated near a dumping ground/cremation grounds,
or very far from village. There should be instructions
and checks and balances from the top level authorities
so that convergence can be made stronger.
8.3.8. Uttarakhand
In Uttarakhand, ICDS is in convergence with other
department/institution like Health and Education
Departments, and PRI. Coordination with Panchayati
Raj at the sampled AWCs in Udham Singh Nagar was
good and it seems to be helping a lot in service
delivery. At many AWCs, the Panchayati Raj has
provided water facilities, toilet facilities, dustbins
etc. The Gram Pradhan participates in AWC activities
and meetings. The Education Department helps the
AWCs by enrolling girls who have dropped out of
school on behalf of AWCs. The department of Health
also supports the ICDS goals in this district.
The sense of solidarity that stems from communities
enables strong bonds within them. This works
to creation of grass roots level demand among
beneficiaries and also a sense of ownership and
pride. Such systems tend to create an environment
for better system functioning, be it ICDS or any other
such scheme for communities.
8.3.9. Uttar Pradesh
The district administration in Uttar Pradesh has a
good system of convergence in place to address issues
such as stunting, wasting, underweight and anemia in
children age 0-6 years, pregnant and lactating women,
adolescent girls and boys under Poshan Abhiyaan. In
order to make a “Malnutrition free Bahraich”, the ICDS
in the district has been converging with departments
like PRI, MoRD, Health, Education, NRLM, Department
of Electricity, Department of Food and Civil Supplies,
and WCD. The programs under which this convergence
happens are: Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
(PMMVY), Schemes for Adolescents Girls under MoWCD;
Janani Suraksha Yojana, National Health Mission,
Anemia Mukt Bharat, Indradhanush under MoHFW;
Swachh Bharat Mission of DDWS; Public Distribution
System of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and
Public Distribution; MGNREGA; and Urban Local
bodies through Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
under Poshan Abhiyaan. Other convergence activities
include Suposhan Swasthya Mela, Community Based
Events (Funded and Non-funded), Mukhyamantri
Suposhan Ghar, Model VHSNDs and etc.
Under convergence strategies in Bahraich, 99326
household of malnourished children have been
recognised by Rural Department. 130849 families
of malnourished children were provided ration card
by Department of Food and Civil Supplies. They are
targeting 100% issuance of these cards to all such
families within the next 6 months. 2844 out of 3094
AWCs (around 91 %) have drinking water facilities
provided by Jal Nigam under Panchayati Raj. Meanwhile
1053 villages are free from open defecation, and
102493 malnourished children households now have
toilets made by Panchayat Raj. 607 out of 3094 AWCs
have electricity connections. Apart from the above
departments, there is convergence with development
partners in the district as well.
In the district of Barabanki, Panchayati Raj has
constructed toilets for 41662 households of
malnourished children, and 2056 villages are free
from open defecation. 2737 AWCs facilitated with
safe drinking water with help of Panchayati Raj. The
Gram Pradhan participated in 1043 VHSND/Suposhan
Melas, and 1664 VHSND review meetings were held in
the last month of the year. 33868 job cards have been
issued for the household of malnourished children.
In addition, SHGs held discussions on the subject of
health and nutrition in 956 villages in the district.
Department of Food and Civil Supplies issued 63309
ration cards for household of malnourished children.
147225 boys and 65724 girls (6 to 12 class children)
received four IFA tablets; 150502 boys and 60547 girls
(6 to 12 class children) has been given health education
in the last month. There are 73 SAM children referred
to CHC, 2074 women have anemia, and 5242 women
have had ANC check-up in the last month of the year
in the district. 85EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
SUCCESS STORIES AND
BEST PRACTICES
09.
9.1. BEST PRACTICES ACROSS STATES
Despite several challenges before the ICDS, many
States have made local innovations and modifications
to the implementation process and achieved positive
results at the grass root level. These innovations
come in many forms: convergence with other
departments, service delivery in remote areas, and
responding to local challenges. Some of these success
stories are also documented by the MoWCD and the
National Institute for Public Cooperation and Child
Development (NIPCCD). This section discusses some
of the success stories and best practices based on
the local innovations. Before proceeding further,
however, it is useful to report the three important
community-based events recommended under the
ICDS ISSNIP Guidelines (No.17-1/2013-WBP, 30
th
Jul,
2014) to promote and support behaviour change to
improve maternal and child nutrition across all the
States/UTs.
Celebration of Forthcoming Motherhood
The related traditional event in Madhya Pradesh
is celebrated by the name of ‘Godbharai’, whereas
in Andhra Pradesh it is known as ‘Samoohika
Sreemanthalu’. The States may like to give a
suitable nomenclature to the event. Typically, this
is celebrated in the seventh month of pregnancy,
and also marks the event after which a lady departs
for her maternal home for delivery. While this is
traditionally celebrated at home with a few relatives
in attendance, we may use the existing traditional
practices and rituals prevalent in the community to
add cultural flavour to the celebration by having it
publicly, such as at the AWC, and inviting a wider
participation, particularly by other pregnant women
more or lesser advanced in pregnancy. Elders could also
be invited for blessing the women by offering flowers,
vermilion (sindoor), coconut, bangles etc, according
to local tradition, and being sensitive to religious and
community sentiments. An elderly woman from the
community may be requested to perform the lead
role. The pregnant women may then be honoured and
provided with necessary information for ensuring the
remaining antenatal care, a safe birth, a plan to act
swiftly in case of a medical emergency, information
about caring for the birth of a healthy baby at birth,
preparing for the next conception, and details of
various entitlements available for the woman and
her family and to make use ANC services provided by
ICDS. It may also include discussion on the importance
of health, hygiene, adequate rest and positive family
support.
Celebrating Initiation of Complementary
Feeding
The initiation of complementary feeding in children
six months of age is an important cultural event
and a critical point from a nutrition perspective.
When a child attains six months of age, breast milk
is no longer enough to meet its nutritional needs
and complementary foods should be included in
the diet of the child. This period of transition from
exclusive breastfeeding to complementary feeding
along with breastfeeding from 6 to 24 months of age
is a very vulnerable period, as it is the period when
malnutrition starts in many infants. In order to
highlight its relevance, a function celebrating the
initiation of complementary feeding for children on
the attainment six months of age is organized. In
this event, the mothers are provided with knowledge
about Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF)
practices, immunization schedule and care during
sickness. The event is celebrated with enthusiasm
and mothers advised about the variety of culturally
prevalent appropriate food items that can be added
in child’s diet. Existing cultural practices is weaved
into the organization of the event to make it more
lively and acceptable to the community. An elderly
family member or community leader is invited for
blessing the child and feeding her/him the first
bite/spoon of complementary food. The mother
is then provided information on IYCF, including
a small demonstration on the preparation of
complementary foods. She will also be taken through
the key messages of feeding and caring practices
outlined in the Mother and Child Protection Card 86EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
for children 6-12 months. This event, is currently,
celebrated in a number of States within ICDS using
different nomenclatures such as “Annaprashan” or
‘Kheer khilai’. The project will support this activity
by streamlining and standardizing the tasks and
messages to be conveyed during this event, along
with finances to facilitate these tasks.
Celebrating Coming of Age - Getting
Ready for Pre-School at AWC
One important milestone in a child’s life is the beginning
of the pre-school, when s/he leaves the home for her/
his first experience of institutional care and learning.
To celebrate this event, it is proposed to organise a
celebration for all children turning three years of age
who will start attending pre-school sessions at the
AWC. The event will include an assessment of the
child’s attainment of major developmental milestones
(cognitive, motor and socio-emotional), as detailed
out in the Mother and Child Protection Card. The child
will be given a gift which may include items such as
crayons, painting book, picture book and other play
materials/toys. Additionally, the child’s weight will be
recorded and medical check-up done to update her/his
records at the AWC. Information will also be provided
to the mother, and other household members about
the importance of early childhood care and education
(ECCE) and stimulation for the optimal growth of the
child. The event will be a celebration of the child’s
entry into the larger world beyond home.
Nutri-Garden or Kitchen-Garden
The convergence action plan guidelines (No.
PA/19/2018-CPMU dated 2
nd
November 2018)
under the POSHAN Abhiyaan has emphasised on
development of Nutri-Garden across AWCs. The aim
of this initiative is to encourage local availability of
diversified vegetables and fruits for HCM in AWCs. It
is recommended that the practice of ‘Nutri-Garden’
should be adopted by all concerned Ministries &
Departments including Panchayati Raj, Horticulture
Departments and MoWCD). The concept of Nutri-
Garden is adopted across the States. In Assam, Kishori
Samooh (under SABLA) and Adolescent girl clubs
(under UNICEF supported child protection program)
are entrusted with the responsibility to develop and
maintain kitchen gardens. Cooking demonstration and
recipes contest are also held to teach the adolescents
and Matri Sahayak Gut (MSG) members about
preserving nutrients to combat malnutrition among
children below five years.
9.1.1. Andhra Pradesh
Anna Amrutha Hastham (AAH)
The Government of Andhra Pradesh with an aim
to reduce Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), low birth
weight, Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and anaemic
condition among pregnant women, is providing One
Full Meal (OFM) under Anna Amrutha Hastham (AAH)
for pregnant and lactating women in all Anganwadi
Centres (AWCs). The OFM consists of rice, dal with
leafy vegetables/sambar, vegetables, eggs and 200 ml
milk for a minimum of 25 days in a month. Along with
the meal, IFA tablet is provided to the beneficiaries.
The food items are procured from Civil Supplies
Department/Oil Federation and Village Organizations
(VO) / Self Help Groups (SHGs) at the rates approved
by DPC. The amount is transferred into VOs account
by CDPOs. A five-member committee is constituted
with VO President as Chairperson and one member of
the VO involved in procurement, one representative
each from Pregnant and Lactating Women and AWW as
members to monitor the attendance, quality of food,
hygiene and also to mobilize beneficiaries for availing
the OFM.
Akshayapatra Foundation (Visakhapatnam)
Akshayapatra Foundation is supplying nutritious food
to all categories of beneficiaries in four ICDS Projects
in and around Visakhapatnam. The recipes provided by
the foundation include - rice khichadi, sweet pongal,
dalia, rice kheer, vegetable khichadi and sweet dalia.
The snacks such as boiled chick peas (25 gms) for
four days and boiled eggs for two days in a week are
provided to all categories of beneficiaries.
Garbhini Stree Vasathi Gruha
The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) has
established hostels for pregnant women in tribal areas
to improve institutional births coverage and help
reduce the maternal and infant deaths in the region.
The Pregnant Women Hostels (PWH) are developed
in Salur and Gumma Laxmipuram mandals. Most of
the services (physical infrastructure, breakfast and
dinner, transport) are funded and provided by the
Tribal Department and the Health Department (ANMs,
medical supplies). Services provided here are: 3 meals,
evening snacks, milk, eggs, 24x7 ANMs observation,
yoga, TV, life skills classes (by a local NGO), medical
assistance, a vehicle to take the beneficiaries to the
Salur CHC/hospital for delivery. One attendant per
beneficiary can stay at the hostel with them throughout
the 2-3 months of their stay. Even their small children
are allowed to stay with them to encourage them to 87EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
come to the hostel. The ICDS supplies ration for the
lunch. The ICDS AWWs help in community mobilization
and particularly aim to convince high-risk cases to
come to the hostel. The AWW also accompanies the
pregnant women (with ASHA and ANM) to the hostel.
The ICDS Sector supervisors and CDPOs also visit the
beneficiaries.
Nutri TASC (Tracking of Accountability of
Services at Community)
A tool for name-based tracking of registered
beneficiaries under ICDS services has been developed
by the Department of Women Development and Child
Welfare, Government of Andhra Pradesh. The aim is
to ensure follow-up of pregnant women, lactating
mothers, children below one year and malnourished
children below five years for availing nutrition
services. The Nutri-TASC has been developed to track
maternal and child nutrition services; facilitate and
follow up health services; ensure close follow-up of
every high-risk pregnant women; ensure special care
and supervised feeding of malnourished children below
five years, adolescent girls and pregnant women.
9.1.2. Assam
Matri Amrit Ahar
Matriamrit aims to encourage institutional delivery.
