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.
