Integrated Child Development Services
By Priya Nair
Last Updated
July 2026 Fact Checked By: Schemewala Editorial Team
Quick Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | ICDS (Now subsumed under Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0) |
| Ministry | Ministry of Women and Child Development |
| Beneficiaries | Children (0-6 years), Pregnant/Lactating Women, Adolescent Girls |
| Delivery Hub | Local Anganwadi Centres (AWC) |
| Core Entitlement | Free Supplementary Nutrition and Pre-school education |
About the Scheme
ICDS is the world’s largest community-based program for early childhood development. It operates through a vast network of Anganwadi Centres across India. Under the new Poshan 2.0 framework, the focus has heavily shifted towards combating severe malnutrition using fortified foods and digital tracking.
High-Value Insider Info: Entitlements & Poshan Tracker
Many parents do not know their legal rights at the Anganwadi. Here is what the law (National Food Security Act) guarantees:
- Take-Home Ration (THR): Pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children aged 6 months to 3 years are legally entitled to Take-Home Rations (usually fortified wheat, dal, or specific energy-dense food packets) provided by the Anganwadi worker every month.
- Hot Cooked Meals: Children aged 3 to 6 years are entitled to a Hot Cooked Meal at the Anganwadi for 300 days a year, along with non-formal pre-school education.
- The Poshan Tracker App (Hidden Reality): The government now strictly monitors Anganwadi workers through the Poshan Tracker app. If the worker does not measure your child's height and weight and enter it into the app, she does not get her incentives. Ensure your child is physically weighed at the center so they receive their food quota.
Grievance Redressal (How to complain about bad food)
If the Anganwadi worker is hoarding food, selling the rations, or giving bad quality meals:
- Local Escalation: Do not fight with the worker. Escalate the complaint to the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) at your block headquarters. The CDPO has the power to suspend the worker.
- National Helpline: Call the dedicated Ministry helpline at 14408 to register a direct complaint regarding Poshan Abhiyaan services.
- CPGRAMS: You can log a formal public grievance on the central pgportal.gov.in against the state WCD department.
Important Links
| Purpose | Link |
|---|---|
| Poshan Abhiyaan Dashboard | poshantracker.in |