It is introduced by an NGO (NEDSF) with support
from UNICEF and Department of Social Welfare in
five districts of Assam, namely Morigaon, Kamrup,
Barpeta, Goalpara and Darrang. Pregnant women in
last trimester are provided nutritious food like locally
available fruits, pulses etc. Information about care to
be taken during pregnancy is disseminated. AWWs and
other health functionaries counsel pregnant women
during this event.
Group Supervision in Difficult Areas
Given the complex geography of Assam, AWCs located
in these areas are not easily accessible for regular
supervision by Anganwadi Services functionaries
(Supervisors, CDPOs and DSWO). Group Supervision
was initiated to address this challenge. The objective
was to cover all the AWCs in difficult blocks/
areas for regular supervision and ensure effective
implementation of ICDS services.
9.1.3. Bihar
Aangan – App-Based Monitoring of AWCs
For effective monitoring of Anganwadis in Bihar, a
mobile app-based software – ‘Aangan’ – was developed.
This app was first initiated in 4000 Anganwadi centres
in Patna district, and was further escalated to
monitor 91677 Anganwadis in total in Bihar. This app
is developed for allied CDPOs and AWS (Anganwadi
Supervisors) for manual inspections and monitoring
of Anganwadi centers. This application facilitates
real time monitoring by uploading application and
details online which is further stored on a web
based served. This data can be further utilized by
several administrators and program related officers
to understand the intricacies. The online app-based
monitoring through mobile phones by AWS broadly
aims to bring transparency and accountability in the
system. Further, the app-based monitoring ensures
timely monitoring and inspections of AWCs with
its correct GPS coordinates. In addition, this also
provides flexibility to AWS to forward other relevant
information issues by uploading photographs and
other visual evidences. Higher level authorities could
get timely ground-level updates on interventions and
situation of AWCs. The application while working in
offline mode as well, avoids any delays pertaining
to internet and network problems. This app supports
Android smart phones with minimum 2 GB RAM.
9.1.4. Chhattisgarh
Sanskar Abhiyaan: Focusing on
Early Childhood Care and Education
A campaign - ‘Sanskar Abhiyaan’ was launched in
whole states to address the child hood care needs for
those between 3 to 6 years old and primarily focus
on preventing developmental delays among them.
This campaign includes capacity building, resource
development, environment creation, monitoring
mechanism and effective delivery components to
address holistic development of children i.e. physical,
cognitive, language, creative, social, early and
emergent literacy and early numeracy. As a result,
an outstanding public participation and successful
achievement of goals of the program was observed
in overall state. This was followed by development
of several ‘Vibrant ECD Centres’ with number of
advocacy sessions which led to massive increase in
awareness.
Vajan Tyohar: Generating data base of
Nutrition Status of Children
There was immediate requirement of a proper
mechanism for identifying the burden and magnitude
of undernutrition among children. To address this,
state wide ’VajanTyohar’ was organized for growth
assessment activities among children up to 5 years. 88EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
This was done mainly to identify underweight and
stunting prevalence among children. Furthermore,
active blood screening of out of school adolescent girls
(11-18 years) was done to assess the level of anemia.
Innovations under POSHAN Abhiyaan
1. Utilizing the platform of local media to reach-
out the tribal communities. Puppet show, Nukkad
Natak and Kala Jattha’s are organized to spread
the message of optimal nutrition and good
practices around hygiene of young children.
2. Haat Bazar Activities, often regarded as life line
of the tribal belt, are organized to educate and
sensitize community on EBF (Early Breastfeeding),
complementary feeding, hand washing and anemia
prevention.
3. Enhancing the reach of messages of POSHAN
Abhiyaan to communities. For this, multiple
POSHAN Raths were flagged off to spread messages
importance of first 1000 days, Poshtik Aahar, Hand
washing, Toilet Usage and Anemia prevention.
4. Celebrating local state festivals like kamar chatt,
Teeja Pola with integrating POSHAN messages with
a message ‘Har Tyohar POSHAN Tyohar’.
5. Organizing POSHAN Workshops, Seminars and
Debate competition to engage young adolescents
at school and community level to enhance their
awareness on anemia and its prevention.
Mahatari Jatan Yojana
In 2016, the Government of Chhattisgarh launched
an integrated maternal spot-feeding program known
as the Mahtaari Jatan Yojana (MJY). Spot feeding
of Hot Cooked Meal (HCM) along with ready-to-eat
mix distribution under MJY can improve maternal
nutrition. MJY has the following objectives:
1. Special care and support to pregnant women
2. Nutrition and health education
3. Full immunization services
4. IFA distribution and consumption
5. Precautions and safe practices for adoption during
pregnancy
6. Safe and institutional births related information
7. Information on various schemes coordinated by
the health or other departments
MJY provides a platform to deliver various health and
nutrition interventions by allowing increased contacts
and interaction between the pregnant women and
grass root level service providers including the
Anganwadi workers and ASHAs. The MJY coverage has
increased significantly since the launch of the scheme.
A nutritious meal for a pregnant mother contains
adequate energy, protein, vitamins and minerals to
meet the additional demands for maternal and foetal
growth and blood volume expansion. Under MJY, all
the pregnant women registered with the Anganwadi
Centres receive hot cooked meal every day for six
days in a week from first trimester till delivery along
with ready to eat take home ration.
The HCM comprises of two wheat-based flatbread
(50 gm), rice (100 gm), mix pulse preparation (25
gm), vegetable curry (30 gm), green leafy vegetable
preparation (80 gm), salad, pickle, papad etc. (130
Figure 9.1: MJY Aakarshak Thali (Nutritious Plate)
Source: Based on MJY guidelines, Government of Chhattisgarh 89EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
gm) and jaggery (10 gm). Overall, the HCM provides
914 Kcal and 21 gm protein and is prepared at a cost
of Rs. 9.50 per beneficiary. The HCM is prepared by
the Anganwadi Worker (AWW) and Helper (AWH). The
ingredients for the HCM are supplied through women
self-help groups (WSHGs). The food is provided in a
hygienic environment and with availability of clean
drinking water. Quality of the food served to the
pregnant women is ensured by the AWW and supporting
supervision by Anganwadi supervisors.
Phulwari Scheme
To eradicate undernutrition and malnutrition among
children of age 6 months to 3 years, the Government of
Chhattisgarh has launched “Phulwari Scheme”. Under
this scheme, the children will be allowed to stay in a
crèche for six to seven hours per day. During their stay,
they will be provided a cooked meal, snacks with high
protein and high energy mixture “sattu”. They will
also be provided boiled eggs and iron supplements,
twice in a week. Jan Swasthya Sahyog (JSS) a non-
profit organization for health professionals at Bilaspur,
Chhattisgarh has tied up with other organizations such
as Panchayat Raj Institutions and Integrated Child
Development Scheme (ICDS) Centres to implement
the “Phulwari Scheme”.
Phulwari is the first scheme in the nation which
has been opened with the help of Gram Panchayats
and Mitanins of Health Department in Chhattisgarh.
In Phulwari centres, no government employees or
workers have been appointed. Instead, mothers of the
children enrolled in Phulwari themselves attend the
children and serve meal to them in rotation.
9.1.5. Delhi
Creation of AWC Hubs
Anganwadi Hubs are centers where about three to four
Anganwadis have been combined in areas with high
residential density to give the look and feel of a play
school. With the combined resources of participating
Anganwadis, it was possible to rent relatively bigger
area with open space (or ground) for free play and
multiple rooms for age-wise segregation of children.
Other benefit of Hub centres are the synergies
created by combining the efforts of multiple workers
and helpers who function together as a team and
divide the work efficiently. Hubs are serving as a more
spacious and vibrant ECCE centres. In the pilot phase,
110 Anganwadi Hubs have been created by combining
about 390 Anganwadis.
Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee
Inspection of Delhi Anganwadis reflected a near
collapse of delivery systems. In fact, it was observed
that the Anganwadi centers were plagued with a
range of severe problems including rampant truancy,
fake beneficiary data, closed centers which barely
can be said as functional ones, poor quality of meals
and rooms without natural light and ventilation.
Given these observations, the situation seems to
be unmanageable. However, the sheer numbers of
Anganwadis in Delhi made official inspections and
supervision an onerous task.
Delhi Government’s policy of decentralization by
empowering citizens to expect better services from
the government and to partner with the government
to help improve these services, was the sought
intervention in Delhi Anganwadis. Anganwadi Support
and Monitoring Committee (ASMC) or Anganwadi
Samiti was notified whereby the local community and
families of beneficiaries are mobilized to volunteer
as committee members. Delhi Government placed an
advertisement in city newspapers seeking educated
housewives, social workers and general public to
apply for the voluntary positions.
Training of AWWs on Implementation of ECCE
A cascade model was worked out for maximum
coverage and high level of involvement of all
functionaries. In this model Supervisors and CDPOs go
through extensive ECCE training and also train to be
trainers. After which Supervisors, under the guidance
of their CDPOs, train their Workers. ECCE training
involves training in the new curriculum for Pre School
Education.
9.1.6. Gujarat
Doodh Sanjeevani Yojana
It is an initiative of State Government of Gujarat
to tackle malnourishment in three talukas of
Surendaranagar district. Under the Yojana, the
primary school children in these three districts will
get milk with their midday meal. Doodh Sanjeevani
Yojana was launched and implemented to improve the
nutrition level in children in tribal areas of central
and eastern Gujarat.
Micronutrient Fortified Extruded
Blended Food as THR
Initiative/best practices by State of Gujarat include
providing supplementary food as micronutrient 90EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
fortified extruded blended food as Take Home
Ration to all the children under 6 years, adolescent
girls, pregnant and lactating mothers. All registered
beneficiaries receive energy dense extruded fortified
blended Ready to Cook food Bal-Bhog, Sukhadi,
Sheera and Upma packets free of cost from their
respective AWCs. The cost sharing for Supplementary
nutrition program for Take Home ration given to the
beneficiaries at AWCs is 50:50 of GOI and GOG. Further,
State Government of Gujarat is providing energy
dense fortified supplementary nutrition to adolescent
girls fully funded by the State. All adolescent girls
from every AWC receives free of cost supplementary
nutrition.
Mata Yashoda Award
The Government of Gujarat has introduced Mata
Yashoda Award for Best Anganwadi Worker and Helper
Award Scheme which consists of various citation & cash
awards to strengthen the services & motivate AWW and
AWH in the state since 2007- 08 for exemplary work
done by them. The State level award for AWW and AWHs
is Rs. 51,000/- and Rs.31,000/- respectively; District
level is Rs. 31,000/- and Rs.21,000/- respectively.
Mobile Anganwadis
It is an innovative scheme of the Gujarat. A total of 36
Mobile Anganwadis have been started in all districts
of Gujarat State wherein, beneficiaries of NREGA
scheme, children of Agariya - migrant workers from
Balmandir - crèches facilities (6 months to 6 years),
pregnant women, nursing mothers and adolescent
girls are provided supplementary nutrition.
LPG Gas Connection, Stoves and Cooker for
Anganwadi Centres
In order for supplementary nutrition to be provided
every day at the Anganwadi Center and in order to
save the AWW and AWH from harmful exposure of the
smoke from chulha, Gujarat Government is providing
gas connection along with Stove and an idli cooker at
Third Meal
Third Meal as ‘Carry Away Meal’ in form of ladoo is given
to the moderate and severely underweight children of
3 - 6 years (yellow and orange zone according to New
WHO Child Growth Standard) for increasing Calorie
and Protein. Third meal would have shelf-life of at-
least two days so that child can consume at any time
after going home.
Intensive Nutrition Campaign Center (INCC)
In order to reduce the prevalence of Under-nutrition in
Gujarat, Department of Women and Child Development
have started Intensive Nutrition Campaign Center
(INCC) known as Ghanishth Poshan Abhiyaan. INCC
is a camp based approach of 30 working days which
is planned considering the prevalence of moderate
and severe underweight children in anganwadi
center. Total number of 7021 INCC centers have been
completed all over Gujarat in which 112841 children
have been admitted of which 51286 children has
shown improvement in their nutritional status. Total
budget for one INCC for 20 children for 30 days is Rs.
