The RGN Crèche Scheme (RGNCS) of the Ministry of Women and Child Development has been revised and the revised scheme is being implemented from 01.01.2016.

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.

Crèches shall be open for 26 days in a month and for seven and half (7- ½) hours per day as per the work schedule of majority of the mothers in the area, which may be from 7.00 a.m. to 2.30p.m., 8.00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. or 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.  If required, arrangements may be made for mothers who have longer working hours with extra payment for additional time at reasonable rates and on mutually agreed basis.

Sharing Ratio of expenditure between Government and implementing NGO is now 90:10.There will be One crèche worker and one helper in each crèche. Honorarium of crèche worker is increased to Rs. 3000/. Helper’s honorarium is Rs. 1500/-. Supplementary nutrition has been increased to Rs. 12.00 per child per day.

New provision of Rs. 2000/- per year is also made for Pre School Education Kit.

The Ministry is implementing RGNCS for the children of working mothers which provide day care facilities to children of working mothers.  The scheme is presently being implemented throughout the country through Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) and India Council for Child Welfare (ICCW).  Grants under the scheme are released to the Implementing Agencies and not to the State Governments.  The Funds are further disbursed by the Implementing Agencies to their State Councils/ State Boards/ Non-Governmental Organisations. Grants released to the implementation Agencies are as under:-

     The total number of creches being currently run by CSWB & ICCW under RGNCS stands at 21790 , while the number of beneficiaries under the scheme stand at 538169 for the current year. 

While considering the Scheme for its continuation and enhancement of financial norms, the EFC has interalia decided that the number of crèche would not exceed 23555.  Accordingly it has been decided that no new crèche will be opened under the Scheme during 12^th Five Year Plan.

Under the revised Scheme, the following provisions have been made to monitor the implementation of Scheme including supply of nutritious food to the beneficiaries of the crèches:

(i)          Local level monitoring.

(ii)        Monitoring by Implementing Agencies.

(iii)                       District level monitoring by District Monitoring Committee to be headed by the District Magistrate & assisted by the District Child Protection Unit set up under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme.

(iv)      Monitoring by MWCD through Independent monitoring agencies.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

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