Integrated Child Development Services in India – A Sub-national Review

Abstract

The Integrated Child Development Services is India’s flagship programme aimed at addressing the holistic needs of the child. Since its inception in 1975, the programme has continued to experience a policy-implementation gap that has greatly hindered the effectiveness of the programme. Factors contributing to this gap can be attributed to poor resource allocation, poor governance and programmatic deficiencies. Furthermore, in 2001, the ICDS programme was mandated by the supreme court to be universalized. This has placed the added burden on implementing bodies to establish the programme nationwide, while trying to improve service quality. Although funding has been substantially increased in the years following universalization, the programme continues to struggle. That being said, programme effectiveness is not contingent upon increased funding; but rather the efficacy of the programme relies upon efficient allocation and utilization of adequate resources.. A sub-national review of the ICDS programme has revealed that the financial provision for the ICDS programme by both Central and State authorities is disproportionate to the norms of the policy.