Lok Sabha Question No. 1898 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-02
Subject: ECCE Policy 2013
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1898

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2024

## ECCE POLICY 2013

## 1898. SHRI VISHALDADA PRAKASHBAPU PATIL:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  Anganwadi  level  monitoring  committees  and  ECCE  councils notified as per the National Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) Policy, 2013 and the amount of fund allocated for their capacity building;
- (b) the  number  of  ICDS  centres  which  have  an  additional  worker  to  facilitate teaching learning experience at the centre;
- (c) the number of Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) who have passed the Twelve (XII) Standard, State-wise;
- (d) the number of AWWs and Anganwadi helpers belonging to religious minorities, SCs, STs or are people with disabilities, State-wise; and
- (e) the number of operating creches under the Maternity Benefit Act, (Amended Act, 2017), State-wise and sector-wise?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) & (b):  Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) is one of the six free services provided  through  Anganwadi  Centres  (AWCs)  located  across  the  country  under Anganwadi Services. The Government of India has approved 'Saksham Anganwadi and  Poshan  2.0'  during  the  15 th   Finance  Commission  period  2021-22  to  202526.   ECCE covers pre-school learning material for cognitive, emotional, social and intellectual development of the child; development of muscular coordination and basic motor skills; aesthetic appreciation, independence and creativity; good healthy habits; training and skilling needs to make all pre-schoolers school ready and for seamless integration of children in the age group of 5-6 years in Grade- I.  As per the guidelines, ECCE was introduced in all the Anganwadi Centres beginning in FY 2022-23.

Poshan  Bhi  Padhai  Bhi'  initiative  of  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0  was launched on 10 May 2023 to bring focus of the Anganwadi system on early childhood care  and  education  and  transform  the  Anganwadi  Centre  into  a  Learning  Centre having  high  quality  infrastructure,  play  equipment,  and  well-trained  Anganwadi Workers  to  stimulate  the  creative,  social,  emotional  and  cognitive  development  of children under 6 years of age including divyang children.

As per the existing guidelines of Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, there is a provision of 01 Anganwadi Worker (AWW) and 01 Anganwadi Helper (AWH) per AWC only. There is no provision for an additional worker exclusively to facilitate teaching learning experience at the centre.

(c) & (d): AWWs and AWHs are honorary workers from the local community who come forward  to  render  their  services  on  part-time  basis  in  the  area  of  child  care  and development. Minimum prescribed qualification for AWW/AWH is 12th Standard.

Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  and  Poshan  2.0  is  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme therefore, the implementation and administration of the scheme falls under the ambit of the States/UTs. Central Government is responsible only for the overall policy and planning. The State Governments/UT Administrations are responsible for day-to-day program implementation and all operational aspects of the scheme.

State  Government/UT  Administrations  have  been  requested  to  follow  the  extant reservation orders issued by the Government in respect of SCs, STs, other backward classes etc while promoting AWW/AWH. The information regarding number of AWWs and AWHs who have passed 12th standard and who belong to religious minorities, SCs, STs or PWDs is not being maintained by this Ministry.

(e): The Ministry is implementing National Creche Scheme (renamed as Palna) under Mission Shakti which aims to increase the participation of women in work force, in the economy by providing quality  creche  facility  in  a  safe  and  secure  environment  for children. State-wise list of operational Creches under Palna Scheme is at Annexure.

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## Annexure

Statement referred to in part (e) of Lok Sabha Un-starred Question No.1898 by Shri Vishaldada Prakashbapu Patil regarding 'ECCE Policy 2013' for answer on 02.08.2024

| S. No   | STATE                          |   Number of operatiional creches |
|---------|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh                 |                               10 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh              |                               52 |
| 3       | Assam                          |                               50 |
| 4       | Chhattisgarh                   |                                3 |
| 5       | Goa                            |                                2 |
| 6       | Gujarat                        |                                1 |
| 7       | Haryana                        |                              165 |
| 8       | Himachal Pradesh               |                               52 |
| 9       | Karnataka                      |                              334 |
| 10      | Kerala                         |                              266 |
| 11      | Madhya Pradesh                 |                                3 |
| 12      | Manipur                        |                              214 |
| 13      | Meghalaya                      |                               62 |
| 14      | Mizoram                        |                              176 |
| 15      | Nagaland                       |                               94 |
| 16      | Punjab                         |                              143 |
| 17      | Sikkim                         |                               25 |
| 18      | Tamil Nadu                     |                              141 |
| 19      | Telangana                      |                                5 |
| 20      | Tripura                        |                              114 |
| 21      | A & N Island                   |                                7 |
| 22      | Chandigarh                     |                               89 |
| 23      | Dadra & N Haveli and Daman Diu |                               26 |
| 24      | Delhi                          |                               79 |
| 25      | Ladakh                         |                                3 |
| 26      | Puducherry                     |                               47 |
| Total   | Total                          |                             2163 |