Haryana approves major child welfare reforms under ‘Mission Vatsalya’
Ayushman Bharat coverage, vocational training, sports activities and child care infrastructure to be strengthened across state
The Haryana government has approved a series of major initiatives to further strengthen child protection, healthcare and rehabilitation services under Mission Vatsalya.
The state-level monitoring committee, chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, approved the proposal to extend Ayushman Bharat health coverage to all eligible children residing in child care institutions.
The committee also reviewed and approved measures to strengthen specialised healthcare, bridge education, vocational training, adoption services, sports activities, legal support, institutional infrastructure and inter-departmental coordination to ensure holistic care, protection and rehabilitation of vulnerable children across Haryana.
To further strengthen healthcare services, the committee decided that Ayushman Bharat cards would be issued to all eligible children residing in Child Care Institutions, ensuring timely access to quality healthcare and financial protection for medical treatment.
The committee also decided that specialised quarterly health check-ups under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) will be conducted in all Child Care Institutions, covering dental, ENT, skin and other specialised medical interventions.
The Health Department was directed to ensure expeditious preparation of Medical Examination Reports (MERs) to facilitate timely adoption of children, particularly those with special needs.
Recognising education as an essential pillar of rehabilitation, the committee reviewed measures to strengthen bridge education in Observation Homes, Special Homes and Places of Safety by ensuring the availability of qualified teachers.
It also decided to expand skill development and vocational training programmes to equip children with employable skills and improve their future livelihood opportunities.
Vocational courses, including CCTV repair and tailoring, are already being conducted for children in institutional care.
A key proposal discussed during the meeting was to collaborate with the State Institute of Mental Health, Haryana, for deploying psychologists in Child Care Institutions across the state.
The committee also reviewed measures to strengthen the functioning of Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPUs) by ensuring continuity of trained Child Welfare Police Officers and improving support for tracing families of children belonging to other districts and states. It also stressed better coordination among the Home Department, Women and Child Development Department, Police and other agencies for effective implementation of child protection laws.
The meeting further emphasised strengthening free legal aid for children in conflict with law and improving coordination between the Prosecution Department and District Child Protection Units to ensure timely legal assistance and better monitoring of POCSO cases across the state.
