Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Women and Child Development introduced the Palna Scheme under the Samarthya Vertical of Umbrella Mission Shakti effective April 1, 2022, to provide daycare facilities and protection to children. It aims to improve women's workforce participation by offering quality crèche facilities for children aged 6 months to 6 years. The scheme envisions establishing 17,000 Anganwadi-cum-Crèches (AWCCs) by FY 2025-26, with 14,599 AWCCs already approved.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Palna Scheme Overview:**
* Implemented under the Samarthya Vertical of Umbrella Mission Shakti.
* Effective from April 1, 2022, for all States and UTs.
* Provides daycare facilities and protection to children.
* **Objectives:**
* Offer quality crèche facilities in safe and secure environments.
* Targets children aged 6 months to 6 years.
* Provides nutritional support and health and cognitive development.
* Includes growth monitoring and immunization.
* Crèche facilities are available to all mothers regardless of employment status.
* **Implementation:**
* Anganwadi-cum-Crèche (AWCC) services are extended to provide whole-day childcare support.
* Programme Approval Board (PAB) meetings are held annually with State Governments and UT Administrations to encourage proposals for opening and operationalizing more AWCCs.
* 17,000 AWCCs envisioned for establishment during the 15th Finance Cycle (up to FY 2025-26).
* The ministry has approved 14,599 AWCCs based on proposals from States/UTs to date.
* State Governments/UT Administrations contribute to the scheme's implementation.
Impact Analysis:
* **Working Mothers:**
* *Impact:* Enables mothers to take up gainful employment by providing childcare support, addressing the deterrent of lacking proper daycare services.
* *Action Required:* Utilize the crèche facilities for children aged 6 months to 6 years.
* **Children (Ages 6 Months to 6 Years):**
* *Impact:* Provides access to quality crèche facilities, nutritional support, health services, and cognitive development opportunities in a safe environment.
* *Action Required:* N/A
* **State Governments/UT Administrations:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for proposing the establishment of AWCCs and contributing their share for the scheme's implementation.
* *Action Required:* Send proposals for opening more Anganwadi-cum-Crèches and operationalize them and contribute their corresponding share for the implementation of the Scheme.
* **Ministry of Women and Child Development:**
* *Impact:* Oversees the implementation of the Palna Scheme, approves AWCC proposals, and provides necessary support.
* *Action Required:* Continue to conduct Programme Approval Board (PAB) meetings and approve AWCC proposals from State Governments/UT Administrations.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Women and Child Development: The Indian government ministry responsible for policies and programs related to women and children.
Palna Scheme: A scheme introduced by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to provide day care facilities and protection to children of working mothers.
Samarthya Vertical of Umbrella Mission Shakti: A component under which the Palna Scheme operates. It is for all States and UTs w.e.f. 01 April 2022
Anganwadi cum Crche (AWCC): Childcare centers providing essential care and support to children, extended under the Palna Scheme.
Sustainable Development Goal 8: A United Nations Sustainable Development Goal focused on promoting decent work and economic growth.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands: A union territory of India. Mentioned in the state/UT-wise list of approved Aganwadi cum Creches (AWCCs)
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India. Mentioned in the state/UT-wise list of approved Aganwadi cum Creches (AWCCs)
Arunachal Pradesh: A state in India. Mentioned in the state/UT-wise list of approved Aganwadi cum Creches (AWCCs)
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 925
TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2025
PALNA SCHEME
925#. SHRI CHINTAMANI MAHARAJ:
DR. BHOLA SINGH:
SHRI ARUN GOVIL:
SMT. KAMLESH JANGDE:
SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:
DR. HEMANT VISHNU SAVARA:
SMT. SANDHYA RAY:
DR. RAJESH MISHRA:
SHRI JASWANTSINH SUMANBHAI BHABHOR:
SHRI CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA:
SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:
SHRI DINESHBHAI MAKWANA:
SHRI LUMBARAM CHOUDHARY:
SMT. MALA RAJYA LAXMI SHAH:
SMT. KAMALJEET SEHRAWAT:
SHRI JANARDAN MISHRA:
SHRI JUGAL KISHORE:
SHRI SURESH KUMAR KASHYAP:
SHRI RAJKUMAR CHAHAR:
DR. SANJAY JAISWAL:
Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:
(a) the manner in which the Palna Scheme contributes to child welfare, early childhood
development, and support for working mothers;
(b) the impact of the said scheme in improving women’s workforce participation,
particularly in semi-urban, rural areas and tribal areas of the country;
(c) whether the Government proposes to establish new Anganwadi-cum-Crèches
under the said scheme in the next financial year;
(d) if so, the details thereof, State-wise and district-wise; and
(e) the current status of implementation of the scheme in the country, State and district-
wise?ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)
(a) to (e): 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. 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 socio-economic 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.
Programme Approval Board(PAB) meetings, are held with the State Governments and UT
Administrations annually 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 of AWCCs are received from the respective State
Governments/UT Administrations who also contribute their corresponding share for theimplementation 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. The State/UT-wise
approved Aganwadi-cum-Creches(AWCCs) is at Annexure.
*****Annexure
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN THE REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (E) OF THE LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 925 FOR ANSWER ON 25.07.2025 REGARDING “PALNA
SCHEME”
State/UT-wise details of approved Aganwadi-cum-Creches (AWCCs)
Sl. State/UT Approved AWCCs
No.
1 Andaman and Nicobar Islands 8
2 Andhra Pradesh 108
3 Arunachal Pradesh 86
4 Assam 500
5 Bihar 504
6 Chandigarh 210
7 Chhattisgarh 1500
8 Delhi 502
9 Goa 11
10 Gujarat 25
11 Haryana 628
12 Himachal Pradesh 152
13 Jammu and Kashmir 317
14 Jharkhand 1024
15 Kerala 504
16 Ladakh 7
17 Lakshadweep 8
18 Madhya Pradesh 448
19 Manipur 702
20 Meghalaya 1238
21 Mizoram 200
22 Nagaland 500
23 Odisha 1000
24 Puducherry 86
25 Punjab 148
26 Sikkim 25
27 Tamil Nadu 600
28 Telangana 1033
29 Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & 190
Diu
30 Tripura 11431 Uttarakhand 202
32 Karnataka 1664
33 Maharashtra 345
34 West Bengal 10
Total 14599