Click to play videoNew Delhi: From infant mortality to immunisation, from pre-school education to women's health, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) has policies on everything, which makes it a good scheme on paper.
However, what is missing in most cases is the willingness to implement this scheme. Nonetheless, now some states are proving that the ICDS can indeed be implemented successfully.
Rehana Sultana likes to send her three-year-old child to Anganwadi center in Aminjikkarai in Chennai and she says it makes her child confident, healthy and ready for school.
“They teach him stories and songs. He eats well there and they even serve eggs,” says Rehana.
The Tamil Nadu government is setting an example to show that the ICDS can indeed have an impact by providing better infrastructure and a diet that's high on protein and carbohydrates.
“The government has sponsored us with cylinders and cookers so it's easier to cook. The food is tasty also because the quality is good,” says Anganwadi Worker, Hemavathi.
Anganwadi workers are better paid at Rs 2,700 a month and work with a spirit to save the child.
”Even though the salary is less, this job gives me a lot of satisfaction. Preparing food for children is a holy job,” says Anganwadi Worker, Shanthakumari.
”Only a few states like TN and Pondicherry are providing milk because the state governments are providing a lot of money from their own coffers for the scheme. That is why the scheme is making a dent on malnutrition,” says People's Health Movement’s, Samir Garg.
The Chhattisgarh government is advocating ICDS through community health workers. Around 60,000 women in the state go to village households, encouraging women to go to Anganwadi centres and take benefits. These ‘Mitanins’ or friends have become an integral part of mobilizing communities for better health.
“A ‘mitanin’ distributes medicines and gives advice to children on their health. Through various techniques we find out who is weak and who is healthy,” says mitanin, Bindiya Bai
The Pando tribals in Chhattisgarh have been traditionally marginalised and have a history of poor health. With the intervention of the mitanins, today they're a lot more awareness.
“Children of the Pando tribe are very poor and very weak. These people don’t even know if their kids get a balanced diet or not. However, with some efforts, many of them have understood about the significance of a balanced diet,” says Bindiya Bai.
Meanwhile, in Delhi and NCR, Mobile creches are doing what Anganwadi centres fail to do. They look after children of construction workers by opening creches at the construction site itself.
“They leave their kids here and we give them milk. We just do our job,” says Daily Wage Worker, Guddibai.
“We are looking after the medical needs and nutritional requirement of the young children. We are looking after the developmental, educational, recreational needs and getting the parents also roped in so that whatever we are doing gets carried forward whenever they leave,” says Mridula Bajaj of the Mobile Creches.
Mobile crèches provide services to children free of cost and are open all day till the parents are working.
“They get basic education here and it is for their basic welfare, says Administrative Incharge, Construction Site, Amit Rathi.
In Jahangirpuri in New Delhi, 10 women from the community have started women's self help group where they start work at 6 every morning and supply hot cooked food to 126 Anganwadis in the area. The shift to cooked food has increased attendance at the centres.
“Earlier we provided raw rice and cereals, so they would sell it. However, now we serve cooked food, so the kids at least get to eat it,” says Member of Jahangirpuri SHG, Zubeida.
“My child would litter dry vegetables and dry food. However, as the food is cooked in gravy now, children eat it and at least get a nourishing diet,” says mother, Veermati.
The initiative is not only benefiting children but also empowering these women. With an earning of Rs 1,500 a month, they are earning their independence.
“It is a woman’s job, so even the husbands do not mind us doing this work. We are not going to any factory to work. Cooking food for children helps also helps us to spend time with children,” says Member of Jahangirpuri SHG, Zubeida.
The ideas and initiatives are many, the funds are sanctioned and there's never a shortage of public support. However, all that is required is perhaps the will to see a change.
The financial allocation for ICDS has been increased by a 1000 crores this year and every penny counts for these little children. For the sake of India's future, it can only be hoped that these little ones no longer go to bed hungry and no child loses their lives in a country that is proud of its economic growth.
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