New Delhi – The central government has approved the establishment of 14,599 Anganwadi-cum-Creches under the Palna Scheme, aimed at providing safe day care and protection for young children, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday.
The Palna Scheme, launched in April 2022 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, is designed to support working mothers by offering quality crèche facilities for children aged six months to six years.
Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, informed the Rajya Sabha that under the 15th Finance Commission Cycle (up to FY 2025–26), a total of 17,000 such centres are planned for implementation.
“So far, 14,599 Anganwadi-cum-Creches (AWCCs) have been approved based on proposals submitted by various States and Union Territories,” she said.
Anganwadi centres are considered the world’s largest public childcare network, offering crucial support to children across the country, particularly in rural and underprivileged areas.
These integrated centres provide full-day childcare, ensuring children’s well-being in a secure environment while also promoting women’s participation in the workforce.
“The objective of the Palna Scheme is to ensure a safe and secure crèche facility, along with nutritional care, health services, cognitive development, growth monitoring, and immunisation for children,” Thakur explained.
She emphasized that these facilities are available to all mothers, regardless of employment status. The scheme also benefits urban working women who, unlike in earlier times when they relied on extended family for childcare, now need institutional day care support.
“The lack of proper day care often prevents women from pursuing employment,” Thakur noted, stressing the urgent need to improve the quality and accessibility of crèche services across socio-economic groups in both organised and unorganised sectors.
She added that formalising childcare services contributes to the Decent Work Campaign under Sustainable Development Goal 8, which advocates for decent work and economic growth.
“This initiative will allow more mothers to seek gainful employment by relieving them of unpaid childcare responsibilities,” she concluded.