Centre mulls raising quantum of supplementary nutrition for

The Centre is mulling to increase the quantum of supplementary nutrition under the Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme from Rs 1217 to Rs 7371 per month for 25 children.
This was stated by Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath at the Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting for the Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme today.
She informed that under the new draft proposal, each creche will now have two workers and one helper instead of one worker and a helper.
The honorarium will be increased from Rs 2000 per month combined for one worker and one helper to Rs 3000 for the two workers and Rs 1500 for the helper.

Tirath further said under the new proposal, the Centre will provide 90 per cent of required funds for all components as per the norms of the scheme and the remaining 10 per cent will be borne by the implementing agency/NGO to instigate a feeling of ownership and stake within the implementing agency.
The existing scheme is fully funded by the Centre except for the supplementary nutrition which is shared between the central government and the implementing agency/NGO in ratio of 90:10.

All these changes were made following feedback from stakeholders that the scheme needs to be revamped to enhance its effectiveness, she said.

According to Tirath, the new scheme proposes to focus on children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years of working women in urban and semi-urban area who are employed for a minimum period of 15 days in a month, or 6 months in a year.
The earlier scheme provided day care services for 0-6 year children of working and other deserving women provided the monthly income of both the parents does not exceed Rs 12,000.
Also, the new scheme provides better facilities in creche that includes day care facilities including sleeping, supplementary nutrition, growth monitoring, health check-up and immunisation, and pre-school education for 3-6 years of children.

While the number of children per creche remains 25, in the new scheme 40 percent of the children should be below 3 years of age, she said.