Centres to come up across 9 talukas
PANAJI
In a bid to provide a helping hand to the working mothers, the State government will soon be starting crèches or ‘Palna Ghar’, across nine talukas, where the children from one year and above would be taken care. This is being done as part of the Central government’s Palna scheme.
The Directorate of Women and Child Development (WCD) will be establishing these crèches either in Anganwadi centres or stand-alone facility.
Sources informed that the department has planned crèches in Canacona (Bhikarwada), Cuncolim (Sanvorcotto), Quepem (Condi), Sanguem (Tarimol), in South Goa and in North – Bicholim (Varchawada), Pernem (Bironda), Porvorim (police quarters), Panaji (Boca-de-Vaca) and Valpoi (Betkekar Wada).
Sources said that the Union Women and Child Development Ministry aims to establish 17,000 crèches in Anganwadi centres across the country and these are part of those sanctioned crèches.
The scheme focuses on children of 6 months to 6 years, of working women in rural and urban areas who are employed for a minimum period of 15 days in a month, or six months in a year.
“The Palna scheme is a sub-scheme of the Mission Shakti programme that provides day care facilities for children of working mothers. The scheme was introduced in 2022 and is intended to improve the health and nutrition of children,” sources said.
Source said that the crèches will remain open from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, wherein several facilities including play area, toys; however, the nutritious food including milk and other day-to-day eatables will have to be provided by the parents.
The Ministry has released a National Minimum Standards and Protocol for crèches that provides guidelines for setting up and operating crèches and the same has been followed by the State.
