Context: The guidelines of the Ministry of the Women and Child Development (WCD) has mandated the states to retain the official name of the Mission Vatsalya, in order to access Central funds and benefits under the scheme.

About Mission Vatsalaya

• It is an umbrella scheme for Child Protection Services (CPS) in the country.

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

Objectives of Mission Vatsalya are to

• Secure a healthy and happy childhood for each and every child in India,

• Ensure opportunities to enable them to discover their full potential and assist them in flourishing in all respects, in a sustained manner,

• Foster a sensitive, supportive and synchronized ecosystem for development of children,

• Assist States/UTs in delivering the mandate of the Juvenile Justice Act 2015 and achieve the SDG goals.

Components under Mission Vatsalya include

• Improve functioning of statutory bodies;

• Strengthen service delivery structures;

• Upscale institutional care/services;

• Encourage non-institutional community-based care;

• Emergency outreach services;

• Training and capacity building.

• Funds - The funds to states will be approved through the Mission Vatsalya Project Approval Board (PAB), which will be chaired by the WCD Secretary.

• The WCD Secretary will scrutinise and approve annual plans and financial proposals received from states and UTs for release of grants.

• Implementation: The scheme is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme by the Ministry of the WCD in partnership with state governments and UT administrations.

• Funding Pattern: It is implemented with the fund-sharing pattern in the 60:40 ratio.

• However, the Centre and state/ UT’s share will be 90:10 for the 8 Northeasten states as well as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the UT of Jammu & Kashmir.

• The Centre will cover the whole cost in UTs without a legislature.

SARA & CARA - Mission Vatsalya will support the State Adoption Resource Agencies (SARA).

• The SARA will coordinate, monitor and develop the work related to non-institutional care, including adoption in the state.

• The SARA will support the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) in promoting in-country adoption and regulating inter-country adoption.

• Other features: Mission Vatsalya, in partnership with states and districts, will execute a 24×7 helpline service for children, as defined under JJ Act, 2015.

• Separate children’s homes based on gender (including separate homes for transgender children) and age will be established for children in need of care, as well as for special needs children.

• The Open Shelters registered by the state government will also be supported to look after runaway children, missing children, trafficked children, and other children who want special needs.

• Open Shelters are not meant to provide permanent residential facilities for children but will complement the existing institutional care facilities.