Expansion and utilization of one of India's largest government-run community-based nutrition programs increased significantly between 2006 and 2016, especially among historically disadvantaged castes and tribes. But, women with low education and the poorest households are relatively more excluded from accessing program benefits. Among states too, while overall utilization has improved, high malnutrition states are relatively lagging. These are the findings of a new study, the first to offer an in-depth analysis of the utilization of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) program, conducted by researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
* This article was originally published here
