The Indian government has approved 14,599 Palna childcare centres under Mission Shakti’s Samarthya vertical. Launched in April 2022, Palna supports working women by offering day-care facilities for children aged 6 months to 6 years. The move addresses rising female workforce participation and gaps in childcare, especially in urban and unorganized sectors.

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• 4,599 Palna Centres approved across India; goal is 17,000 by FY 2025–26
• Launched in April 2022 under Mission Shakti to aid working mothers
• Offers crèche services for children aged 6 months to 6 years
• Merges with Anganwadi centres to use existing grassroots infrastructure
• Services include nutrition, health checks, cognitive development
• Open to all mothers, employed or not; promotes gender equality
• Reduces unpaid care burden, boosts women’s workforce participation
• Supports SDG 8: Decent work, economic growth for women
• States/UTs co-fund and propose centres for central approval
• Update shared in Rajya Sabha by Minister Savitri Thakur