Study: “Child Development Program, Child Health, Women’s Labor Supply, and Education of Older Female Children in India”
PI(s): Jain, Monica
Affiliation(s): University of California-Riverside
Institutional Partner(s): IIE Fellow
Project Dates:
Start: 2010
End: 2012
Data Source(s): Cross-Sectional Data
Methods: Matching and Difference-in-Differences Analysis
Geographic Location(s): India

Description:
India is home to the largest malnourished child population in the world with around 80 million children. India’s flagship program and the only national program for combating child malnutrition is the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). This research takes advantage of data from the 2005-2006 National Family Health Survey on ICDS, which for the first time provides nationwide data on usage of ICDS services at the child level to look at the impact of its Supplementary Nutrition Program on children’s growth. The research looks at the burden on caregivers because the cost of nonparental child care is an important determinant in labor force participation of women and education of older female children. Results show that girls ages 0-2 who are receiving daily supplementary feeding are at least 1 cm taller than other girls in rural India. The estimates are the same for boys ages 0-2 but less robust. These results call attention to future policy decisions on aspects of the program that need change or additional support. In regard to caregiving for malnourished children, there could also be policy implications for government subsidized child-care programs or other programs to help with child-care costs.

Research Outputs:
Jain, Monica. (2011). India’s struggle against malnutrition – Is the ICDS program the answer? (Doctoral dissertation). University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA.

Jain, Monica. (2015). India’s Struggle Against Malnutrition – Is the ICDS Program the Answer?. World Development, 67: 72-89. DOI:10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.10.006