27000.
9.1.7. Rajasthan
Social Behaviour Change Strategy to Fight
Undernutrition
Department of Women and Child Development,
Government of Rajasthan has developed a SBCC
framework and strategy to improve mother and child
nutrition outcomes in the state. The Behaviour Change
strategy builds upon a life-cycle approach, synergising
health, nutrition, care and maternity protection
messaging across the first 1000 days, adolescence
and a multi-departmental convergence. The SBCC
interventions proposes a roadmap for multi- sectoral
responses to Behaviour Change through convergence
of ongoing programs within the state steered by other
departments such as Health, Rural Development,
Panchayati Raj, Education and Food and Civil Supplies.
Praveshotsav (Anganwadi Chalo Abhiyaan)
The Department of Women and Child Development,
Government of Rajasthan has taken various initiatives
in making AWCs first point of contact for all kind of
service delivery related to pre-school Education,
Health and Nutrition & Empowerment of Women.
Initiatives such as Praveshotsav, Toy Bank, Shikhshan
Samagri, Parinda, Community Participation etc. have
been taken towards this end.
Nanda Ghar Yojana
In order to increase the community participation in
Anganwadi Services, Government of Rajasthan has
initiated Nanda Ghar Yojana. It is encouraged to adopt
one or more AWCs for the period of five years. Support
may be provided in regard to repair of AWCs, Kitchen,
and construction of toilets, kitchen garden and
boundary wall. They may also support in providing SNP, 91EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
protein mix food, contributions of fruits, vegetables
to enrich quality of Supplementary Nutrition at AWCs.
The donors may like to provide piece of land as per
the standard requirements, bear entire expenditure
on construction of building and its boundary wall or
they may construct building boundary wall on the
piece of land provided by the Government.
Rajdharaa App
It is a mobile application which enables ICDS
functionaries to conduct real-time monitoring of AWCs
and submit their observations/feedback along with
the time, date and GPS stamp of the concerned AWC.
This application generates different kinds of reports
which help ICDS officials in planning and executing
their monitoring process. The monitored AWCs are
highlighted in red colour and green colour in this
mobile application as per their status. It also provides
project/block wise lists of AWCs, and the name and
contact numbers of AWWs, AWHs, and ASHAs.
9.1.8. Uttarakhand
Mukhyamantri Bal Poshan Abhiyaan
Under this state-level scheme, all the identified
undernourished and severely undernourished children
will be provided energy dense meals cooked from
regional food including Amaranth, corn, and black
soybeans. The identification of these energy-rich
ingredients is done in Pantnagar University. These
ingredients - which are rich in energy – are being
prepared by women in registered Self-Help Groups
(SHGs). This scheme aims to effectively escalate
reductions in the burden of Severe Acute malnutrition
in the state.
Spandan Kendra
Given the difficult geographical and spatial position
of the state, government has identified one AWC as
‘Spandan Kendra’ in every ten AWCs. These centres
will serve as exclusive spots to create awareness
regarding nutrition and diet-related information
among program beneficiaries. These centres are
also being developed as Information, education
and Communications (IEC) Centres. Along with this,
these centres will also communicate to beneficiaries
regarding the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.
Mukhyamantri Aanchal Amrit Yojana
Launched by state government, Mukhyamantri
Aanchal Amrit Yojana aims to reduce the burden of
undernutrition among children. Under this scheme,
children aged 3 to 6 years across all the AWCs in the
state will be provided with scented and flavoured
milk (or milk powder) by Dairy Federation, Haldwani
at least four times in a week.
9.1.9. Uttar Pradesh
Activity Calendar
In Uttar Pradesh, an activity-calendar based approach
is used to ensure timely delivery of services and
interventions by grass-root level workers. The AWWs
are supposed to follow activity calendar prepared by
official at the state level. This provides uniformity in
tasks and avoids any confusion pertaining to program
related activities. A sample monthly calendar
specifying daily activities to be performed by AWWs
is provided below. Date-wise specific activities are
mentioned such as meeting with state-, project- and
district-level officials on 1
st
, 2
nd
and 4
th
day of the
month. In addition, specific days for VHSND, Suposhan
Swasthya Melas, Annaprashan Diwas, and Laadli Diwas
are mentioneImportantly, it gives a before-hand
information and hence time to prepare for up-coming
activities at AWCs and to carry out tasks timely.
Smart Inventory Management System
Uttar Pradesh has developed a Smart Inventory
Management System (SIMS) to improve distribution
and monitoring of THR from procurement to last mile
delivery. There are several important steps in the work
flow design of SIMS which has to be implemented by
the ICDS officials and the NIC. The steps are designed
to improve the THR distribution and reduce leakages
through greater participation of stakeholders in the
distribution process.
Poshan Doot
In a given village, an elderly woman who has been
actively participating in the nutrition related
activities in the village is made the “Poshan Doot”.
She voluntarily visits homes of pregnant and lactating
woman, adolescent girls and young children and
provide health & nutrition related counselling to these
beneficiaries, thus spreading awareness among the
community. A significant change in such communities
was observed wherever such “Poshan doots” were
selected from within the community. 93EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
10.1. SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS
Launched on 02
nd
October, 1975, the Integrated
Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme – the
Anganwadi Services Scheme – is a principal symbol
of India’s commitment to its children and nursing
mothers. The scheme is designed as a response to
the fundamental challenges of child development
in terms of a) cognitive development through pre-
school non-formal education; b) physical growth
by liberating childhood from the vicious cycle of
malnutrition, morbidity, reduced cognitive capacity
and mortality. Despite decades of ICDS investments,
there is much to be attained in the sphere of child
development in India. As such, the institutional and
implementation mechanisms vary across states, and
therefore, it is critical to draw upon state experiences
to identify key constraints and major opportunities for
learning, impact and efficacy. With this motivation,
this evaluation entails a qualitative assessment of the
key processes, implementation structure, program
monitoring and the motivations and engagement
of the human resources under the ICDS scheme.
It also documents the beneficiary perception and
expectations with the key ICDS services. The main
findings of the evaluation are as follows:
10.1.1. ICDS Coverage
As per the NFHS 2015-16 survey, 59.6% of children
from rural areas and 40.2% of children from urban
areas are receiving at least one of the ICDS services.
The service utilization (any ICDS service) by mothers
during pregnancy is about 20% points higher for
rural areas (60.5%) than urban areas (38.8%). Even
while breastfeeding, a significant gap in utilization
pattern can be observed between rural (55.1%) and
urban (35.6%) settings. Among all the key services
under ICDS, service uptake for supplementary food
is highest for mothers during pregnancy both in rural
(57.4%) and urban households (36.4%) areas. Similarly,
supplementary food services are most popular among
children as well. On the contrary, the uptake for
health and nutrition education is lowest.
10.
SUMMARY AND ACTION POINTS
Across states, Chhattisgarh has the highest percentage
of mothers receiving ICDS benefits during pregnancy
both in rural (92.8%) as well as urban areas (73.8%).
Whereas, it was lowest in Nagaland (Rural: 11.3%;
Urban 4.5%) followed by Arunachal Pradesh (Rural:
15.9%; Urban 6.0%). The service utilization by children
is highest for Chandigarh (Rural: 100%; Urban 51.3%)
followed by West Bengal (Rural: 82.6%; Urban 54.9%)
and lowest in Arunachal Pradesh (Rural: 8.4%; Urban
7.7%). Service utilization by mothers in undernutrition
burdened states like Uttar Pradesh (Rural: 44.7%;
Urban 20.7%) and Bihar (Rural: 39.2%; Urban 30.8%)
is very low.
In rural areas, service uptake is relatively higher
among mothers from middle income groups. Whereas
estimates for urban areas reveal a clear socioeconomic
gradient in service utilization with higher utilization
among mothers (and children) from lower income
households. It is also noted that the likelihood of
continuum in service utilization is higher if mothers
have started receiving benefits during pregnancy.
10.1.2. Supplementary Nutrition
Program
As per the ICDS Program data, the estimated coverage
for supplementary nutrition program (SNP) in 2018-19
is 46% for children (aged 0-71 months) and 37% for
pregnant women & lactating mothers (PLM). Between
2014-15 and 2018-19, the SNP coverage among children
reduced by 15.1% (from 8.29 crores to 7.04 crores) and
among PLM reduced by 11.1% (from 1.93 crore to 1.72
crore). These reductions are mainly observed in Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh and indicate possible revisions of
beneficiary counts. Most of the north-eastern states
have reported beneficiary numbers which are more
or less equal to the entire child population aged 6-71
months. But the NFHS 2015-16 estimates reveal that
the coverage is much lower.
SNP lacks the necessary diversity and quality.
Beneficiary preferences for food items and taste vary
both between and within States. Demand for milk
and eggs under SNP is noted but cannot be sustained
because of low unit costs of SNP as per the ICDS norms. 94EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Some States provide dry ration whereas others supply
powdered mix under take-home ration (THR). The
distribution schedule also varies across States (from
weekly to monthly).
It is important to strike a balance between
decentralization of THR supplies and economies of
scale in providing quality THR. The quality standards
of THR mix is questionable because of complaints
such as impurities (pebbles, insects etc.). Widespread
perception and evidence that the THR is not consumed
as intended and often finds its way as cattle feed.
THR distribution is irregular and is severely affected
in flood prone areas due to storage and transportation
issues. Low unit cost of THR also implies lack of funds
for transportation, high risk premium (interests) and
low financial viability of suppliers. The THR unit cost
declines substantially once distribution-related costs
are accounted for. The THR distribution should be
transparent with community involvement in receipt
and verification of THR supplies at the AWCs.
10.1.3. Early Child Care and Education
There is increasing aspiration among parents to send
the children to pre-primary or nurseries with focus
on English language skills. Also, lack of clarity in
guidelines about the admission of 5-year-old children
in schools often means they lose out on supplementary
nutrition and/or elementary education as they have
to be put either in the AWC or the primary school.
Private nurseries and kindergartens are perceived to
be better than AWCs by beneficiaries. Parents also
send children to primary school at the age of 5, thus
cutting short their time at the AWC by a year or so.
The community lacks awareness about the role of an
AWC and the services offered by AWC. Moreover, the
AWCs have a perception of poor service delivery in
terms of SNP or PSE. The image of the AWC and the
AWW has low community recognition as an agency.
AWWs alone are not skilled enough to provide the
play-based, non-formal training required for children
aged 0-6 years. Even though there are course books
and toys now provided to the AWCs greater focus on
ECCE is critical.
There are several other concerns associated with the
ECE component. A large indoor and outdoor space is
advised by the guidelines, but this is almost never
available due to a lack of proper infrastructure. Many
AWCs, especially in urban areas, are cramped and
poorly ventilated. They do not have enough space for
the children to play and learn properly. Many AWCs do
not have equipment like swings, sand/water areas etc.
due to lack of space and/or funding. Separate interest
areas and activity corners are also not available in
most AWCs due to this lack of space. Modifications
to learning materials for children with special needs
were not observed in any of the AWCs.
10.1.4. Other ICDS Services
Immunization services are mostly performed during
VHSNDs. Even though AWWs and Supervisors make
regular home visits, conduct VHSNDs and plan
awareness activities, it is sometimes difficult to
physically reach beneficiaries residing in very remote
areas. Many peripheral programs are time-bound,
with the AWWs given deadlines to complete the tasks.
This means that they have to sacrifice time and effort
spent on nutrition and health education activities. In
case of health emergency or health care need, the
AWW advises the beneficiary to consult with the ANM
and ASHA. Nevertheless, there are problems in the
health check-ups and referral services mainly because
the AWWs are not seen as a clinical person. It would
be instead useful to club these three aspects into a
single domain of nutrition and health education and
counselling.
10.1.5. Beneficiary Aspirations
Beneficiaries have reasonable expectations regarding
quality of THR and menu diversity. In Chhattisgarh,
there is a higher demand for inclusion of chicken, fish,
milk, fruit and eggs as a part of the supplementary
nutrition. The quality of ECCE as well as infrastructure
of AWC has not evolved as per the development of
facilities in private sector schools and nurseries.
They also demand a proper toilet facility and electric
fans at the AWCs.
