NEW DELHI: To help working mothers provide due care and protection to their children, the Centre is operating over 2,000 Anganwadi-cum-Creches (AWCCs) in the country.

In a written reply, Minister of State of Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur said there are 39,011 children beneficiaries across 2,820 AWCCs.

Of the 2,820 AWCCs, Delhi has the most at 502, benefitting 2,590 children. Haryana has 290 AWCCs, benefitting 6426 children. It is followed by Nagaland, where 270 AWCCs are functional while 3122 are beneficiaries. Karnataka has 248 AWCCs, with 5837 beneficiaries, while Nagaland has 200 AWCCs with 4243 beneficiaries.

The minister said, the WCD ministry has introduced the Palna Scheme under the Samarthya Vertical of Umbrella Mission Shakti for all States and UTs from April 1, 2022, to provide day-care facilities and protection to children.

“Government’s sustained initiatives on education, skilling and employment of women have resulted in increased opportunities for their employment, and more and more women are now in gainful employment, working within or outside their homes. Lack of proper day-care services is often a deterrent for women to go out and work. Hence, there is an urgent need for improved quality and reach of day care services/crèches for working women amongst all socio-economic groups both in the organised and unorganised sectors,” she said.

“To address these difficulties faced by the working mothers in giving due child care and protection to their children, day-care crèche facilities are being provided through the Palna Scheme,” she added.