Lok Sabha Question No. 1307 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-06
Subject: Women Hostels and Child-care Centres
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Anita Nagarsingh Chouhan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1307 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2026

## WOMEN HOSTELS AND CHILD-CARE CENTRES

## 1307.   SMT. ANITA NAGARSINGH CHOUHAN:

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

- (a)        whether the  Government  is  aware  that  there  is  an  absence  of  safe  women's hostels/crèche facilities for working women, girl students and women employed in the industrial and service sectors in the tribal-dominated Ratlam-Jhabua-Alirajpur Parliamentary  Constituency  of  Madhya  Pradesh,  adversely  affects  the  continuity  of women's education and employment;
- (b)       if so, the details thereof;
- (c)       whether the Government proposes to establish new working women's hostels/child-care centres  in  this  region  under  the  Working  Women  Hostel  Scheme  and  the  National Crèche Scheme;
- (d) if so, the number  of proposals approved so far along with their proposed locations, capacities and timelines; and
- (e)      if not, the reasons therefor along with the future action plan proposed in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (e) Sakhi  Niwas  Scheme  [Working  Women  Hostel  (WWH)]  under  the  overarching Mission Shakti, is a demand driven centrally sponsored scheme where States/UTs assess their requirement as per local needs and their proposals are approved by the Programme Approval Board (PAB) after discussion with States/UTs. The Scheme aims to promote availability of safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women and for those women who are pursuing higher education and training, with Day care facility for children in urban, semiurban and even rural areas where employment opportunity for women exists.  In this scheme, fund is provided for rental accommodation.

Presently, 3 Sakhi Niwas (01 in Bhopal and 02 in Indore) are functional under Sakhi Niwas and as informed by the State, there is no Sakhi Niwas functional in Ratlam -Jhabua -Alirajpur districts.

Further, Ministry of Finance (MoF), Department of Expenditure (DoE) in August, 2024 has allocated  Rs.5,000/-  crores  to  28  States  under  Part  (X)  (Construction  of  Working  Women Hostels)  of  Special  Assistance  to  States  for  Capital  Investment  (SASCI)  Scheme  for construction  of  working  women  hostels.  Under  this  Scheme,  Rs.284.00  crore  has  been allocated to the government of Madhya Pradesh and State Govt. has submitted 08 proposals for  construction  of  hostels  in  Districts  of  Dhar,  Ujjain,  Raisen,  Singroli,  Jhabua,  Dewas, Narmadapuram  and  Bhind  at  the  total  cost  of  Rs.284.00  crore.   The  proposals  of  State Government have been approved by Department of Expenditure (DoE) and 1 st  instalment of Rs.187.44 crore released by Department of Expenditure (DoE)  to the State Government during 2024-25.

During the 15 th  Finance Commission period, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has  introduced  Anganwadi-cum-Creches  (AWCCs)-Palna  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.

States/UTs are encouraged to submit proposals for opening more Anganwadi-cum-Creches (AWCCs) in the Programme Approval Board (PAB) meetings which are held with the State Governments and UT Administrations annually. In the PAB meeting, 448 Anganwadi-cumCreches (AWCCs) were approved by the Programme Approval Board (PAB) for the State of Madhya Pradesh.

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