What this scheme offers
A working mother without reliable, affordable childcare often faces an impossible choice: leave a young child with inadequate supervision, or step back from paid work altogether, which is precisely the kind of decision no family should have to make purely for lack of a safe place to leave a toddler for the day. Palna (the National Creche Scheme) exists for that gap — day-care for children aged 0-6 specifically for working mothers, covering food, basic health monitoring, and age-appropriate early-learning activities, run through state governments and NGO partners rather than a single uniform national facility, which means the exact setup varies somewhat by location but the core offering — safe, supervised, free day-care during work hours — stays consistent.
Who is eligible
- Children aged 0-6 years of working mothers.
- No fixed income ceiling nationally, though priority is often given to lower-income working mothers where demand exceeds available creche capacity.
- Operated through state governments, NGOs, or other implementing partners, so availability depends on a functioning creche existing in your area.
Documents required
- Aadhaar card (child and mother)
- Proof of mother's employment (salary slip, employer letter, or self-employment proof)
- Birth certificate
How to apply
- Locate your nearest Palna creche through your state Women and Child Development department or by asking at your local Anganwadi Centre, since creches are often co-located with or coordinated through the same local network.
- Register your child directly with the creche, providing proof of your employment and your child's basic documents.
- Drop off and collect your child during the creche's operating hours, which are generally aligned to a typical working day.
- If no functioning creche serves your area, raise it with your District Programme Officer under Women and Child Development, since coverage has been expanding but remains uneven.
- Combine this with ICDS/Anganwadi services for broader nutrition and health support, since the two programmes are designed to work alongside each other rather than duplicate.