There has been a noticeable increase recently in the number of child care institutions in the country which are providing services to the young child belonging to the underprivileged section of society. The expansion of the ICDS programme in the last few years has led to the establishment of a large number of angwanwadis (child care centres) for the most vulnerable sections of the population. Balwadis as well as creches or day-care centres have also existed for several decades in both rural and urban areas, concentrating on the needs of the less affluent. There are also a number of pre-primary, nursery and kindergarten schools which are mostly located in urban and semi-urban areas, and generally cater to the more affluent sections of society.