Lok Sabha Question No. 5687 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-04
Subject: National Creche Scheme
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Md. Rakibul Hussain

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5687 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.04.2025

## NATIONAL CRECHE SCHEME

## 5687. MD. RAKIBUL HUSSAIN :

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

- (a) whether  several  creches  under  the  Rajiv  Gandhi  National  Creche  Scheme (RGNCS) are closing down due to lack of funds;
- (b) if so, the details thereof indicating the funds released under RGNCS along with its utilization during the Financial year 2018-19, 2019-20,2020-21 and 2021-22;
- (c) whether extra funds have been disbursed to the State Councils without any reference to the number of creches running and children enrolled therein;
- (d) if so, whether any initiative for the refund of additional funds disbursed to the State Council are being considered;
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (f) the details of the number of creches working under the scheme?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (f): 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 and UTs. The fund sharing pattern of the scheme between Centre and  Implementing  Agency  was  in  a  ratio  of  90:10.  State  Governments  and  UT Administrations  were  not  the  stakeholders  in  the  scheme,  so  monitoring  and supervision  were  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 Stand- alone Crèches were being operated through NGOs as implementing agencies, with the added feature of States' share and UTs' share to ensure better local monitoring.

The Ministry introduced Palna scheme under Samarthya vertical of 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 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.  Anganwadi  centres  are  the  world's  largest childcare  institutions  dedicated  to  providing  essential  care  and  support  to  children ensuring delivery of care facilities to the last mile. In a first of its kind approach, Ministry has extended the services of childcare through Anganwadi cum Crèches (AWCCs).

As on 28.02.2025 a total of 11,395 AWCCs have been approved by the Ministry as per proposals received from various States and UTs, out of them 1761 AWCCs have been made operational by 19 States and UTs.

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