UPSC Articles
7 in 100 Anganwadi beneficiaries in cities
In news:
- For every 100 anganwadi beneficiaries in the country, only seven are in urban areas.
Impact: because of a severe lack of anganwadis in cities, leading to poor coverage of the government’s flagship programme in early childhood development.
From Prelims Point of view:
Anganwadi
- Anganwadis or day-care centres are set up under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) by the Women and Child Development Ministry to provide a package of six services.
- The services include supplementary nutrition; pre-school non-formal education; immunisation, nutrition and health education; as well as referral services.
- The aim of the scheme is to reduce infant mortality and child malnutrition.
- Beneficiaries include children in the age group of six months to six years, and pregnant women and lactating mothers.
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS):
- Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is an Indian government welfare programme which provides food, preschool education, and primary healthcare to children under 6 years of age and their mothers. These services are provided from Anganwadi centres established mainly in rural areas and staffed with frontline workers.
