Nand Ghar at work: 50 years of Integrated Child Development Services Scheme from the ground up

Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) began on 2 October 1975 with a simple idea that still holds true today: bring nutrition, early learning, and basic health closer to every household. Half a century on, the platform remains one of the world’s largest social programmes for young children and mothers, with Anganwadi centres at its forefront. The promise is local, practical, and public. Nand Ghar complements government delivery by helping the Anganwadi centres work better each day.

The opportunity on the ground

India is well placed to accelerate the reduction of child undernutrition. NFHS-5 indicates that about 35 percent of under-five children are stunted, 19 percent are wasted, and 32 percent are underweight, while anaemia remains common among young children and women. These figures translate into the untapped potential to improve growth, health, and early learning. ICDS, launched in 1975, provides a strong, trusted platform to deepen convergence, improve quality, and extend reach. With steady centre-level improvements and close coordination across departments and communities, the next phase can be faster, more equitable, and closer to home.

Across India, more than 14 lakh Anganwadi centres are operational, many in rented or shared premises and an increasing share co-located with schools. Policy momentum under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 is strengthening infrastructure and nutrition support, sharpening the focus on early education, deepening community participation, and improving monitoring. In a country this large and heterogeneous, the mandate is clear even if execution is complex: upgrade the centre, support the worker, tighten routines, and track what matters. Partners that align with this frame help the public platform deliver more consistently.

What a working Nand Ghar looks like

A Nand Ghar is a modernized Anganwadi, committed to the Prime Minister's national vision of malnutrition-free India, providing education and healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. It follows government norms, complements the essential services, and strengthens public supply chains. The difference lies in what the model enables at the centre, so the Anganwadi Worker and Helper can do their jobs with less friction, while inviting the community to take ownership and helping mothers feel welcome and heard.

Infrastructure that invites use: Low-cost upgrades make the room easier to work in and more inviting to return to. Better light and ventilation reduce heat and glare, wall art based on BaLA (Building as a Learning Aid) principles turns surfaces into learning cues, and simple painting lifts the overall appeal and satisfaction. The Nand Ghar teams support better space utilisation, helping staff plan corners, store materials efficiently, and set up the room quickly each morning.

Simple routines to enable early learning: Short, structured digital sessions pair songs, stories, and movement with play-based activities. Contextual early-literacy modules come with clear menus; the worker is trained to handle basic troubleshooting. Brief WhatsApp reminders support the daily timetable.

A schedule that runs on time: Centres benefit from steady opening and closing times, hot meals served on schedule, and growth monitoring on fixed village health and nutrition days. Field teams support the worker to execute multiple services while keeping records accurate, especially when guidelines change, or formats are updated. The goal is to align calendars and keep data entry manageable, so services run as planned.

Support that strengthens monitoring and upkeep: Supportive supervision keeps ECCE sessions orderly, ensures nutrition is stored and distributed as per protocol, and maintains complete, accurate growth records. Minor issues are fixed on site, for example reconnecting cables, replacing batteries, or resetting applications. Larger issues move through government channels and Gram Panchayat Development Plans, with local panchayats, sarpanches, and community contributors engaged until closure.

What Nand Ghar enables each month

• On-time meals with stock registers matching distribution
• Structured ECCE, supported by in-person coaching and short virtual check-ins
• Regular growth monitoring with functional, calibrated tools
• Two-way engagement through parent meetings, mothers' circles, and planned home visits

Why this matters at 50 years of ICDS

Programmes of this scale depend on habits. Operating as per schedule, reviewing growth data carefully, and keeping equipment in working order all build reliability. Evidence from India and global studies indicates that when early childhood services are regular and well run, children do better in early grades and are less likely to drop out. Parents participate more when the experience is predictable and respectful. Frontline realities also matter. Anganwadi Workers manage child interactions, supplementary nutrition distribution, home visits, counselling, and record-keeping. When everyday hurdles are lighter, attention returns to children and conversations with parents become clearer. Practical tools and timely recognition together sustain momentum across the year.

Looking ahead

As ICDS completes five decades, the Nand Ghar network strengthens services across 9,000+ centres in 15 states, reaching 3.6 lakh+ children and 2.7 lakh+ women. The path ahead requires shared ownership, with government systems, panchayats, CSR, civil society, and communities each playing their part, so Anganwadi centres run well every day. Nand Ghar works within the government's vision for ICDS, Mission Saksham Anganwadi, and POSHAN 2.0, translating policy into practical routines. The foundation is strong, and the mission remains vital: ensuring every child in each community has the opportunity to thrive. With continued collaboration and commitment, 7 crore children and 2 crore women can experience a system that works for them every day.