New women and child development centre in Ranchi to boost services in Eastern India: Annapurna Devi

Union Minister Annapurna Devi on Friday inaugurated the Regional Centre of the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development in Ranchi, calling it a milestone in decentralising capacity-building efforts and improving service delivery in the eastern region of the country.

The newly launched centre — formerly known as the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) — will cater to Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha, with a focus on training, research, and support services in the areas of women and child welfare.

Devi, the Union Minister for Women and Child Development, said women are playing an active role in realising the dream of a developed India by 2047.

''In the last 10 years, the government has focused on women's development. This new centre marks a major step in decentralising capacity-building efforts and improving service delivery in the country's eastern region,'' she said.

Devi said, ''It will specifically cater to training and research needs under the ministry's flagship initiatives — Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya and Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 — with a focus on Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal.'' She said it will play a crucial role in tailoring interventions to local needs, strengthening the grassroots implementation of central schemes.

The new centre will also offer advanced diploma course in child guidance and counselling, and provide enhanced training to frontline workers, and would pave the way for new employment opportunities in the region, she said.

She said that the department will construct 1,000 hostels for working women, out of which seven will be constructed in Jharkhand.

''Working in the field of women and child development is not just an administrative duty, it is nation-building. 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.

With its headquarters in New Delhi and regional centres in Bangalore, Guwahati, Lucknow, Indore, and Mohali, the institute has been at the forefront of training more than 1,000 professionals annually through online and in-person programmes.

The addition of the Ranchi centre is poised to strengthen this impact in the eastern belt of the country, she said.

Previously, states in this region relied on regional centres in Guwahati and Lucknow for capacity-building needs, often facing logistical hurdles.

She also interacted with trainee girls who shared their personal stories and distributed placement certificates to successful candidates of vocational training programmes. Short films were screened showcasing the evolution of NIPCCD into the Savitribai Phule Institute, the importance of local nutrition practices, and the ministry's flagship schemes. A new logo of the institute was also unveiled, symbolising its renewed vision and identity.

Addressing the gathering, Minister of State of Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, said: ''Inspired by the ideals of Savitribai Phule ji, this new centre will not only serve as a hub for education and training but will also emerge as a centre for innovation, research, and policy-making.'' Minister of State of Defence, Sanjay Seth, underlined the significance of capacity building, noting: ''Field functionaries are the backbone of last-mile delivery. By investing in their capacity building through regional centres like this, we are ensuring 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.''

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