New Delhi, July 23 (IANS) In a major step towards employee welfare, a state-of-the-art creche was inaugurated on Wednesday at the New Haryana Civil Secretariat, Sector 17, Chandigarh, by Financial Commissioner Revenue, Sumita Misra.

The facility is aimed at supporting working parents by providing a safe, nurturing, and development-focused environment for their young children.

The creche, a brainchild of Misra, is fully equipped with trained caregivers, play facilities, medical support, and modern infrastructure. It is designed to accommodate the children of Secretariat staff, enabling employees to focus on work without compromising childcare responsibilities.

Speaking at the inauguration, Misra emphasised the importance of family-friendly policies in government workplaces.

“This is not just a facility; it is an investment in our people and the future of Haryana. Our workforce deserves professional growth without sacrificing their family duties,” she said.

Currently, Haryana has 486 functional crèches across 22 districts, catering to nearly 10,000 children.

The new Secretariat creche is an addition to this expanding network under the Haryana State Creche Policy 2022, notified in July 2023.

Savita Nehra, District Programme Officer, Women & Child Development, highlighted that this milestone was achieved within a month, thanks to Misra’s leadership.

The creche policy, conceptualised under Misra’s tenure as Additional Chief Secretary of the Women & Child Development department, is a first-of-its-kind initiative in India.

It offers a robust framework ensuring quality childcare through trained staff, regular health check-ups, immunisations, and age-appropriate learning materials.

Key features of the policy include a child-worker ratio of 1:25, separate sleeping and dining rooms, safe play areas, and stringent safety protocols like entry cards for staff and parents.

With this development, Haryana continues to set national benchmarks in creating inclusive and supportive workspaces.

–IANS

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