Chandigarh (Balwinder Singh): The Haryana government is intensifying efforts to ensure that state welfare programs reach every vulnerable woman and child, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced on Friday. Presiding over a high-level review meeting of the Women and Child Development Department in Chandigarh alongside Minister Shruti Choudhry, Saini issued sweeping directives to expedite the construction of dedicated state-owned facilities for Anganwadi centres currently operating out of rented premises, instructing officials to identify surplus government land, school spaces, and community halls for rapid development.
Addressing menstrual hygiene under the Mahila Evam Kishori Samman Yojana, the Chief Minister directed authorities to ensure the uninterrupted, free distribution of high-quality sanitary napkins to eligible Below Poverty Line (BPL) women and adolescent girls. Emphasizing strict inventory oversight, Saini mandated the formal registration of recipients alongside the deployment of automated dispensing machines and supply networks through schools and Jan Aushadhi Kendras in both rural and urban areas.
Under the Mission Vatsalya framework, Saini directed a major overhaul of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and Children’s Homes, ordering building renovations, solar panel installations, and routine administrative inspections to ensure child safety, health, and a positive educational environment. To broaden institutional support, the Chief Minister approved increasing the state’s Juvenile Justice Fund to 10 crore rupees, while simultaneously raising immediate financial and social assistance for victims of sexual offences under the POCSO Act from 20,000 rupees to 50,000 rupees.
Saini emphasized that institutionalized and orphaned children must receive high-quality education to secure independent futures, directing departments to sponsor admissions to private schools where appropriate and extend targeted financial assistance to children with disabilities. Senior officials attending the review included Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Arun Kumar Gupta, Director of Women and Child Development Dr. Priyanka Soni, and Deputy Principal Secretary Ajay Kumar.
