The Mission Vatsalya Scheme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme which is implemented by the States/ Union Territories (UTs) with the aim to support Children in Need of care and Protection (CNCP) and Children in Conflict with Law (CCL). The objective of Mission Vatsalya is to ensure that the best interests of children are always taken care of while designing the projects/ programmes. The objectives include establishing essential services, emergency outreach services for children and include strengthening of institutional and non-institutional care services. The Child Care Institutions (CCIs) established under the Mission support, inter-alia, age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care and counselling.

The funds are shared between the Centre and States in the ratio of 60:40 for all States and UTs with legislature except the North-Eastern States and Hilly States - Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and UT of Jammu & Kashmir, where the cost sharing is in the ratio of 90:10. In Union Territories without legislature, 100% cost is borne by the Central Government.

Under the Mission, 2450 CCIs have been supported during FY 2023-24 for providing institutional care services to children. Total 1,21,861 children were supported for Non-Institutional care. The scheme supported 62,594 children for institutional care during FY 2023-24. Presently, there are 762 District Child Protection Units, 781 Child Welfare Committees and 774 Juvenile Justice Boards in the States/ UTs.

3580 children were adopted In-country and 449 children were adopted Inter-country during FY 2023-24.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question today.

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