10.1.6. ICDS Infrastructure
In 2018-19, 86% and 69% of operational AWCs in India
reported availability of drinking water facility and
toilet facility, respectively. Availability of drinking
water facility is the lowest across Manipur (21%),
Arunachal Pradesh (29%) and Karnataka (54%). Eight
States/UTs, including Uttar Pradesh, report 100%
coverage of drinking water facility. Across 11 States/UTs
the availability is between 50% to 80%. Availability of
toilet facility at AWCs is much neglected aspect across
States/UTs. In Manipur, only 27% of the operational
AWCs report of having a toilet facility. 19 States/UTs
have less than 80% coverage of toilet facility.
In 2018-19, 43.5% of the AWCs were functioning from
government building, 26.6% from rented spaces,
17.8% from school, 5.3% from Gram Panchayats 95EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
whereas remaining 6.8% were functioning in other
community areas including open space. Between
2015-16 and 2018-19, there is a gradual increase in
the share of AWCs with own government buildings.
Over 90% of the AWCs in Arunachal Pradesh (mostly
Kutcha structures), Mizoram and Tripura are operating
from government buildings. In Jammu and Kashmir
and Delhi most of the AWCs are operating from rented
structures. In Uttar Pradesh about 60% of the AWCs
are operating in school premises. In Odisha, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Telangana, and Uttarakhand over 25% to
30% AWCS are functioning from schools. In Haryana
and Punjab about 20% to 25% AWCs are located within
GP building premises. In Meghalaya and Maharashtra,
7.9% and 3.6% of the AWCs, respectively, operate in
open community spaces.
Since there is often no space available in certain
neighbourhoods for the AWC, clustering is done
wherever space is found. However, this increases
distance for beneficiaries. Economic cost to the
beneficiaries is increased because of this clustering
and having to pay for transport to be able to access to
it. Poor rental norms and abysmal conditions of AWCs
in urban slums result in sub-par conditions for AWCs to
function in often cramped and improperly ventilated.
Proper office space is needed for the ICDS
functionaries; no vehicle available to them even when
they have 2-3 blocks under them, which are often far-
flung. They then have to hitchhike and this gives rise
to monitoring and safety issues in remote areas and
states like Assam. Training often happens out-of-state,
which leads to a lack of proper monitoring and quality
control. Distance is an issue for the functionaries to
travel for these trainings. Such training locations that
are out of state have implications for women workers
who are burdened by gendered responsibilities on
the home front, and lack the ability to negotiate new
spaces and mechanisms of reaching there.
The ICDS suffers from lack of administrative and
logistics structures in urban areas for AWCs. The
lack of identified space for functioning of AWCs is
due to lack of regulatory mechanisms on where and
how to set it up in urban areas. Inability therefore
to identify persons responsible for this is a major
concern although to some extent Urban Local Bodies
do facilitate but specific regulations are needed to
overcome this weakness of ICDS in urban areas.
Although, some urban areas have experimented with
Community Hub models for AWCs in Urban areas but
these requires guidelines for practices/provisions.
There is poor provisioning of basic facilities like
water, electricity, toilets, play yard, access roads.
Flood prone areas, seismic zones, temperature,
hilly and remote areas become harder to access and
deliver services in. In terms of digital infrastructure
and internet connectivity, poor connectivity in rural
areas also deters many other reporting requirements.
Accessibility is a big issue in tribal areas, with hilltops
and other hindrances making it difficult to travel to
and from the AWCs. Supervisors are unable to pay
visits to far-flung areas since they have no transport
of their own and also have concerns over their safety
in such remote areas.
It is important that the ICDS budgeting for AWC
construction should be sensitive to regional variations
– storage/animal infestations, hilly areas, flood
prone areas, child friendly houses. It should take
into account ecological aspects (earthquake proof
construction) and climatic conditions (extreme
winters etc) to develop model design (Room + Kitchen
+ Toilet + Playing Area). Meanwhile, the rental norms
should be informed based on local conditions and
desired quality of infrastructure.
10.1.7. ICDS Human Resources
As of 2018-19, 30.1% of sanctioned positions for CDPOs
and 27.7% of sanctioned positions for Supervisors
are vacant across the country. There are significant
inter-state variations. Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka and Jharkhand had more
than 40% of CDPO vacant sanctioned posts. In case
of Supervisors, West Bengal has large rate of 67% in
sanctioned positions. More than 40% of sanctioned
positions are vacant in Bihar, Tripura and Tamil Nadu. As
per the ICDS norms there should be one supervisor per
25 AWCs. This implies that either most of the workers
at the lower levels are working without supervision or
there is a lot of load on supervisors and CDPOs where
a large number of posts are vacant. Also, as of 2018-
19, 6.9% of sanctioned positions for AWWs and 7.6%
of sanctioned positions for AWHs were vacant across
the country. Bihar has a vacancy of 17.1% followed by
Maharashtra, Telangana and Delhi which had a vacancy
of more than 10% among sanctioned AWW positions.
With wide heterogeneities in AWW age and educational
background, there are several challenges in training
and capacity building efforts. Trainings are mostly
centralised with uniform syllabus and style rather
than innovating with local experiences and ground-
up approach. For instance, language barriers make
knowledge transfer harder as it might be difficult
to appropriately translate or find context-specific
examples for effective learning. Travelling is almost
necessary for all AWWs for attending these trainings 96EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
and consequently often quality control and monitoring
of sessions becomes difficult and trainings end up as
a formal exercise.
Existing staff is also overburdened with multiple
tasks over and above their core job chart (Aadhaar
work, various government schemes and campaigns,
mobilizing for Jan Andolan, election duty etc.)
This hardly permits the AWC supervisors and CDPOs
one visit to each AWC per month. The quality of
supervision thus suffers, and does not allow internal
communication and AWC development. Travelling is a
problem for the AWC supervisors in rural Assam and
tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh. Despite such difficult
geographical terrain there are limited provisions for
transportation allowances.
The AWWs are expected to work for about four and half
hours per day. Most of the AWWs work as per the norm
though sometimes trainings, meetings and other duties
increase the working hours. The AWWs, however, are
required to undertake diverse activities during this
period of 270 minutes. This has implications for time
allocation across activities. However, time allocation
of selected AWWs finds considerable imbalance in
terms of time allocation and program priority. It is
noted that the AWWs end up spending close to 90
minutes on record and register entries and allocates
much lower time on preschool education. The AWW
usually do not encounter cases for treatment or cases
of minor illness. The AWWs spent considerably less
time on home visits. In fact, considerable time is
spent on other activities such as meetings as well as
other unspecified (personal) tasks.
There is difficulty reported in adapting to the
digitization of reporting methods. Even after training,
older AWWs and/or the ones who are not formally
literate, find it difficult to understand and operate
smart phones. In fact, these AWWs have to depend
on someone from family/community to help them
every day with data entry. The ILA method is not as
effective due to reduced knowledge transfer at each
level. Refresher trainings need to be conducted more
often. Language is a barrier sometimes, especially
in remote/tribal projects. It is also suggested that
the AWWs require more training on ECCE. Some
administrative officials also perceive that the
ICDS does not seem to take any action or interest
in updating the training programs. The top-down
approach to training also means travelling and staying
in the district headquarters. This takes up a lot of
time and effort when AWWs have to go for training.
In their wake, the AWCs are run by AWHs who are not
trained for this job.
10.1.8. ICDS Financing and Budgetary
Allocations
The Central assistance for 2019-20 is Rs.1992779 lakh.
Out of which, Honoraria (47.0%), SNP (33.9%), and
salary (6.5%) jointly account for about 87.4% of the
total Central assistance. About 7.5 per cent of the
central assistance is allocated toward infrastructure
and rent. Infrastructure budget includes expenditure
on up gradation of AWCs, provision of drinking
water and toilet facility and construction of AWCs
under MGNREGA have received 4 per cent of total
expenditure. The expected budget comprising of both
Central assistance and proposed expenditure by State
is Rs.3317195 lakhs. It may be noted that the Centre-
State expected budget is estimated by combining the
Central assistance with minimum expected State/UTs
contribution as per the cost-sharing norms for salary,
Anganwadi service (General), SNP and infrastructure.
However, certain States may be allocating greater (or
less) than required normative budget for ICDS.
Budgetary allocations are inadequate vis-à-vis the
expectations and requirements of the state. Poor
utilization of infrastructure funds/training funds was
reported in the states visited. In many cases, the
budget is deemed adequate to maintain status quo,
but as we approach the grass root level, we see that
this is not the case. Rules, regulations and norms for
flow/release of funds for infrastructure development
need to be reviewed and streamlined. There is scope
for convergence with GPDP.
The APIP offers limited scope for innovations in
community outreach activities and even infrastructure
development. It is reasonable that within a broad
framework of ICDS objectives and priorities, the States
should be provided flexibility to plan and implement
state specific action plans. The state PIP would spell out
the strategies and activities as well as the budgetary
requirements to achieve the outputs and outcomes.
This will have the advantage of strengthening local
planning at the district level and below.
ICDS has developed various formats for submission of
utilization certificate and statement of expenditure.
However, the state-level financial management
reports, formats and procedures can be developed for
uniformity. ICDS Financial Management Group (FMG)
should be effective across States to for planning,
budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, internal
controls including internal audit, external audit,
procurement, disbursement of funds and monitoring
the physical and financial performance of the
program, with the main aim of managing resources
efficiently and achieving pre-determined objectives. 97EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
The CAG audit (2012) noted that failure of the
program other than lack of co-ordination is the
inability to use the funds, especially, to recruit the
functionaries who could ensure smooth functioning
of the program. There are problems in utilization of
flexi-funds, shortfall in expenditure on SNP and low
average daily expenditure per beneficiary on SNP. The
actual expenditure on salary of ICDS functionaries is
very high which leaves very meager amount for other
key components. Also, the fund meant for ICDS is
being parked in activities such as civil deposits and
personal ledger, which are not permitted under the
program. The monitoring and assessment of services
under the SNP and PSE is not adequate and has led to
lapses in successful implementation of the scheme.
The AWWs usually devote more than 4 hours working
for the AWC activities. It is important to review the TA/
DA norms for various functionaries to attend trainings
and meeting. These should be timely released as often
reimbursements (transport, minor repairs in AWC)
take many months to reach the AWWs, which leads
to them having to borrow money/continue spending
out of their own pocket AWC. Gap in salaries of the
regular and contractual CDPOs or AW Supervisors is a
source of discontent. Providing performance grant to
AWWs is an appreciated idea and can be linked to AWC
indicators/Project indicators.
Completeness and digitization of the identification
records of ICDS scheme employees and workers
including the Anganwadi Workers and Helpers is
necessary to improve transparency and knowledge
about placements, transfer postings and facilitate
timely communication of office orders. These are
also necessary to ease financial payments (salaries,
honoraria, and incentives). Use of PFMS should
be universal for payments. All the States / UTs are
recommended to develop digital records to facilitate
systematic programmatic reviews and monitoring of
staff.
10.1.9. Governance Issues and Gaps
Convergence action plans are developed and executed
across States and Districts. But despite consensus on
needs and priorities, resource constraints emerge as
a significant barrier for convergence. The resources
are both financial as well as non-financial including
human resource (technical or managerial) and can be
experienced at each of the vertical layers. Finally,
variations in capacities at each level decelerate the
progress and even dilute the impact of convergence
initiatives. These capacities are reflected in gaps
in planning and logistics at the highest levels to
elementary aspects such as variations in training and
implementation capacities across line departments
and grass-root level functionaries.
Three models of THR production and distribution
exist across India: Centralized Production Facilities,
Decentralized Production Facilities and Decentralized
Self-Help Groups. In the Centralized Production
Facility model, one production facility is contracted
to produce and distribute THR for an entire state.
In the Decentralized Production Facility model,
producers are typically contracted to produce THR
for AWCs across multiple communities or at the Block
level. In the Decentralized Self-Help Group model,
SHGs are contracted to provide THR typically to only
one or two AWCs per SHG. It is noted that all steps
of THR production, distribution and payments should
be monitored through a logistics monitoring and
information system. The THR production should meet
minimum technical qualifications to ensure quality
control.
