In the question below is given a statement followed by two options numbered 1 and 2. Based on this choose the correct option.
Statement: The ICDS scheme of Ministry of Women and Child Development provides food, preschool education and primary health care to children under six years of age and their mothers.
Option 1: The scheme offers a package of six services of which three services related to health are delivered through Public Health Infrastructure under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Option 2: The beneficiaries are economically disadvantaged children belonging to families below poverty line (BPL).

Correct option is A

The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme is a flagship program of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) launched in 1975 to address child nutrition, health, and development.
The scheme provides a package of six services:
Supplementary nutrition
Pre-school non-formal education
Nutrition and health education
Immunization
Health check-ups
Referral services
Out of these, three services (immunization, health check-ups, and referral services) are delivered through the public health system under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, while the other three are provided through the ICDS infrastructure (Anganwadi Centres). Hence, Option 1 is correct.
Option 2 is incorrect because the ICDS scheme is universal, not restricted to children from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. It covers all children under 6 years of age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, though priority is given to disadvantaged groups.
Therefore, only Option 1 is correct, making the right answer Option (a).