Centre releases guidelines for Mission Vatsalya

Tags: Government Schemes National News

The Centre has issued certain guidelines for getting access to central funds and benefits under Mission Vatsalya. Mission Vatsalya is an umbrella scheme for child protection services in the country.

• What are the new guidelines?

• The states will have to retain the official name given by the Centre.

• Only correct translation in the local language will be allowed.

• Funds to the states will be sanctioned through Mission Vatsalya Project Approval Board (PAB), which will be headed by the Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development.

• States/UTs have also been directed to focus on special needs of children with physical or mental disabilities.

• Institutions will now have to provide specialized teachers, doctors and nurses to provide occupational therapy, speech therapy, verbal therapy and other remedial classes.

• The employees of these special units will have to know sign language, braille etc. as per the new guidelines.

• Mission Vatsalya, in partnership with states and districts, will implement a 24×7 helpline service for children.

• Mission Vatsalya

• It promotes family-based non-institutional care of children in difficult situations based on the 'principle of institutionalization of children' as a last resort.

• Before the year 2009, three schemes were implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development for children in need of protection -

1. Juvenile justice programs for children as well as children in need of care and protection

2. Integrated Program for Street Children

3. Child Home Assistance Scheme

• In the year 2010, these three schemes were merged into a single scheme which is known as Integrated Child Protection Scheme.

• In the year 2017 its name was changed to "Child Protection Services Scheme" and in the year 2021-22 it was also changed to Mission Vatsalya.

• It aims to ensure a healthy and happy childhood for every child in the country.