The formation of ICDS society is of relevance to
expedite the flow of funds for ICDS activities. The
ICDS does not have a Society at the State and District
level. This is unlike National Health Mission (NHM)
which has established both State Health Society and
District Health Society as vertical support structures
for different national and state health programs.
Through this arrangement the DHSs can manage
both treasury and non-treasury sources of funds.
There is no flexibility in terms of fund transfer and
expenditure which causes delays in procedures and
implementation. Formation of ICDS society can also
expedite issues related to appointment of contractual
staff for the activities.
Similar to MGNREGA, the ICDS also has a huge
beneficiary base and large-scale investment for
provisioning of SNP. With repeated claims of poor
coverage and low quality of SNP supplies it is important
for ICDS to establish a social audit mechanism. Some
States have formed Community-level AWC Committees
with a similar mandate. For instance, ICDS Delhi
has constituted Anganwadi Support and Monitoring
Committee (ASMC). ICDS Assam has formed Mother’s
Support Group or Matri Sahayak Gut. The ICDS can
strengthen such existing initiatives by developing
social audit guidelines and procedures.
Performance-based incentive is an important
approach to motivate employees to work productively
and achieve desirable goals and objectives. The
performance-based incentive can be linked to
individual performance on selected set of indicators.
The AWWs are offered honorarium for delivery of key 98EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
ICDS services. However, they can be motivated with
performance-based incentives to complete certain
tasks and achieve targets that are helpful for coverage
or quality improvement of the ICDS. The Government
of Uttar Pradesh has launched a Performance based
incentive program for AWWs.
Although the central WCD website had information
on the contact details of all AWCs and the projects,
most regional websites lack this information. The
ICDS websites of all Indian states were not regularly
updated with on-going and upcoming events and
notifications. Some websites displayed information
regarding the ICDS objective, guidelines, and different
benefits of the scheme but had limited information on
access to different related portals or location related
information of AWCs and ICDS offices. Success stories
of each state are also not available or updated for
facilitating replicat
In recent years, there has been increasing focus
and attention on nutrition and nutrition-related
sectors such as water, sanitation etc. National and
international developmental agencies and partners
have contributed toward improving the strategies
and coverage of nutrition interventions with greater
involvement of community to improve awareness,
following of IYCF practices and timely health care
seeking. The ICDS should identify priority areas for
funding support or technical engagement of such
development partner or CSR initiatives.
The AWWs have to maintain a set of 11 registers which
has to regularly up-dated and reported to support
program monitoring. The AWWs have to also fill up
monthly and annual reporting forms. The reporting and
record maintenance can be cumbersome, particularly
when AWWs are being involved in increasing number of
community-based events and activities. In this regard,
the ICDS should consider reviewing and reducing the
reporting requirements from AWWs.
Performance grants are definitely an appreciated
idea among the functionaries; it can be linked to AWC
indicators / Project indicators to motivate them on a
collective platform. Career trajectories should also be
considered for these incentives. Issues like pensions,
health insurance and other benefits were also brought
up by the functionaries interviewed.
The Annual Program Implementation Plan (APIP) of
ICDS is limited to few aspects that are covered under
the program. Unlike NHM, ICDS has not demonstrated
any expansion in the scope and nature of activities.
For instance, the concept of untied fund under NHM
for various public health facilities is well defined
and implemented. Whereas, ICDS has not developed
adequate provisions for such untied fund or specific
line items to strengthen technical support for the
program. Low emphasis and resource allocation for
infrastructure strengthening (including facilities for
learning component) has remained a key weakness of
the ICDS. The ICDS should further streamline financial
reporting formats. The ICDS lacks initiatives to spell
out adequate standards and norms for infrastructure
upgradation at all levels. Training infrastructure is also
an area deserving greater policy focus under ICDS. The
ICDS-CAS is in its infancy and suffers from logistical as
well as capacity perspectives. Unlike HMIS, ICDS does
not facilitate quick review of program indicators at
district, state or national level. There is an urgent
need to upgrade the data reporting infrastructure and
human resources under ICDS.
Gram Panchayats can have considerable leverage in
strengthening the AWC infrastructure through liaison
with various departments and the scope for availing
funds through Gram Panchayat Development Plans.
The Convergence Action Plan can emphasise on such
possibilities and explore opportunities for pooling
funds to enhance rural development and well-being.
Social Audit is an important and successful feature of
the MGNREGA. This can be adopted within the ICDS as
well, which can help institute some accountability and
quality assurance in the SNP delivered at the AWCs.
The ICDS-CAS thus has dual advantage and serves
both AWW as well as the ICDS monitoring staff. Since
ICDS-CAS has an individual focus, the data entry
requirements are large. In comparison, the NHM-
HMIS is utilized mainly for program review and course
correction. The NHM HMIS has witnessed significant IT
investments over the last 10 years and has emerged as
a successful pan-India network for key indicators on
public health system and services. The ICDS-CAS would
require substantial IT investments to create such
broad-based IT infrastructure and human resources
to make ICDS-CAS a tool for program monitoring and
review.
As per Article 244 of the Constitution of India, the
6
th
Schedule deals with the administration of the
tribal areas in the four north-eastern states of Assam,
Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The Autonomous
District Councils (ADCs) under the Sixth Schedule
have authority over various legislative subjects
and are entitled to receive grants-in-aid from the
Consolidated Fund of India to meet development
expenditure on education, health care, education,
roads etc. The autonomy is expected to offer greater
opportunity for economic development and ethnic 99EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
well-being. However, they lack financial autonomy as
these ADCs significantly depend on state governments
for developmental funds and for decisions regarding
undertaking of developmental activities. In Assam, we
observed autonomy issues hinder ICDS functioning and
implementation in the area.
10.2. KEY ACTION POINTS
Supplementary Nutrition Program
1. Revise the ICDS dietary norms to consider dietary
diversity to include food groups such as eggs,
fruit, milk and milk products
2. Revise the ICDS financial norms to include the
dietary diversity requirements
3. Specialized training to AWW and AWH to manage
the dietary diversity requirements
4. Ensure separation of dietary variants to enable
dietary integration at user level
5. AWW and AWH should be compensated for the
additional work and time requirements due to hot
cooked meal (HCM) for pregnant women
6. Change the timing of distribution of THR to a
weekly basis where it is currently not. Plan fixed-
day and fixed-time schedule for distribution
7. Provide THR to all identified undernourished
beneficiaries (children as well as pregnant or
lactating women) either at AWCs or through home
visits
8. A logistic management and information system
(LMIS) should be developed for ICDS to track both
receipt at AWC and the last mile THR delivery to
beneficiaries
9. The level of decentralization and contract should
be based on technical requirements for THR
production and quality checks. The THR should
adhere to standard packaging and labelling
practices along with barcoding and display of
mandatory information about nutritional content
10. A separate budgetary allocation for transportation
costs of THR based on regions and geographies
should be made
11. The ICDS should invest in capacity building of
institutions for nutrition research to obtain vital
policy insights on programmatic concerns
12. Improve identification of program beneficiaries
and develop digital record of ICDS beneficiaries
for streamlining budgeting and planning
Early Child Development and Pre-School
Education
13. Revise the ICDS financial norms to include the pre-
school education requirements including learning
materials as well as training and capacity building
of AWC staff
14. Develop a pre-school certification program to
link AWC’s pre-school component to primary
schools using inter-departmental convergence
mechanisms
15. ICDS should aim for co-location of AWCs with
primary schools for greater local level convergence
16. Devise strategies to cover children below 3 years
under the early childhood care and education
component.
17. Counselling material and guidelines should be
developed to focus on psycho-social development
of children below 3 years
18. Develop capacities of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs)
for ECCD component through trainings and
capacity building workshops
19. ICDS should seek a teacher for the pre-school
component in convergence mode through funding
support from Panchayati Raj or Education
department
20. The ICDS guidelines should be revised to allow for
AWCs hubs by combining 3-4 AWCs in areas with
high population density, such as urban areas
Basic Infrastructure facilities
21. Universal coverage of drinking water supply, toilet
facilities and electricity connection at all AWCs
and mini-AWCs
22. Revise the ICDS financial norms for infrastructure
upgradation. Seek support of developmental
partners for construction and refurbishments.
23. Monitor and document through ICDS-MPR the
availability of basic infrastructure at AWC such
as drinking water supply, toilet facilities and
electricity connection
24. Integrate physical reporting form AWCs to digital
reporting at block level for ICDS-CAS mechanism
25. Provide mobile internet connectivity charges
to support ICDS CAS reporting. Ensure mobile
portability and offline data entry features in CAS.
26. Develop the ICDS websites of States/UTs to
provide mandatory disclosures including MPR
indicators as well as geo-spatial location of AWCs
and ICDS offices. Highlight success stories of each 100EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
state through the website to allow for replication
elsewhere.
27. The financial norms for AWC construction should
be sensitive to regional variations in storage/
animal infestations/hilly terrain/flood prone
areas and child friendly spaces
28. Provide playing area or yard for physical activities
and games for children
Human Resources
29. Complete digital records of ICDS functionaries for
identification, performance reviews, monitoring
plan and timely release of payments through
digital financial management system
30. Provide for performance-based incentives
for achievement of target indicators through
measurement and monitoring to AWCs on a sharing
basis with beneficiaries
31. Authorize DM/DC in all States (and not merely in
aspirational districts) for recruitment of CDPOs
from existing AWCs with appropriate experience
and AWC supervisors from AWWs through special
drives
32. Develop mechanisms to expedite recruitment of
key ICDS functionaries through ICDS society or via
Departmental recruitment board. Also review the
progress of Departmental Promotion Committees.
33. Training and capacity building of AWWs/AWHs for
meals preparation and nutrition counselling to
improve quality and diversity
34. Training programs should adhere to minimum
technical (including computers and projectors)
and space requirements for training venue
35. Devise tools and apps to assist monitoring by ICDS
functionaries (including supervisors, block and
district level officials)
Financing Aspects
36. Increase the ICDS budget to allow for dietary
diversity, infrastructural requirements and
maintenance. APIP should develop line items for
SNP sub-components including transport.
