Ministry of Women and Child Development
14,599 Anganwadi cum Creches approved by the Ministry of Women and Child Development as per proposals received from various States and UTs
Posted On:
01 AUG 2025 6:05PM by PIB Delhi
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. 31st 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 23.07.2025 a total of 14,599 AWCCs have been approved by the Ministry as per proposals received from various States and UTs, out of them 2448 AWCCs have been made operational by 23 States and UTs.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Lok Sabha in reply to a question today.
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SS/MS
(Release ID: 2151467)