Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme in India - a tired horse or an ignored one. An evaluation in a tribal district of Maharashtra, India

Introduction: The lives of children and women are the true indicators strength communities nations. UNICEF considers Child Mortality rate as single best indicator social development well-being. Integrated Development Services (ICDS) Scheme is one largest maternal child health programs representing a symbol India’s commitment to its children. anganwadi centre (AWC) grassroot functionary ICDS program executed through dedicated cadre female workers named Anganwadi (AWWs). Still India records high infant, mortality rates. Also, frequent malnutrition related deaths in state Maharashtra has raised questions on implementation these programmes. This study was conducted evaluate functionality Centres terms infrastructure logistics assess satisfaction workers. Methodology: community based cross-sectional descriptive tribal district Palghar Maharashtra. Universal sample all centres under randomly selected PHC adopted for study. Data collected by using personal interview technique with help semi structured questionnaire self-observation standard checklist. data analysed appropriate statistics Epi info. Result: Only just about half AWCs were functioning their own building. Among logistics, registers record keeping found be most deficient (88.9%) followed presence electricity baby weighing machine (77.8%). Availability separate kitchen storeroom regularity supplementary nutrition supply seen 69.4% AWCs. Growth card available amenity (100%) adult which present 91.7% drinking water facility 86.1%. Toilet only studied. Among various problems accounting poor job among AWWs, some prominent were, lack building, inadequate space activities, teaching materials, eliciting Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) due inadequacy or irregularity supply, absence kitchen. Other faced low government involvement, increased workload modest honorarium. Conclusion: Studies across country, observed that factors contributed efficient service delivery ICDS. Our exposes key affect effective scheme felt needs implementers at grass root level.