37. Devise interest-based penalties and compensation
for delays in release of Central or State share
toward ICDS program liabilities including salary
disbursals
38. Increase allocation for improvements in pre-
school education kits for locally relevant playing
and learning materials
39. The financial guidelines for APIP development
should be expanded to allow for increasing the
scope of the line items to encourage innovations in
service delivery with a flexi-fund for sub-schemes
40. ICDS policy should be revised to allow for an ICDS
society at the state and district level along the
lines of the NHM to expedite the flow of funds for
ICDS activities
41. Provide incentives to AWW to follow up on NRC
rehabilitated children to prevent relapse of SAM
and MAM children
42. Provide incentives to AWW and AWH for
achievement of immunization coverage and
performance on other micronutrients coverage
such as Anemia or Vitamin A
43. Provide incentives for Aadhar information seeding
of beneficiaries and regular anthropometric
measurements. Incentivize home visits for these
purposes
Convergence Issues
44. Allow state level authorities to develop guidelines
and protocols for utilization of CAP platform at
state level to address all state level issues
45. Enable CAP committees to develop guidelines for
social audit of ICDS through MGNREGA or VHSNC
audit mechanisms or ICDS based AWC monitoring
committees
46. Review and revise the number of registers to be
maintained by ICDS functionaries by reducing
those directly related to health services such
as immunization and referrals. Alternatively,
these services may be incentivized for improving
coverage and effectiveness
47. Plan media and community level engagements to
promote ICDS services and receive feedback for
scheme improvements
48. Seek convergence with municipal corporations/
councils in urban areas to facilitate AWC and
school co-location as well as utilities provision
and maintenance
49. ICDS should establish CRM and JRM along the lines
of NHM for review of ICDS. To do so, it should
partner with academic institutions to ensure
independence of the review processes. Annual
CRM and JRM reports should be made available in
public domain
50. Set up an Expert Committee on the status of ICDS
service delivery in 6
th
Schedule Areas 101EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
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(1308). 33-45. 103EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
States 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19% Share (2018-19)
Andhra Pradesh 2382866 2631659 2575806 2361549 2264402 3.22
Arunachal Pradesh 222956 226323 206669 189060 189060 0.27
Assam3310885 3310885 3310885 3562673 3030677 4.31
Bihar9967439 9892618 9892618 4940640 5969856 8.48
Chhattisgarh 2055307 2055307 1963485 2013902 2216000 3.15
Goa57419 58719 57584 56630 52996 0.08
Gujarat3185697 3269470 3141989 3104693 3104693 4.41
Haryana1105095 996751 924226 883607 839339 1.19
Himachal Pradesh 458955 449511 449087 427449 398112 0.57
Jammu & Kashmir 295039 295039 845074 731676 798450 1.13
Jharkhand2840711 2961485 3180362 2634116 2744555 3.90
Karnataka3997286 3997286 3997286 4036695 3948737 5.61
Kerala856427 874831 699638 747654 815494 1.16
Madhya Pradesh 5935835 5526328 6291588 6607796 6571443 9.34
Maharashtra5983249 5940882 5585804 5312961 5196154 7.38
Manipur355176 355176 355176 340984 340984 0.48
Meghalaya440399 468579 476923 489738 454119 0.65
Mizoram77974 109179 80360 155222 155222 0.22
Nagaland302940 292059 289575 287537 278810 0.40
Odisha3872777 3823385 3823385 3918422 3918422 5.57
Punjab937773 945504 888728 671496 671496 0.95
Rajasthan2868934 2781462 2744718 2616106 2667157 3.79
Sikkim23288 25316 25316 30500 24500 0.03
Tamil Nadu2452140 2452506 2448525 2394243 2440152 3.47
Telangana1691079 1574455 1518128 1457408 1500000 2.13
Tripura299116 299116 314957 344859 332353 0.47
Uttar Pradesh 18445336 19126779 16043369 14334752 12392606 17.61
Uttarakhand632102 684721 663207 607332 597062 0.85
West Bengal6871904 6631338 6462646 6117637 5911318 8.40
A & N Islands12550 12781 12065 10568 9591 0.01
Chandigarh55806 53188 50770 47506 48547 0.07
Delhi846467 697158 697158 451407 437046 0.62
Dadra & N Haveli 19725 19379 19008 19363 19363 0.03
Daman & Diu6308 6308 6308 5150 5150 0.01
Lakshadweep4652 4652 4652 3450 3450 0.00
Puducherry27812 28781 26398 26936 26806 0.04
All India 82899424 82878916 80073473 71941717 70374122 100.00
A1.
ANNEXURE 1: SUPPLEMENTARY TABLES
Table S1: Number of SNP beneficiaries (children, 6 months to 6 years), 2014-15 to 2018-19
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS Data 104EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
States 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19% Share (2018-19)
Andhra Pradesh 805143 728068 724841 611035 654975 3.81
Telangana466985 419525 385044 362781 400000 2.33
Arunachal Pradesh 30233 29757 26112 24517 24517 0.14
Assam691237 691237 691237 683549 594296 3.46
Bihar1716981 1662181 1662181 1163378 1404672 8.17
Chhattisgarh493718 493718 453704 455626 493800 2.87
Goa15909 15853 16077 15050 14637 0.09
Gujarat757219 809268 754890 744902 744902 4.33
Haryana316855 287802 277457 263976 263553 1.53
Himachal Pradesh 102728 101161 100913 97867 96365 0.56
Jammu & Kashmir 92021 92021 102464 133140 159609 0.93
Jharkhand706032 660264 798312 758842 718337 4.18
Karnataka993802 993802 993802 1055470 895465 5.21
Kerala159801 162595 188560 259178 304349 1.77
Madhya Pradesh 1340084 1470362 1402205 1443235 1426266 8.30
Maharashtra1126895 1105541 997423 1004602 961743 5.60
Manipur75010 75010 75010 67208 67208 0.39
Meghalaya78538 86292 81896 82802 73879 0.43
Mizoram20313 24388 20530 28150 28150 0.16
Nagaland62508 56514 49441 46165 34366 0.20
Odisha793324 785918 785918 725129 725129 4.22
Punjab261844 259331 243014 186289 186289 1.08
Rajasthan892369 881413 871058 866794 875613 5.09
Sikkim4441 5396 5396 6000 5800 0.03
Tamil Nadu670337 655427 667409 665067 732488 4.26
Tripura77264 77264 67804 71074 69304 0.40
Uttar Pradesh 4853101 4934881 4186266 3882027 3548330 20.65
Uttarakhand162684 181738 179248 169495 177003 1.03
West Bengal1374924 1333887 1289849 1320684 1366355 7.95
A & N Islands3277 3157 2806 2621 2375 0.01
Chandigarh10415 8323 8732 7653 7231 0.04
Delhi162462 144362 144362 115543 114264 0.66
Dadra & N Haveli 3177 3209 2998 3523 3523 0.02
Daman & Diu1103 1103 1103 1451 1451 0.01
Lakshadweep1666 1666 1666 1148 1148 0.01
Puducherry9205 9934 9189 9245 9157 0.05
All India 19333605 19252368 18268917 17335216 17186549 100.00
Table S2: Number of SNP beneficiaries (pregnant and lactating women), 2014-15 to 2018-19
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS Data 105EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
States 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19% Share (2018-19)
Andhra Pradesh 941753 952957 956881 864685 855131 2.83
Telangana639138 320435 681911 665194 639373 2.12
Arunachal Pradesh 113011 113933 103884 96623 96623 0.32
Assam1801441 1801441 1801441 1888756 1569370 5.20
Bihar2416088 2331123 2331123 2681885 2681885 8.88
Chhattisgarh880233 880233 801953 854260 772690 2.56
Goa20917 21226 20095 19690 16763 0.06
Gujarat1580094 1505347 1430720 1443193 1443193 4.78
Haryana398895 353511 318160 291548 268189 0.89
Himachal Pradesh 149861 139275 138406 128168 102703 0.34
Jammu & Kashmir 300126 300126 300126 439005 262336 0.87
Jharkhand1247550 1234533 1234533 1234533 1234533 4.09
Karnataka1760253 1760253 1760253 1518127 1518127 5.03
Kerala444283 442838 342843 386035 380920 1.26
Madhya Pradesh 3029398 3104200 2904788 3696416 3547742 11.75
Maharashtra2822502 2823063 2780859 2552687 2531845 8.39
Manipur179522 179522 179522 177583 177583 0.59
Meghalaya187563 205476 211773 218986 192624 0.64
Mizoram934907 872588 872588 56334 56334 0.19
Nagaland140325 146396 144060 144241 144209 0.48
Odisha1535738 1549474 1549474 2047340 2047340 6.78
Punjab391036 376458 354587 275968 275968 0.91
Rajasthan1088980 968244 987811 967701 971413 3.22
Sikkim11671 11487 11487 12500 12500 0.04
Tamil Nadu1108348 1019285 1104546 632304 1102356 3.65
Tripura152204 152204 159952 189854 171907 0.57
Uttar Pradesh 8309581 7681641 6811940 5852814 4057703 13.44
Uttarakhand230615 217971 201010 181925 157706 0.52
West Bengal3325069 3256562 3244627 2889710 2723302 9.02
A & N Islands3882 3973 3557 2791 2168 0.01
Chandigarh29285 29052 27699 25809 26906 0.09
Delhi351177 262732 262732 139298 134234 0.44
Dadra & N Haveli 10621 10107 10165 10475 10475 0.03
Daman & Diu2643 2643 2643 2388 2388 0.01
Lakshadweep2292 2292 2292 843 843 0.00
Puducherry2994 2285 1862 2197 2596 0.01
All India 36543996 35034886 34052303 32591866 30191978 100.00
Table S3: Number of pre-school education beneficiaries (3 years to 6 years), 2014-15 to 2018-19
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS Data 106EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Source: Estimates based on MoWCD ICDS Data
Table S4: Availability of drinking water and toilet facility across States/UTs, 2015-16 to 2018-19
States / UTs
Drinking Water FacilityToilet Facility
2015-16 2018-19 Change 2015-16 2018-19 Change
Andhra Pradesh 43.2 68.2 25.0 37.3 60.2 22.9
Arunachal Pradesh 29.4 28.5 -0.9 50.5 48.9 -1.6
Assam62.9 62.9 0.0 47.2 47.2 0.0
Bihar20.5 90.9 70.4 35.9 57.8 21.9
Chhattisgarh 33.1 79.6 46.5 42.1 65.3 23.3
Goa88.0 98.4 10.4 53.3 62.4 9.2
Gujarat96.4 98.4 1.9 64.0 95.3 31.3
Haryana46.3 78.8 32.6 64.3 90.1 25.8
Himachal Pradesh 86.8 100.0 13.2 88.2 97.1 8.9
Jammu & Kashmir 44.1 79.4 35.3 44.1 44.2 0.0
Jharkhand66.1 66.1 0.0 30.4 73.7 43.3
Karnataka39.6 53.7 14.2 54.6 58.3 3.7
Kerala66.0 85.5 19.5 76.5 95.6 19.1
Madhya Pradesh 93.8 98.3 4.5 47.2 83.5 36.3
Maharashtra54.8 94.3 39.5 54.1 53.1 -1.0
Manipur24.5 21.0 -3.5 31.5 27.1 -4.5
Meghalaya78.3 77.9 -0.4 73.4 73.0 -0.4
Mizoram75.2 88.6 13.4 79.9 97.7 17.9
Nagaland100.0 86.8 -13.2 100.0 86.8 -13.2
Odisha99.4 97.6 -1.8 46.0 52.6 6.6
Punjab100.0 98.9 -1.1 68.0 80.9 13.0
Rajasthan51.0 78.8 27.8 26.3 55.9 29.6
Sikkim71.5 98.9 27.4 83.6 98.9 15.3
Tamil Nadu82.3 91.9 9.6 76.4 87.5 11.2
Telangana40.2 99.5 59.3 21.3 51.4 30.1
Tripura87.7 94.2 6.5 81.4 81.4 0.0
Uttar Pradesh 99.7 99.7 0.0 71.8 71.8 0.0
Uttarakhand29.3 73.6 44.2 65.7 72.7 7.0
West Bengal55.3 77.7 22.4 45.1 85.4 40.3
A & N Islands 69.2 99.9 30.7 57.5 76.7 19.2
Chandigarh100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 100.0 0.0
D & N Haveli 88.7 100.0 11.3 48.7 100.0 51.3
Daman &Diu90.7 94.4 3.7 87.9 94.4 6.5
Delhi60.6 99.6 39.0 90.9 98.3 7.4
Lakshadweep 100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 100.0 0.0
Puducherry92.2 92.2 0.0 78.8 78.8 0.0
Total65.7 85.7 19.9 52.8 68.9 16.1 107EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
State Majority model Producer THR product
A & N Islands SHG Khichdi
Andhra Pradesh Centralized
(public) facility
Telangana Foods (Public
centralized facility)
Balamrutham (Weaning Food), Eggs
Arunachal Centralized
(private) facility
Private manufacturer Cereal based weaning food, Kheer, Soya
base fortified biscuits.
Assam NGOs Rice, White Peas
BiharAt AWCs by AWHs Rice, Pulse, Soya Chunk, Egg
ChandigarhSHG Weaning foods
ChattisgarhSHG
D & N HaveliAWC Hot cooked meals
Daman & Diu Centralized
(private) facility
Private Agency‘Swabhiman’ scheme, 7.5 kg of ration.
