Which of the following is the nodal ministry for Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Programme Centre-

ICDS programme Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme was staed in 1975 in pursuance of the National Policy for Children. There is a strong nutrition component in this programme in the form of supplementary nutrition, vitamin A prophylaxis and iron and folic acid distribution. The beneficiaries are preschool children below 6 years, and adolescent girls 11 to 18 years, pregnant and Lactating mothers. The States and Union Territories are encouraged to undeake additional !CDS projects on the Central pattern to cover more beneficiaries. The workers at the village level who deliver the services are called Anganwadi workers. Each Anganwadi unit covers a population of about 1000. A network of Mahila Mandals has been built up in ICDS Project areas to help Anganwadi workers in providing health and nutrition services. The work of Anganwadis is supervised by Mukhyasevikas. It comes under Ministry of Rural development Field supervision is done by the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO). Ref : Park 25th edition Pgno : 690