Mission Vatsalya (Child Protection and Welfare)

✦Key Features

• Mission Vatsalya replaces Child Protection Services under Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS)
• Budget FY2025-26: ₹1,472 crore; covers Child Care Institutions, Sponsorship, Foster Care
• CHILDLINE (1098): 24/7 emergency phone service for children in distress — 3 crore+ calls handled
• Child Care Institutions (CCIs): 9,500+ institutions; 3.75 lakh children covered
• Foster Care: alternative family care for abandoned/orphaned children
• Juvenile Justice Boards (JJB) and Child Welfare Committees (CWC) under JJ Act 2015
• District Child Protection Units (DCPUs) in every district

✓Eligibility Criteria

• Children in need of care and protection as defined under the Juvenile Justice Act.
• Children in difficult circumstances including orphans, abandoned, and surrendered children.
• States and Union Territories acting as implementing partners for child welfare services.
• Statutory bodies such as Child Welfare Committees and Juvenile Justice Boards.

★Benefits

• Provision of integrated child protection services including financial support for foster care.
• Access to institutional care in Child Care Institutions with basic facilities like education and healthcare.
• Support for non-institutional care through sponsorship and kinship care for family-based strengthening.
• Capacity building and financial assistance to statutory bodies to ensure speedy justice for children.

▶Application Process

• The identification of vulnerable children is conducted by District Child Protection Units through field surveys.
• Details of the beneficiary child are registered on the centralized TrackChild or Mission Vatsalya portal.
• Social investigation and home study reports are prepared by social workers to assess the child's needs.
• The Child Welfare Committee passes an order for institutional or non-institutional care based on the assessment.

₹ Budget Allocation

1472

Funding Ratio (Centre:State): 60:40 (Center:State); 90:10 for NE/Himalayan; 100% for UTs.

Historical Context

Previously known as the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), renamed and restructured in 2021-22 to provide a more comprehensive safety net.