Delhi SHG Panjiri , Weaning Food
GoaCentralized
(private) facility
Private Agency (supply of
food grains is done by Dept.
of WCD)
Dry Fruit grain, jaggery, Gram dal, Rice,
Salt, ghee watana, green & black chick
peas, ragi
GujaratGujarat Cooperative Milk Mkt
Fed
Ready to Eat Balbhog
Haryana Centralized
(public) facility
State Govt. Micronutrient
fortified
Fortified Panjiri, Bharva Prantha, Meetha
Dalia, Aloo Purii, Meetha Chawal, Pulao &
Gulgule/Saviea
Himachal PradeshCentralized
(private) facility
Private Agency (HP Coop. Milk
Producer Ltd, HP Civil Supplies
Corp & ALMSCs)
Foritifed Panjiri, Rice Pularo, Fottified
Biscuit, Sweet Dalia
Jammu & KashmirCentralized
(private) facility
Private Agencies Cooked Rice
Jharkhand Centralized
(private) facility
Private AgencyFortified Panjiri Food, Khichdi, Sweet and
Salty Upma
KarnatakaMahila Supplementary
Nutrition Production &
Training centre
Nutrimix Powder (Ragi/Wheat/Rice,
Jaggery, G.nut, Green Gram, Bengal
Gram,) Milk Powder
Kerala Decentralized
production
facilities
SHG (Kudumbashree Mission)THR – Amrutham Nutrimix for children
(6-36 months)
LakshadweepPanchayat Department Prepared from (RTE- Rice, Green gram,
bengal grams)
Madhya Pradesh Centralized
(public) facility
MP State Agro Industries
Devp. Corp. Ltd. (GoMP)
Bal Aahar-Mixture of wheat soyabean,
channa, makka aata, sugar, soya oil Khichdi
mix, instant Soya barfi/ laddu mix
MaharastraSHGs Balahar, upma, Sukhadi, Sheera, Sevai
Manipur Centralized
(private) facility
Manufacturer Supplementary Weaning food, Sangam
Kheer
Table S5: THR production and distribution models 108EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
State Majority model Producer THR product
Meghalya Centralized
(private) facility
ManufacturerFortified Atta, cereal based weaning food,
Pulse, based RTE, Suji Halwa RTE
Mizoram Centralized
(private) facility
Private Agency RTE- Milk Cereals, Energy dense fortified
foods
NagalandNGOs Ready to cook food
Odisha Decentralized
production
facilities
SHG consortiumsChatua- wheat, Bengal gram, kalla channa,
G.nut, sugar, rasi laddu
Puducherry Centralized
(private) facility
Private agencyMicro nutrient Fortified Food supplements
Punjab Centralized
(public) facility
State Coop. Milk Producer
Federation Ltd.
Panjiri
Rajasthan Decentralized
SHG
SHGsBaby mix (Cereal Pulse Based , Weaning
Food)
Sikkim Centralized
(public) facility
Govt. Run EFPP Plant In powdered form, Ready to Eat (Paushtik
Aahar-Cereal Pulse based Micronutrient
Fortified)
Tamil Nadu SHGsComplementary food- Sathumavu (Amylase
rich Weaning Food)
Telangana Centralized
(public) facility
Telangana Food, Hyderabad
(Govt)
Balamrutham -powder consists of roasted
wheat , Bengal Gram, Milk powder, Eggs,
Sugar & oil
TripuraSHGRow Rice, Row Masoor Dal, Row Eggs and
Row Soyabean
Uttar Pradesh Centralized
(private) facility
Private AgencyMicronutrient Fortified weaning food,
Meetha & Namkeen Dalia, Laddu premixes
UttarakhandSHGsDalia, Suji, Daal, Cholai, Mungfali dana,
Bhuna Channa, Jaggery, Chura
West BengalSHGPaustik Powder/Paustik Laddu
Source: Flanagan, K. F., Soe-Lin, S., Hecht, R. M., & Schwarz, R.K. (2018). THR Production and Distribution Models- Challenges and
Opportunities for Improvement. Policy Brief 4. Pharos Global Health Advisors 109EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
A2.
ANNEXURE 2: STATE-SPECIFIC
ISSUES, BEST PRACTICES AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
ANDHRA PRADESH
Issues
Balamrutham is the pre-mix which is not universally
appealing. Further, taste changes when the food
grows cold.
Low attendance in urban areas due to lack of
quality services.
Hilltop and tribal areas have accessibility issues;
Supervisors find it tough to reach, often having to
make the journey on foot.
NutriTask app has issues with interface, uploading
etc. Apps often get deleted from the AWWs phones
and they have to go down to the Sector office to
get them restored.
Sometimes training becomes difficult for AWWs,
who are not formally literate in certain areas,
major difficulty arises in tribal regions where
spoken language is also different.
Field Functionaries and Administrative officials
are burdened with additional responsibilities
which effect their overall performance.
Severe shortage of staff such as Block Project
Assistants or District Coordinators.
Insufficient budgets are provided for expenses
like electricity and sweeper etc.
AWWs expect a raise in their current honorarium.
Delay in providing honorarium to service providers
of Giri Poshan Kendra Pakaluru (satellite feeding
station).
In spite of incentive in place, delay in honorarium
demotivates the AWWs to perform well.
Delay in the construction of Anganwadi Centers
in spite of collaboration with Panchayati Raj
department.
Quality of rations and menu diversity needs to be
improved.
Best Practices
Anna Amrutham Hastam for pregnant women in
Andhra Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh have introduced milk and eggs in
HCM for children.
Akshayapatra Foundation is supplying nutritious
food to all categories of beneficiaries in four ICDS
Projects in and around Visakhapatnam.
Nutri TASC tool for name-based tracking of
registered beneficiaries under ICDS services has
been developed by the Department of Women
Development and Child Welfare, Government of
Andhra Pradesh.
Garbhini Stree Vasathi Gruha: The Integrated
Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) has established
hostels for pregnant women in tribal areas to
improve institutional births coverage and help
reduce the maternal and infant deaths in the
region.
Recommendations
Specific review should be undertaken and program
guidelines should be developed for the smooth
functioning of Anganwadi centers located in urban
areas.
Frequent one-to-one training for all cadres
is required. More feedback sessions are also
suggested.
A minimum educational requirement is necessary
to avoid the issue of discomfort with technology
and digital reporting among AWWs.
The share of infrastructure expenditure should be
increased for AWC construction and maintenance
(drinking water, toilet and electricity).
Additional work and time requirements from
AWWs and AWHs should be compensated through
honorarium payments. 110EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
AWCs should be introduced as centers for pre-
primary education and continuum of education by
seeking greater convergence between ICDS and
School Education Departments.
ASSAM
Issues
Travelling across AWCs is a major problem for the
AWC supervisors in rural Assam.
Given the complex geography of Assam, AWCs
located in these areas are not easily accessible
for regular supervision by Anganwadi Services
functionaries.
As community workers find it difficult to commute
in interior sections, proper office space is required
which should be nearby the field.
The AWWs fail to get a proper rented place in the
urban areas: the reason stated was the irregularity
in receiving the rent grant from the government.
Shortage of staff in the block level, supervisors as
well as CDPOs.
There are AWWs who were working beyond their
retirement age.
There was a lack of officials to do data entry
or officials in the districts; as a result, proper
monitoring of the districts failed.
No flexibility in using previous funds of ICDS by
the district level officials.
Previous scams have intensified accumulated
funds in the districts.
Autonomy issues in 6th Schedule areas hinders
ICDS functioning and implementation in the area.
The field workers (even at the block level) relied
much on data collected by other departments
(mostly Health).
The past scams related to the Department of Social
Welfare (of which ICDS is a major component) has
led to demoralization of the Department and the
system related to them.
The ICDS did not actively take part on the special
days (VHSND etc) as part of convergence.
Best Practices
Matri Sahayak Gut (Assam): it focuses on
the development of Women & Children and
implemented effectively through the Anganwadi
centres.
Mothers of all the children registered at AWC,
together form a group, designated as “Matri
Mandal”.
Widespread uptake of kitchen garden initiative
across AWCs.
AWWs were reported to be caring and helpful;
cash rewards during the first pregnancy were
received by all eligible interviewed beneficiaries.
Recommendations
The MoWCD should set up a Committee for
reviewing the status of ICDS services in 6th
Schedule areas and to develop specific policy
recommendations for strengthening ICDS services
in these States.
Vehicle should be provided to ICDS functionaries
for smooth commutation between far off districts.
Appoint more AWC Supervisors in difficult to
access geographical areas
Formation of ICDS society will be helpful in issues
related to appointment of contractual staff for
the various scheme-related activities.
Develop digital records to facilitate systematic
programmatic reviews and monitoring of staff.
Flexibility should be provided to plan and
implement state specific action plans.
BIHAR
Issues
Beneficiaries are not receiving rations and meals
on time.
Difficult to ensure that beneficiaries are the ones
consuming the THR and not their families.
There is a low level of registration in PMMVY
because of issues of proper documentation
because of which people don’t want to register.
Beneficiary coverage varies across geographies.
For instance, areas coming under flood prone
region are more dependent on AWCs in comparison
to region which are less affected and have better
agricultural production.
Uptake of services is less among households from
the Forward Castes.
The rental norms are lower compared to the
desirable quality of AWC infrastructure. 111EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Several AWCs run in school buildings and
community halls where basic amenities like toilets
and drinking water facilities are not available.
There are no proper offices for DPO and CDPOs
Multiple duties are provided to AWWs which is out
of their scope of work.
Recruitment is delayed due to political pressure.
Less number of data entry operator which leads to
hampering in maintaining of data.
Selection of AWW and AWH is done during Gram
Sabha meetings where local leaders and strongmen
influences the decision.
There is a delayed allotment and receipt of funds
from the state.
Salaries of the staff are pending and there is a
delay of 3-4 months including AWWs and AWHs.
Access to basic amenities like toilet and safe
drinking water is negligible, and does not get any
support from the Rural Department.
Best Practices
Take Home Ration (THR) is distributed to pregnant
women and lactating mother on VHSND, Suposhan
Swastha Mela, Bachpan Diwas and Godbharai and
Mamata Diwas days.
To help decrease stunting rates, an incentive of
rupees 500 is given to the AWWs for first 6 months
(of an underweight beneficiary’s birth) to ensure
the SAM child comes under the normal category.
This process is followed till 2 years.
CSR funds from organizations like Vedanta are
used to provide for infrastructural support.
Doctors for You has developed around 10 AWCs in
Muzaffarpur and Sheikhpura from their own funds;
AXIS Bank financially supports around 500 AWCs.
Britannia works on the development of education
and communication in the state.
Most comprehensive and detailed websites of
the ICDS (WCD) in terms of details, content,
and regular updates. It was also functional with
details about disclosures related to program
personnel, the program components and services
being delivered.
Recommendations
Should establish a social audit mechanism.
The ICDS should establish a robust monitoring
mechanism and strengthen documentation and
review of monitoring reports.
Change the selection procedure or criteria of
the AWWs and AWHs through conducting exam in
which their technical competency can be tested.
Registration and identification of beneficiaries
and ICDS officials should be strengthened.
CHHATTISGARH
Issues
Siblings of the children were generally
discriminated or neglected at the time of supply
of nutritional meals at the Anganwadi centers.
Need to improve provision of proper toilets and
electric fans.
Travelling allowance was not provided to
Anganwadi workers and they had to pay from their
own pocket.
There is shortage of staff. Supervisors are being
burdened with lot of work as they have to monitor
large number of centres.
Untrained AWW staff leads to issues in the proper
data entering.
Discontinuation of Mukhyamantri Amrit Yojana due
to lack of coordination between state and center.
Panchayats are not coordinating in the construction
of Anganwadi Centers.
Best Practices
Mahatari Jatan Yojana (MJY) in Chhattisgarh for
pregnant women.
Panchayat has made steel slabs for THR storage
and AWC; they have also arranged for milk and
protein powder to be distributed to malnourished
children at the AWC.
Recommendations
The AWWs and AWHs should be mandated to
provide THR to all identified undernourished
beneficiaries (children as well as pregnant and
lactating women) by ensuring distribution either
at the AWCs or during home visits.
Rules, regulations and norms for flow/release of
funds for infrastructure development need to be
reviewed and streamlined. 112EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
A clear coordination mechanism between different
departments should be improved so that in future
schemes like Mukhyamantri Amrit Yojana should
not get discontinued.
Provide additional incentive to AWW / AWH for hot
cooked meal program
DELHI
Issues
Due to centralized cooking, delivery of food
items to the AWC is simultaneous for breakfast
and lunch. This results in children not receiving
breakfast in a timely manner.
A proper recipe with the each and every
ingredient’s quantity specified is given to the
kitchen staff. According to them, the quantities
specified in the recipes is more than the ration
provided to them by the government.
In Delhi, Aadhaar card is mandatory for enrolment
in AWCs. Some parents who have migrated from
villages do not have this with them which creates
a barrier in making the scheme largely available.
