Integrated Child Development Services – A Scheme largely unnoticed needs timely intervention

In another three years, India will commemorate 50th Anniversary for one of its earliest flagship programmes, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). The programme’s intention is to ensure Early Childhood Care and Development for Children between 0-6 years of age. Beyond this, the programme also caters to the needs of pregnant and lactating mothers by providing nutritional andiron and folic acid supplements to them. Nutritional requirements of out of school adolescent girls are fulfilled through anganwadi centres. In this article, let us see, after almost 50 years, how the scheme is running now and what challenges that the scheme faces, what are the reforms needed for better performance and effective outcome of the scheme.

Observations

Firstly, anganwadis in urban areas are in abysmal state when compared to centres in rural areas. In rural areas, most of the centres have own building with space for classroom, kitchen and toilet whereas in urban areas, centres run on rental buildings, classroom and kitchen functions in the same space and there is no toilet. Most of the urban centres are covered by asbestos sheets at the top instead of concrete roof which leads to increased room temperature. This is shocking because it is completely contradictory to the general perception in society that urban areas are well developed in all aspects compared to rural areas.

Secondly, it is believed from outside that in urban centres, children aren’t sent to anganwadis and rather they are going to private playschools. This perception is only half true because there are thousands of families living in congested urban slums, migrants from other states are settled here and for them anganwadi centres are the only option since they cannot afford anything else.

Thirdly, Budget for food related expenses is really low. For vegetables only 110 paisa is provided per child for a day and for Dhal it is 96 paisa, for Grocery it is 36 paisa. This equates around 50 rupees perday for these items and it has to cater to the needs of around 25 children on an average and when there is inflation, the situation will be more horrific. The problem of “Hidden Hunger” is the reason why multiple forms of malnourishments like Stunting, Wasting, Under-weight still persist at the alarming level and with such miniscule funds, “Tomorrow’s India” may not be healthy and fit enough to realise its aspirations.

Fourthly, there exists the perennial problem of vacancy in anganwadi centres. Around 30% of the centres doesn’t have anganwadi workers and for those centres “In-charge Workers” are appointed from nearby centres. Such workers have to visit their additional charge centres twice a week. So effectively around 60% of centres will not have full services of anganwadi workers on all working days.

Fifthly, there is no specific address for anganwadi centres in most cases. They are generally identified by nearby landmarks like Government Schools, Offices and Temples.

Sixthly, every anganwadi centre is allowed to use only 4 cylinders per year and if there arises a situation where additional cylinder is required, workers are bearing the cost for it since there is no other alternate arrangement.

Based on these observations, two types of reforms can besuggested - “Critical Infrastructure” and “Desired Infrastructure”.

Critical Infrastructure

First, Every Anganwadi Centre should have their own building with separate space for classroom, kitchen, store room and baby friendly toilet. The entire space area for this infrastructure may not cross 600 sq ft and this space can be easily identified by local bodies.

Second, focus on “First 1000 Days” of a child should increase. Children come to anganwadi centres after 2 years of age. But the period before that is very crucial. Right from pregnancy to 2 years of age is the “First 1000 Days” period and child’s healthy growth and development gets decided in this phase.

Third, every anganwadi centre should have kitchen garden. At least 50 – 100 sq ft is to be made available for cultivating short term crops that can be added into foods of children. Vegetables, greens, one or two fruit bearing trees can be grown. Locally available vegetables and trees should be cultivated for having nutritious food through easily available diet. This will address the problem of “Hidden Hunger” to some extent with minimum expenditure.

Fourth, ensuring every vacancy is filled as soon as possible. For having better learning outcomes, focus should start from Anganwadi Centres in which child grows after 2 years of age. For improving learning capabilities, a worker has to be present at all times in anganwadi centres so that they can teach children sufficiently.

Fifth, locations of anganwadi centres have to be Geo-tagged and should have proper address. This is an absolute necessity because anganwadis receive rations through cooperative societies and most of the times, societies don’t directly supply rations to the anganwadis because there is no clear route/address. Anganwadi workers are forced to pay extra for transit to bring rations to the centres.

Sixth, anganwadi workers should be given regular training on how to handle kids. Anganwadis are the first place for “Socialisation”. It is not just a place for eating and learning. Workers should be made aware of this and they should be counselled by psychologists on how to handle kids. It will make workers empathetic and more child friendly.

Desired Infrastructure

While the aforementioned Infrastructures are to be ensured without any delay, the following can be kept as vision and Government’s initiatives should move in fulfilling these visions. In anganwadi centres, malnourished children who are stunted, wasted, under-weight and anaemic can be identified and additional nutritional supplements can be provided to them separately. This initiative is not new. In Kerala, nutritional supplement called “Thaenamrutham” is provided to malnourished children. Similar initiatives have been by Mumbai Corporation. In Tiruvallur District, steps are taken to provide “Amla Candy” to children on a trial basis.

Every district can have their own model anganwadis in the name called “SMART Anganwadis”. SMART Anganwadis should have Smart classroom, CC TV camera, playing area and additional nutritional support to ensure that centre is malnourishment free. Smart classroom will be useful in situations like high vacancies because children can be made to learn through videos. If budgetary support is limited, corporates can be asked to adopt anganwadis in their areas under CSR. For this CSR policy can be amended to ensure that particular amount should go to Early Childhood Care and Development.

Above all, State’s budgetary support for ICDS should increase. Most of the diseases which come at later stage of life can be prevented if early childhood care and development is properly taken care of. Government should develop a long-term vision which should have the perspective of, “If we invest more in Early Childhood Care and Development now, then healthcare expenditure at later stages can be reduced”. If State moves with this vision, there won’t be huge budgetary expenditure in longer run. This vision will ensure that there will be no malnourishment and below par learning outcomes. Currently in India, One-third of the children are stunted, one in two girl children are anaemic and more than 20% of the children are underweight. According to UNICEF India, 55% of the school children don’t have basic learning capabilities in mathematics and language. These problems can be addressed simultaneously if anganwadi centres are given more budgetary support, infrastructure facilities and proper training to anganwadi workers. Anganwadi centres are the first place for socialisation, learning and development and if its potential is utilised to the maximum, the problem that are foreseen in future can be easily avoided. For that to happen, all we need is vision and commitment of all stakeholders. If there is vision and commitment on these lines, India can be “Malnourishment Free” when it celebrates its 100th Independence Day.