The Ministry of Women and Child Development introduced Anganwadi cum Creches (AWCCs) under the Palna Scheme effective April 1, 2022, as part of the Samarthya vertical of Mission Shakti. The scheme provides daycare creche facilities in safe and secure environments for children aged 6 months to 6 years, regardless of their mothers' employment status, along with comprehensive support including nutritional assistance, health and cognitive development programs, growth monitoring, immunization, and education services.
Palna is implemented as a centrally sponsored scheme with differentiated funding ratios: 60:40 between Centre and State Governments/UTs with legislature (except North East & Special Category States), 90:10 for North East & Special Category States, and 100% central funding for UTs without legislature. Funds are released to States/UTs through the Single Nodal Agency (SNA)/SNA-SPARSH mechanism of the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) in accordance with Department of Expenditure guidelines. Currently, 4,172 Anganwadi-cum-Crèches are operational across the country.
Separately, the Ministry of Labour and Employment confirmed that provisions of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 have been subsumed under the Code on Social Security, 2020, which came into effect on November 21, 2025. Section 67 of the Code mandates creche facilities for establishments employing 50 or more employees. Enforcement responsibility lies with respective State Governments for establishments under the State Sphere, while the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) Organisation under the Ministry of Labour and Employment ensures compliance in establishments under the Central Sphere.
This information was provided by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Smt. Savitri Thakur, in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha.