Union Minister Annpurna Devi inaugurates SPNIWCD Regional Centre in Ranchi to boost women and child development

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi on Friday inaugurated the new Regional Centre of the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development (SPNIWCD), formerly known as the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD), in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

Delivering the keynote address, the Union Minister emphasized the critical role of the new Regional Centre in advancing the cause of women and child development. She stated that working in this field is not merely an administrative duty but a form of nation-building.

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“When a woman is empowered, the family is empowered. When a child is nurtured, the entire society is safe. This Ranchi centre will produce thousands of trainers, researchers, policymakers, and social workers who will take this message to every village and hamlet,” she said.

Addressing the gathering, Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, said that inspired by the ideals of Savitribai Phule ji, the new centre would not only serve as a hub for education and training but also emerge as a centre for innovation, research, and policy-making.

Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, underlined the significance of capacity building in development and highlighted that field functionaries are the backbone of last-mile service delivery.

“By investing in their capacity building through regional centres like this, we are ensuring that they are better trained, better informed, and more empowered to serve every woman and child with competence, compassion, and commitment. Strong systems begin with strong people,” he added.

According to a statement from the Ministry, the establishment of this Regional Centre in Ranchi marks a significant step towards decentralizing capacity building and strengthening last-mile service delivery in eastern India.

The centre has been strategically envisioned to cater to the specific training and research needs of states such as Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal.

It will primarily support the implementation of the Ministry’s flagship schemes such as Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya, and Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, through regionally tailored interventions and training programmes.

A key feature of the new centre is the introduction of an Advanced Diploma Course in Child Guidance and Counselling, along with upgraded training modules for frontline workers.