23 JULY 2025, New Delhi: The Ministry of women and Child Development has introduced Palna Scheme under the Samarthya Vertical of Umbrella Mission Shakti for all States and UTs w.e.f. 01 April 2022, to provide day care facilities and protection to children.Government’s sustained initiatives on education, skilling and employment of women have resulted in increased opportunities for their employment, and more and more women are now in gainful employment, working within or outside their homes. Growing industrialization and urbanisation have also led to increased migration into the cities. Past few decades have shown a rapid increase in nuclear families. Thus, the children of such working women, who were earlier getting support from joint families while they were at work, are now in need of day care services which have to provide quality care and protection for the children. Lack of proper day-care services is, often, a deterrent for women to go out and work. Hence, there is an urgent need for improved quality and reach of day care services/crèches for working women amongst all socioeconomic groups both in the organized and unorganized sectors.
To address these difficulties faced by the working mothers in giving due child care and protection to their children, day-care crèche facilities are being provided through Palna Scheme. Crèche services formalise the child care responsibilities hitherto considered as part of domestic work. Formalization of care work supports the “decent work campaign” to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Decent work and economic growth. This will also enable more mothers, who will be free from unpaid child-care responsibilities, to take up gainful employment.
Anganwadi centres are the world’s largest childcare institutions dedicated to providing essential care and support to children ensuring delivery of care facilities till the last mile. In a first of its kind approach, Ministry has extended the services of childcare through Anganwadi cum Crèche (AWCC). This will ensure whole day childcare support ensuring their well-being in a safe and secure environment. Anganwadi cum Crèche initiative aims to increase ‘women work force participation’ in the economy. The objective of Palna Scheme is to provide quality crèche facility in safe and secure environment for children (from ages 6 months – 6 years), nutritional support, health and cognitive development of children, growth monitoring & immunization. Crèche facilities under Palna are provided to all mothers, irrespective of their employment status.
Under Palna annual target is fixed in the Programme Approval Board(PAB) meetings, held with the State Governments and UT Administrations where it is emphasised that they may send proposal for opening more Aganwadi-cum-Creches and operationalize them.
During the 15th Finance Cycle i.e. up to FY 2025-26 a total of 17,000 Aganwadi-cum-Creches (AWCCs) have been envisioned for establishment under the Palna Scheme. Proposals for establishment and operation of AWCCs are received from the respective State Governments/UT Administrations who also contribute their corresponding share for the implementation of the Scheme. Till date, a total of 14,599 AWCCs have been approved by the Ministry as per proposals received from various States/UTs.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Rajya Sabha in reply to a question today.
