National Creche Scheme | 14 Mar 2020

The National Crèche Scheme is a centrally sponsored scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The scheme was earlier named as Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme.
It aims to provide day care facilities to children (age group of 6 months to 6 years) of working mothers.
The salient features of the National Creche Scheme are as follows:
- Daycare Facilities including Sleeping Facilities.
- Early Stimulation for children below 3 years and pre-school Education for 3 to 6 years old children.
- Supplementary Nutrition ( to be locally sourced)
- Growth Monitoring
- Health Check-up and Immunization
Further, the guidelines provide that :
- Crèches shall be open for 26 days in a month and for seven and half (7-1/2) hours per day.
- The number of children in the crèche should not be more than 25 per crèche.
- User charges will be levied to bring in an element of community ownership.
The fund sharing pattern under National Creche Scheme amongst Centre, States/UTs & Non Governmental Organisations/Voluntary Organisations is in the ratio of 60:30:10 for States, 80:10:10 for North Eastern States and Himalayan States and 90:0:10 for UTs.

It helps women to manage both their career as well as their family responsibility.
It promotes gender diversity at workplaces.
Creche facilities help promote gender equality and democracy by increasing participation of women in the economy.