Lok Sabha Question No. 4263 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-20
Subject: National Creche Scheme
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dr. Bachhav Shobha Dinesh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4263

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2024

## NATIONAL CRECHE SCHEME

## † 4263. DR. BACHHAV SHOBHA DINESH:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a)         whether any special provision has been made by the Government for women in the Budget;
- (b)         if so, the details thereof;
- (c)         the  details  of  provisions  made  for  and  expenditure  incurred  under  Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme during the last five years and the current year;
- (d)         whether  the  Government  has  curtailed  the  financing  of  National  Creche Scheme;
- (e)         if so, the details thereof;
- (f)          whether the Government have not paid grants to many Creches; and
- (g)         if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a)  to  (b):  In  Financial  Year  2024-25,  a  total  of  43  Ministries/  Departments/  Union Territories reported an allocation of Rs. 3.27 lakh crore for women and girls which is an increase of 37.3% over the allocation of Rs. 2.38 lakh crore in financial year 202324. The share of the gender budget in the total Union Budget has increased to 6.8% in  2024-25  from  5.3%  in  FY  2023-24,  which  is  the  highest  since  inception.  This increased  allocation  signals  Government  of  India's  commitment  for  enhancing women's role in economic development.

(c)  to  (g):  Rajiv  Gandhi  National  Crèche  Scheme  (RGNCS)  for  the  Children  of Working Mothers was launched as a central sector scheme w.e.f. 1st January 2006 by merging the National Crèche Fund with the Scheme of Assistance to Voluntary Organizations for  crèches  for Working/Ailing  Women's  Children.  The  Scheme  was implemented through the Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) and two voluntary organizations, namely Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) and Bhartiya Adim Jati

Sevak  Sangh  (BAJSS)  in  States/  UTs.  The  fund  sharing  pattern  of  the  scheme between  Centre  and  Implementing  Agency  was  in  a  ratio  of  90:10.  State/UT governments were not the stakeholders in the scheme, so monitoring and supervision was inadequate. Subsequently, RGNCS was discontinued w.e.f. 31 December 2016.

From 01.01.2017 to 31.03.2022, the Crèche services were provided by the Ministry of Women and Child Development through the erstwhile 'National Crèche Scheme for Children of Working Mothers' (NCS), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, wherein Standalone Crèches were being operated through NGOs as implementing agencies, with the added feature of State/UT share to ensure better local monitoring.

As per an Evaluation of NITI Aayog, concurred to by Ministry of Finance during the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) for Mission Shakti, in view of a majority of states having emphasised that they prefer to run Anganwadi-cum-crèches (AWCCs) instead of separate stand-alone crèches, it was recommended that Creches may be merged with the nearest Anganwadi Centres, and run as AWCCs.

Accordingly, the Ministry introduced Palna scheme under the umbrella Mission Shakti w.e.f. 01 April 2022, to provide quality crèche facility in safe and secure environment for children (from ages 6 months - 6 years). Palna is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme ensuring  the  participation  of  State/  UT  government  to  ensure  better  day-to-day monitoring and proper implementation of scheme, and is implemented with a funding ratio of 60:40 between Centre and State Governments and UTs with legislature except North East & Special Category States where ratio is 90:10. For UTs without legislature, 100% funding is provided by the central government.

Palna addresses the difficulties faced by the working mothers in giving due child care and protection to their children by providing day-care crèche facilities. 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 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.

The details of amount allocated and expenditure incurred under Palna (and erstwhile National Creche Scheme for the Children of Working Mothers) during last five years is as under:

(Amount in Rs. Crores)

| Financial Year       |   2019-20 |   2020-21 |   2021-22 |   2022-23 |   2023-24 | 2024-25   |
|----------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Amount allocated     |     50    |      15   |      4.02 |     35    |     85    | 150.11    |
| Expenditure incurred |     47.77 |      11.6 |      0    |      4.68 |     64.15 | 43.66*    |

* as on 19.12.2024

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