The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports headed by Shri Digvijaya Singh, M.P., Rajya Sabha presented the 379th Report on Action Taken by the Government on the Recommendations/ Observations contained in the 365th Report on Demands for Grants 2025-26 pertaining to the Ministry of Women & Child Development to the Hon’ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha on 16^th June, 2026.

2.         The Action Taken Report was considered and adopted by the Committee in its meeting held on 21^st May, 2026. The Observations/Recommendations made by the Committee in the Report are enclosed herewith.

3.         These Reports are also available on the link:

https://sansad.in/rs/committees/16?departmentally-related-standing-committees

 

OBSERVATIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE AT A GLANCE

 

1. The Committee notes the reply of the Ministry wherein it is stated that, as on 13.10.2025, 6,263 adolescent girls have been mobilized across 27 districts in 19 States under the Special Pilot for skilling of adolescent girls in convergence with MSDE. Further, the Committee also notes that training is currently underway for 468 adolescent girls, while training has been completed for 368 adolescent girls. While appreciating the initial efforts made by the Ministry towards operationalizing the pilot programme, the Committee observes that the number of girls who have actually completed training so far is relatively limited when compared to the total number mobilized i.e. 6263. The Committee recommends that the Ministry should closely monitor implementation, address any bottlenecks in training delivery, and ensure that the remaining mobilized girls are enrolled and trained expeditiously.

 

The Committee also reiterates its earlier recommendation that the Ministry should prepare a phased roadmap for expansion of the programme to all districts, along with adequate and sustained financial allocations, so that the benefits of skilling and re-skilling reach adolescent girls across the country in a timely and impactful manner.

(Para 3.4.50 ibid)

 

2. The Committee notes the support being provided to women and children in Manipur through existing schemes such as Mission Vatsalya, Mission Shakti and Mission Poshan 2.0. The Committee takes note of the institutional and non-institutional care mechanisms available under Mission Vatsalya, the approval of 78 Child Care Institutions in the State, and the statutory role of Child Welfare Committees and Commissions for Protection of Child Rights in safeguarding the interests of children in need of care and protection.

While acknowledging the framework of schemes and institutional arrangements already in place, the Committee observes that the situation in Manipur is of an extraordinary and humanitarian nature, involving large numbers of internally displaced women and children residing in relief camps for an extended period. The Committee is of the view that reliance solely on existing schemes may not be adequate to address the immediate and specific needs particularly with regard to provision of nutritious food, breakfast, safe accommodation, health care and psycho-social support. Further, the Committee notes that the issue of additional fund allocation to relief camps has to be taken care of and, therefore, reiterates that temporary and targeted financial support, even within the ambit of existing schemes, is essential to ensure that women and children in relief camps are not deprived of the basic facilities.

The Committee recommends that the Ministry, should undertake a focused assessment of the conditions in relief camps in Manipur and consider earmarking additional funds or flexibilities under existing schemes to meet emergent needs. Further, the Ministry should ensure close monitoring of service delivery on the ground so that women and children continue to receive adequate nutrition, shelter and care.

The Committee recommends the Ministry also coordinate with other Ministries to evaluate what measures they may have undertaken to alleviate the issues faced by the women and children of Manipur.

 

(Para 3.4.52 ibid)

 

3. The Committee notes the Ministry’s acknowledgement of the issue and appreciates the constitution of multiple Task Forces, joint consultations with the Ministry of Education, issuance of a Joint Advisory in April 2025, and release of Guidelines on co-location of Anganwadi Centres within Government Primary Schools in September 2025.

However, the Committee observes that the existence of Task Forces and advisories over a prolonged period has not yet translated into the desired pace of on-ground convergence. Therefore, the Committee is of the view that repeated constitution and reconstitution of committees since 2021 indicates delays in decision-making and implementation, which may affect uniform delivery of ECCE services across States and UTs. Accordingly, the Committee recommends that a dedicated national mission with clear targets, timelines, and accountability mechanisms should be planned which would significantly strengthen coordination between stakeholders, ensure uniform adoption of guidelines by States/UTs, and accelerate co-location and operational integration of Bal Vatikas and Anganwadi Centres. Further, the Ministry should consider upgrading the existing coordination mechanism into a mission-mode framework at the national level to ensure timely and effective realization of ECCE objectives envisioned under NEP, 2020.

(Para 3.4.63 ibid)

 

4. The Committee examined the reply of the Ministry and appreciates the introduction of the Palna Scheme under Mission Shakti and efforts undertaken to extend whole-day childcare services for children aged six months to six years, with the objective of improving early childhood care, nutrition and enhancing women’s workforce participation. The Committee also notes positively the convergence with Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, provision of supplementary nutrition, and the deployment of additional crèche staff at AWCCs.

