Integrated Child Development Services: Chandigarh

Launched on 2nd October, 1975, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is one of the flagship programmes of the Government of India and represents one of the world’s largest and unique programmes for early childhood care and development. It is the foremost symbol of country’s commitment to its children and nursing mothers, as a response to the challenge of providing pre-school non-formal education on one hand and breaking the vicious cycle of malnutrition, morbidity, reduced learning capacity and mortality on the other. The beneficiaries under the Scheme are children in the age group of 0-6 years, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. To reduce mortality morbidity and malnutrition among the children in U.T of Chandigarh, the ICDS project was started on 1.8.1979 with 24 anganwadi centres. At present there are 3 ICDS Projects comprising of 450 anganwadi centres covering an approx. population of over 5.50 lac in peripheral areas, villages, colonies, and slum areas.