New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The number of children in institutional care under the Mission Vatsalya scheme has declined by 17 per cent in recent years, even as the network of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) has expanded across the country, the Women and Child Development Ministry said on Friday.

The data shared by Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur in Lok Sabha revealed that 62,592 children are currently under institutional care, a down from 76,118 in 2021-22, marking a 17 per cent decrease.

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The Mission Vatsalya initiative, implemented under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, seeks to ensure the safety, well-being and social reintegration of children in need.

According to the data presented by Thakur, the number of CCIs has grown from 2,245 in 2021-22 to 3,010 in 2024-25.

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Tamil Nadu continues to lead with over 10,000 children in institutional care and 318 operational CCIs, followed by Maharashtra and West Bengal.

However, the declining numbers in states like West Bengal, child occupancy dropped from 6,494 in 2021-22 to 4,744 in 2023-24.

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