However, the Committee is of the view that the current provision of 7.5 hours of day-care may not adequately meet the needs of working women, particularly those engaged in full-time, informal, or shift-based employment, who often require longer and more predictable childcare support. The Committee is of the view that converting Anganwadis into full day-care centres with extended operational hours of at least 10 hours would significantly enhance accessibility and utility of these facilities for mothers of children between six months and three years.

The Committee notes that while the Palna Scheme provides additional crèche workers and helpers, its coverage remains limited and is subject to State-level implementation and resource availability. In this context, the Committee emphasizes the need for a clear roadmap to progressively expand AWCCs to all Anganwadi Centres, particularly in urban poor, tribal, and high-migration areas.

 

(Para 3.4.64 ibid)

MISSION SHAKTI

 

5. The Committee has examined the reply of the Ministry regarding the under-utilization of funds under the Nari Adalat scheme vis-à-vis the objectives and scope of the scheme, which aims at empowering women through alternate dispute resolution, grievance redressal and counselling on a range of gender-based issues. Further, the Committee notes that the under-utilization of funds is primarily due to procedural delays relating to transition to the Single Nodal Agency (SNA) and SNA–SPARSH modules, delayed submission of Utilization Certificates and Statements of Expenditure, and the fact that the scheme is presently being piloted by  only two States/UTs.

While the Committee acknowledges these implementation challenges, it observes that procedural and administrative bottlenecks have resulted in persistently low utilization of funds over consecutive years, thereby limiting the outreach and impact of an otherwise important initiative. The Committee is of the view that such systemic delays should be addressed in a timely manner, particularly given that the scheme is fully funded by the Centre and intended to provide accessible justice mechanisms for women at the grassroots level.

Further, the Committee recommends facilitating faster on boarding of States/UTs, providing handholding support for transition to SNA–SPARSH, and streamlining the process for submission of Utilization Certificates.

(Para 3.6.7 ibid)

 

SAMBAL DIVISION

ONE STOP CENTRE

 

6. The Committee notes with appreciation the steps taken by the Ministry to standardize and strengthen capacity building of OSC personnel through regional and national training programmes, with the involvement of reputed institutions and expert resource persons which reflects a positive effort towards improving the quality of service delivery at OSCs. However, the Committee observes that several key concerns raised earlier have not been addressed adequately, particularly regarding inadequate staffing levels in relation to population density, low remuneration of contractual staff, and irregular disbursement of salaries by State Governments. The Committee therefore is of the view that training alone may not yield desired outcomes unless personnel are adequately compensated, retained, and deployed in sufficient numbers to handle the caseload effectively.

The Committee recommends that the Ministry strengthen monitoring mechanisms and engage more closely with States/UTs to ensure that administrative and human resource issues do not impede the effective functioning of OSCs and the realization of the scheme’s objectives.

(Para 3.6.10 ibid)

 

7. The Committee appreciates the steps taken towards digitization of helpline workflows, integration with ERSS–112, development of monitoring dashboards, provision of vehicles for emergency response, and the increase in the number of approved and operational OSCs. However, the issues such as deployment of AI-powered analytics and mandatory gender sensitization training for police and judiciary are not clearly addressed. Further, the Committee is of the view that despite progress, a significant number of OSCs remain non-operational and many are yet to be fully integrated with Women Helplines and connectivity systems and therefore reiterates the need for time-bound operationalisation of all approved OSCs and complete integration with WHLs. It further urges the Ministry to adopt advanced technological solutions, strengthen coordination with law enforcement agencies, and expedite implementation to ensure prompt, effective and survivor-centric support for women in distress.

(Para 3.6.11 ibid)

 

NARI ADALAT 

 

8. The Committee notes the reply of the Ministry on the implementation of the Nari Adalat scheme under Mission Shakti and appreciates the intent of piloting the scheme and the issuance of Standard Operating Procedures to States/UTs. The Committee however, observes that the scale and pace of implementation remain inadequate in relation to the scheme’s stated objectives. Further, the reply does not clearly address the issue of attachment of professional support systems such as counsellors and mental health experts, in order to make it accessible to women in every district. The Committee therefore, reiterates its earlier recommendation that the Ministry should undertake a comprehensive review of the pilot, set clear timelines for phased expansion to all districts, and ensure that Nari Adalats are strengthened with counselling and psychological support services to effectively address the complex challenges faced by women seeking justice.

(Para 3.6.17 ibid)

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