The plan for setting up a crèche in North Block for the children of Government employees, has hit a roadblock with the Intelligence Bureau (IB) red-flagging it on the grounds of security concerns.
The proposal to create such a facility was mooted by DoPT and the Union Home Ministry had identified a hall belonging to IB’s office premises in the iconic building for the purpose.
The IB has put a spanner in the DoPT move saying the movement of nurses and staff of the crèche could pose a security risk to its office in the North Block.
The proposal to create such a facility in each of the Central Government building the national capital was mooted by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in April this year and the MHA had identified a hall belonging to IB’s office for establishing the nursing centre at the North Block.
DoPT’s proposal was in sync with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks of “stree shakti” (women empowerment) and the department had exhorted all the ministries to join hands to set up crèches in each of the Central Government buildings for taking care of children of their women employees.
In meetings chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, officials from various ministries were directed to assess the number of mothers who would avail of the facility and accordingly identify space for the facility. For opening a crèche and seeking funding from the DoPT, the minimum number has been fixed at 15 women employees.
According to the DoPT proposal, one of the departments in each Government building housing the ministries was supposed to identify and provide the space required for the crèche.
Following the identification of the space for the purpose, the DoPT will provide `5 lakh grant to furnish it in order to provide a child-friendly environment. According to the proposal, the ministry that provides the space, is expected to act as the administrative machinery for that crèche. Such a ministry is also expected to hire, train and pay wages to nurses to look after children from 9 AM to 5.30 PM.
The proposed services at the crèches will include supplementary nutrition, emergency medicines and free toys through the DoPT’s Grih Kalyan Kendra, which runs crèches in government colonies throughout the national capital.
“The crèches are expected to be a model for the private sector after an attempt in 2006 to make it mandatory for all workplaces employing 20 or more women employees to provide crèche facility was shelved due to apprehension that the move may turn private sector off women employees,” an official said.