To enhance the capability of the mother to look after the normal health and nutritional needs of the child through proper nutritional as well as health education. To achieve effective coordination of policy and implementation among the various services to promote child development. ICDS is designed to provide services to the preschool children aged from 0 to 6 years, pregnant women in the second and third trimester, and lactating mothers for a period of six months. These include appropriate immunizations according to the national plan of the country, nutrition intervention by supplementary nutrition, vitamin A every six months, and distribution of iron and folic acid tablets, primary medical care for common ailments, health checkups, including antenatal and postnatal examinations. Preschool education for children and functional literacy for women is also included in the programme.
Emphasis is on nutrition and health education to the beneficiaries.
The services are delivered at a focal point in the village called the Anganwadi, which implies a courtyard of the village. The principal functionary who delivers these services is a local village young woman educated up to eighth to tenth grade standards. In difficult, backward areas, young women with even less education may be selected from the same village to be the Anganwadi worker. This worker receives training for a period of four months through a specially developed curriculum that is directed towards her functions in the programme. She is designated as honorary worker and is not bound by the service rules of the government.