Under the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, it has been made mandatory for the establishments employing 50 or more employees to provide crèche facility, either separately or along with common facilities within a prescribed distance. The Central Government is administering the provisions of the Act in Mines & Circus industry, while the State Governments are responsible for its administration in factories, plantations and other establishments. Time to time, advisories are issued to State Governments for strict enforcement and compliance of the provisions of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.

Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing the National Crèche Scheme as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme through States/UTs with effect from 1.1.2017 to provide day care facilities to children (age group of 6 months to 6 years) of working mothers. As per National Crèche Scheme guidelines, the concerned States/UTs undertake an analysis of the requirement of crèche services at the district level based on a survey and a proper mapping of the existing crèches so as to assess the demand of crèches in the State/UT.

A baseline survey is conducted by State Government in the month of March every year to ascertain the requirement/willingness of children to attend the crèches. Also, the Implementing Agencies conduct field surveys for assessment of needs of community, identifying location of the crèches and also eligible children.

The norms for registration, establishment and maintenance of the creches especially in matters of hygiene, first-aid, breastfeeding and nutritionhave beenstipulatedunder National Creche Scheme guidelines.

This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

 

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MM/ SB

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