Child Care Transformation: A 17% Decline Under Mission Vatsalya

The Mission Vatsalya scheme has seen a 17% reduction in children under institutional care, despite the expansion of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) in India. Currently, 62,592 children remain in institutional care, down from 76,118 in 2021-22. Tamil Nadu leads with the highest number of children in care.

The Women and Child Development Ministry announced a significant shift under the Mission Vatsalya scheme, reporting a 17% drop in the number of children in institutional care.

Despite the decrease, the network of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) has expanded significantly, with numbers rising from 2,245 in 2021-22 to 3,010 in 2024-25.

Tamil Nadu retains the highest count of children in care at over 10,000, while states like West Bengal have seen a downward trend in occupancy rates.

(With inputs from agencies.)