To promote gender equality and empower women, various Acts and Rules mandate crèche facilities. Section 11A of the Maternity Benefit Act (Amendment) Act, 2017, requires establishments with 50 or more employees to have a crèche, extending to both males and females. Additionally, Section 48 of the Factories Act, 1948, mandates crèche facilities for factories with over 30 female workers. The Plantation Labour Act and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, also stipulate crèche provisions based on the number of employed women. Further, Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 deals with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Anganwadi Centres are the world's largest childcare institutions dedicated to providing essential care and support to children ensuring delivery of care facilities till the last mile. In a first of its kind approach, the Ministry of Women & Child Development has extended the services of child care through Anganwadi-cum-Crèche Centres.

This document has been prepared by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in consultation with the Ministry of Labour and Employment which prescribes the national minimum standards and protocol for setting up and running of crèches in India, emphasising the institutionalisation of care services to support and promote female labour force participation.

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