Palna (National Creche Scheme)

What is the Palna scheme?

Palna is the revised National Creche Scheme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, run as a component of the Samarthya sub-scheme of Mission Shakti. Palna provides day care creche facilities for children of 6 months to 6 years, so that mothers; including those in informal and daily-wage work: can take up gainful employment without leaving young children unsupervised.

According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Palna's delivery vehicle is the Anganwadi-cum-Creche (AWCC): an existing Anganwadi centre upgraded to also run a creche, rather than a separate standalone building. As on 31 March 2026, 3,130 AWCCs were operational.

Key objectives

• Provide a safe and secure environment for young children during their mother's working hours.
• Improve the nutrition, health and cognitive development of children in the creche.
• Enable mothers to take up work, which is the reason the scheme sits under Mission Shakti's women's empowerment arm rather than under child welfare alone.
• Monitor growth and health in coordination with Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.

Main features

• Centrally sponsored, with the cost shared between the centre and the states in a 60:40 ratio, and 90:10 for north-eastern and special category states.
• Each AWCC takes a maximum of about 25 children.
• Operating hours of about 7.5 hours a day for 26 days a month, with exact timings decided by the state.
• Staffed by the Anganwadi Worker as overall in-charge, plus a Creche Worker (minimum Class XII) and a Creche Helper (minimum Class X).

Who is eligible for Palna?

A child can be enrolled if:

• The child is between 6 months and 6 years of age.
• The family lives within the service area of an Anganwadi-cum-Creche. Creches are meant to be located near the children's homes or the mother's workplace.
• The mother wants day care. According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the facility is open to all mothers irrespective of their employment status — a mother does not have to prove she is in paid work.

There is no income ceiling and no caste or category restriction on enrolment.

Who cannot apply / is not eligible

• Children below 6 months or above 6 years are outside the scheme's age band. A child above 6 belongs in school, and infants under 6 months are not admitted.
• Families outside an AWCC's service area cannot enrol; Palna is location-based, and if no AWCC has been sanctioned near you, there is nothing to enrol into until the state proposes one.
• Anyone seeking a cash benefit cannot apply. Palna funds a service, not a transfer to parents. For maternity cash support, see Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
• Private creche operators cannot apply for a subsidy in their own right; AWCCs are sanctioned to states, which run them through the Anganwadi network.

What services does Palna provide?

An Anganwadi-cum-Creche under Palna provides:

• Day care in a safe supervised space, including sleeping facilities for the youngest children.
• Supplementary nutrition, sourced locally, in addition to the child's meals at home.
• Early stimulation, physical and mental activity for children under 3 years.
• Pre-school education for children aged 3 to 6, in line with the Anganwadi curriculum.
• Growth monitoring, health check-ups and immunisation support, coordinated with POSHAN 2.0 and the health department.

What documents are required for Palna?

How to apply for Palna

Palna has no central online application. Enrolment is done at the Anganwadi by the Anganwadi Worker.

1. Find the Anganwadi-cum-Creche serving your area. Ask your Anganwadi Worker, the ASHA worker or the Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) of your block whether the local Anganwadi has been upgraded to an AWCC.
2. Visit the centre with the child during its working hours, carrying the child's birth certificate or other age proof and your Aadhaar card.
3. Ask the Anganwadi Worker to register the child in the creche register. Give the child's date of birth, immunisation status and your contact number.
4. Show the Mother and Child Protection card if you have one, so that the creche can continue growth monitoring and immunisation follow-up.
5. Confirm the timings and any fee notified by your state, and the daily drop-off and pick-up arrangement.
6. If no AWCC exists nearby, raise the demand with the CDPO or the District Programme Officer. States send proposals to the Ministry, which sanctions AWCCs against them. The Ministry has approved AWCCs in large numbers on the basis of such state proposals.

What does Palna cost a parent?

Fee policy under Palna is set by the state or union territory government, not centrally. Several states run the AWCC service free or at a small daily charge with an exemption for families below the poverty line. Because there is no uniform all-India fee published by the Ministry, ask your Anganwadi Worker what has been notified in your state, and do not accept a charge that is not part of a written state order.

Help and grievance redressal

• Child Helpline: 1098
• Women Helpline: 181
• Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) of your block, for enrolment refusals, creche timings or staff complaints
• District Programme Officer, for AWCC sanction and demand for new centres
• Ministry portal: wcd.gov.in

Enrolment in an Anganwadi-cum-Creche cannot be refused on grounds of caste, religion or the mother's employment status, and no unofficial payment may be demanded for a place.