AWCs in Delhi do not follow a uniform standard of
operation or service delivery.
It has been reported that very small areas are
available to rent out for AWC buildings.
At most of the centres, weighing machine for
infants (0-11 months) is not available.
The functioning of AWCs gets disrupted due
to biannual surveys. Due to which they get
overburdened.
The budget assigned to rent a place for AWCs is
insufficient.
AWCs functions in slum areas with poor water,
sanitation and hygiene.
Many of the AWCs have a Committee of 12
representatives including a Chairperson, MLA,
social worker, beneficiaries, ANM, AWW, AWH, and
ASHA. But the frequency of these meetings has
decreased over the time.
Best Practices
Creation of anganwadi hubs by combining three to
four anganwadi centers in areas of high density to
give the look and feel of play school.
AWWS shares their live location everyday around
9:00-9:30 am. All the locations are then forwarded
to the senior authorities.
AWWs help with the verification and documentation
of children for the admission process in schools.
The Government of Delhi has also developed a
scheme to incentivize AWW, Supervisor and ASMC
(Anganwadi Support and Monitoring Committee
aka Anganwadi Samiti) to work as a team and
improve the working of their Anganwadi.
Recommendations
Formation of ICDS Society at the State-level and
District-level can be instrumental to expedite the
flow of funds for ICDS activities.
Adequate nutrition can only be achieved with
adequate budgetary allocations. The ICDS dietary
norms should be revised such that along with
caloric requirements it should specify minimum
acceptable dietary diversity to include food groups
such as eggs, fruits, milk and milk products.
The ICDS should innovate and diversify the THR
component with introduction of diverse food
groups (fruits, eggs, milk and milk products) as
THR variants (others being powdered mix and dry
ration).
Fixed-day fixed-time should be planned for THR
distribution.
GUJARAT
Issues
Pre-mix THR is not appealing to the beneficiaries.
They ask for dry THR.
Members of certain communities (a very small
number) choose not to immunize their children
due to religious and cultural beliefs.
In relatively poor localities in urban settings
parents are constantly mobile and there is no
motivation for sending the kids to the AWCs.
In migrant communities and tribal belts, we see
reduced uptake of the ICDS services because of
the continuous mobility.
Due to lack of funding for AWCs, and issues with
other departments over land there has been delay
in construction of AWCs.
AWW are involved in other programs as well,
which increases her burden and thus gives her
less time to focus on her primary responsibility as
AWW. They spent 15 days out of a month for doing
non-ICDS work. 113EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
The lack of skilled personnel for operating online
data entry results in delays in data flow and
information.
At CDPO and district level, functionaries reported
limited training for operating bureaucratic
channels of communication. This negatively
effects the effectiveness of the mid –level officials.
AWW also has to take on role of ASHA and ANM
(where positions are vacant) in urban areas.
In urban areas, rented AWCs are very congested
and often need to be shifted elsewhere.
Funds take a long time to get approved, and inter-
departmental dynamics get in the way of smooth,
quick transfer of funds in certain cases.
Development funds are not used properly.
Lack of funding for AWCs, and issues with other
departments negatively impact the construction
of AWC.
At the district and block level other line
departments were reported to not take the ICDS
and its officials seriously which has a negative
effect on the functionaries’ morale when it comes
to convergence with other departments.
Multiple copies of the same information are
collected by AWW, ANM and ASHA. This leads to
duplication and sometimes even mismatch of data.
Best Practices
Doodh Sanjeevani Yojana is an initiative of State
Government of Gujarat to tackle malnourishment
in three talukas of Surendaranagar district. Under
the Yojana, the primary school children in these
three districts will get milk with their midday
meal.
Supplementary food is provided as micronutrient
fortified extruded blended food as Take Home
Ration to all the children under 6 years, adolescent
girls, pregnant and lactating mothers.
The Government of Gujarat has introduced Mata
Yashoda Award for Best Anganwadi Worker and
Helper Award Scheme which consists of various
citation & cash awards to strengthen the services
& motivate AWW and AWH in the state.
A total of 36 Mobile Anganwadis have been
started in all districts of Gujarat State wherein,
beneficiaries of NREGA scheme, children of
Agariya - migrant workers from Balmandir -
crèches facilities (6 months to 6 years), pregnant
women, nursing mothers and adolescent girls are
provided supplementary nutrition.
Gujarat has registered State and District level ICDS
Society that function under the administrative
control of the Department of Women & Child
Development.
Recommendations
ICDS should reduce the quantum of reporting
expected from the AWWs.
State Convergence Action Plan should include
recruitments as an area for priority action. As
skilled manpower will ultimately help in smooth
running of the program.
RAJASTHAN
Issues
Beneficiary is not the sole consumer of the THR,
sometimes their family consume as well.
In Jaisalmer, ECCE was not well functioning in the
district. Pre-school kits have not been supplied to
the AWCs for the past 3 years.
THR has not been supplied since last 6 months
at AWCs due to pending payments in Jaisalmer
district.
Beneficiaries have reported that they are not
provided good health services at AWC.
No quality testing is being done of the ingredients
supplied by local self-help groups.
There was problem of electricity connection in
the Anganwadi buildings.
AWCs were running in school buildings, with very
limited educational materials in Jaisalmer district.
No formal arrangements with the Department
of Power or the GPs for installing electricity
connection to AWCs.
Sarpanch of the village provide salaries to AWW
which make them obliged to perform outside their
scope of work.
Shortage of staff and need for incentive based
remuneration was noticed.
More than 40% of CDPO sanctioned posts are
vacant.
CDPOs have a high burden of reviewing AWCs in
their respective districts. 114EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
Utilization of funds was very low for ECCE training
in Jaisalmer district.
No hot cooked meal was provided at AWCs due to
shortage of funds.
Limited funding had been allotted to Jaisalmer,
which makes delivering of basic ICDS services
impossible when the district runs out of funds.
AWWs are given village related work e.g. MGNREGS
survey, Aadhaar card enrolment, ration card work:
which affects ICDS service delivery.
Gram Panchayats are not providing enough support
in the construction of good anganwadi centers.
Often their quality of work is not up to the mark.
Best Practices
Anganwadi Chalo Abhiyaan” was launched in to
order to bring all the un-registered children to
the AWC.
“Kilkari”, “Umang and Tarang” books were
launched and distributed under this initiative.
The Tata Trusts have partnered with the
Government of Rajasthan to combat maternal and
child undernutrition. In particular, the Project
Making It Happen supported by the Trusts aims
at realizing this potential through optimizing
implementation, utilization of services, monitoring
and delivery.
State has developed a Hindi style website
(although merged with women empowerment),
with much more frequent updates.
In order to increase the community participation
in Anganwadi Services, Government of Rajasthan
has initiated Nanda Ghar Yojana. It is encouraged
to adopt one or more AWCs for the period of five
years.
Rajdharaa App is a mobile application which
enables ICDS functionaries to conduct real-time
monitoring of AWCs and submit their observations/
feedback along with the time, date and GPS stamp
of the concerned AWC.
Department of Women and Child Development,
Government of Rajasthan has developed a SBCC
framework and strategy to improve mother and
child nutrition outcomes in the state.
Recommendations
Location of AWCs should be reviewed and co-
location with schools should be encouraged for
greater integration with schools.
The ICDS MPR should provide information on
electricity connections to the AWCs.
UTTARAKHAND
Issues
For immunization and ANC check-ups some social
groups do not send their children in the AWC
located in the area of each other’s community.
Infrastructure of AWCs is a big concern during
monsoon. There is a need for more facilities such
as more swings, other than just toys; this will
bring AWCs at par with a typical play school.
AWWs are overloaded with other administrative
duties.
Udham Singh Nagar district sometimes faces
funding issues as there are delays in budget
sanctions.
CSR initiatives cannot be relied upon as the sole
source of funds for beautification of AWCs.
Best Practices
AWCs also provide panjiri to malnourished
children. They provide rajma chawal one day
every week for children (aged 3 to 6 years old).
In Uttarakhand, ICDS is in convergence with other
department/institution like Health and Education
Departments, and PRI.
Vedanta NGO helps in constructing buildings for
AWCs in Udham Singh Nagar district.
The Education Department helps the AWCs by
enrolling girls who have dropped out of school on
behalf of AWCs.
Mukhyamantri Bal Poshan Abhiyaan, under
this state-level scheme, all the identified
undernourished and severely undernourished
children will be provided energy dense meals
cooked from regional food including Amaranth,
corn, and black soybeans.
Recommendations
Activities part of Register 6 (Immunization and
VHND) are essentially coordinated by the MoHFW
and the reporting of these indicators can be
entrusted to ANMs and ASHAs, respectively and
need not to be given to AWWs. This will also avoid
duplicity of data. 115EVALUATION OF ICDS SCHEME OF INDIA
All the States/UTs should host a dynamic ICDS
website with mandatory disclosures regarding
ICDS services and functionaries at all levels
UTTAR PARDESH
Issues
Sometimes hot-cooked meals and THR are affected
due to delayed payment by the Anganwadi Vikas
Samiti or from higher up.
It is estimated that about 45 lakh children in Uttar
Pradesh are undernourished out of which about 15
lakh suffer from Severe Malnutrition (SAM).
The CDPOs and DPOs have not been promoted
for a long time and their pay scales are not
proportionate to their experience and workload.
Service utilization by mothers in undernutrition
burdened states like Uttar Pradesh (Rural: 44.7%;
Urban 20.7%) is low.
Electric fans were not working. Space for sitting
and playing was insufficient in the AWCs.
In Uttar Pradesh about 60% of the AWCs are
operating in school premises.
The AWWs promoted to Supervisors are not skilled
enough for this role.
There are 40% of CDPO vacant sanctioned posts.
Due to large vacancies there is an increased
burden of monitoring and review on the CDPOs
and AW Supervisors.
Delays in recruitment occurs due to delays in
funding approvals for the vacant positions and
time-consuming recruitment procedures including
litigations.
Issues in financing of particular programmes and
schemes.
There are no funds provided for the ECCE
programme.
Uttar Pradesh has a 15% share in total ICDS
budget but it also accounts for 17.6% share of
beneficiaries. This translates into Rs.4013 per
beneficiary per year which is much lower than
several other States.
Poor utilization of infrastructure funds / training
funds was reported.
Greater efforts are needed to ensure convergence
of human resources from the education
department and ICDS department, particularly
the school teachers and AWWS, respectively.
Best Practices
Uttar Pradesh has developed a Smart Inventory
Management System (SIMS) to improve distribution
and monitoring of THR from procurement to last
mile delivery.
The AWCs use charts, posters and handmade toys
to teach children 0 to 59 months.
AWCs teach children about hygienic practices
like washing hands before eating food, and after
defecation.
Quality and taste of Poshahar is reported to be
good and beneficiaries make various recipes with
it like Ladoo, Mal puwa, Namkin Para, Mitha Para,
Namkin Pakauri, Cake, Namkin daliya ka Chila and
etc.
The Government of Uttar Pradesh has launched
a Performance based incentive programme
for AWWs. Under this scheme, the AWWs are
incentivized for achieving targets related to
Aadhar information seeding of beneficiaries,
anthropometric measurements and improvements
in anthropometric outcomes.
Under convergence strategies in Bahraich, 99326
household of malnourished children have been
recognised by Rural Department. 130849 families
of malnourished children were provided ration
card by Department of Food and Civil Supplies.
In the district of Barabanki, Panchayati Raj has
constructed toilets for 41662 households of
malnourished children, and 2056 villages are free
from open defecation. 2737 AWCs facilitated with
safe drinking water with help of Panchayati Raj.
SHGs held discussions on the subject of health and
nutrition in 956 villages in the district.
Uttar Pradesh has developed a Smart Inventory
Management System (SIMS) to improve distribution
and monitoring of THR from procurement to last
mile delivery.
Recommendations
A departmental exam should be conducted for the
promotions for supervisor’s post, so that qualified
person will be appointed.
The share of infrastructure expenditure should
be increased by 50% for AWC construction
and maintenance (drinking water, toilet and
electricity). NOTES NOTES INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH
University Enclave
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