Fortnight of Service: Delhi govt opens 502 creche centres

Delhi also hosted a first-of-its-kind global plantation drive under “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0” at PBG Ground, Delhi Ridge attended by 75 Ambassadors, High Commissioners and heads of missions from more than 72 countries.

Marking the ongoing ‘Seva Pakhwada’ (Fortnight of Service) launched on the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi government opened 502 creche centres, with Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurating 502 Palna Ghar-cum-Crèche centres across the capital on Thursday.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi and Delhi CM Rekha Gupta inaugurate 502 Anganwadi-cum-Creche Centres in New Delhi on Thursday. (HT PHOTO)

Separately, a global plantation drive under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’ was organised at PBG Ground, Delhi Ridge where over 75 ambassadors, high commissioners and heads of missions from more than 72 countries planted saplings in their mothers’ names, along with Union minister Bhupender Yadav, CM Rekha Gupta, and Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

“The Palna Ghar creche centres launched by the Delhi Government have provided significant support to working mothers. Here, children are being offered nutritious meals, proper care, and learning opportunities through toys and diverse activities,” Devi said, urging workers to care for children with “affection and a sense of responsibility while also praising the use of millets in local recipes and the Nutrition Choupal concept.

The CM said these centres will become a national model. “These 502 centres will provide much-needed support to working and labouring mothers… The Delhi government will present this initiative as a model before the nation and will transform every Palna-anganwadi into a one-stop centre for child care. Creche workers will be called ‘Maasi’ to reflect motherly affection,” the CM said, while unveiling collateral-free MSME loans of up to ₹10 crore to promote women’s entrepreneurship.

The Delhi government is set to unveil 75 developmental projects over the fortnight from September 17 to mark the 75th birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with key projects to open during the fortnight in sectors including infrastructure, transport, education, Yamuna rejuvenation and water supply.

The day also saw the CM shift focus to sustainable mobility at the 26th Annual Conference of the Society of Automotive Fitness and Environment (SAFE) and the SIAM Green Plate EV Rally at Bharat Mandapam. Rekha Gupta attended a sustainable mobility conference, 26th Annual Conference of the SAFE and the SIAM Green Plate EV Rally at Bharat Mandapam. She administered a road safety pledge and underlined that “safe traffic cannot be ensured merely through rules and penalties, but must also become the responsibility and part of the lifestyle of every citizen.”

“The dream of a pollution-free Delhi can only be realised through the large-scale adoption of electric mobility… by 2026 the entire public transport system of the capital becomes electric. Citizens should follow traffic rules as an act of responsibility for one’s own safety, not of compliance with authority,” CM said.

In another major highlight, Delhi hosted a first-of-its-kind global plantation drive under “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0” at PBG Ground, Delhi Ridge attended by 75 Ambassadors, High Commissioners and heads of missions from more than 72 countries.

CM Gupta said Delhi’s green cover has increased by 25%, the highest among all states. “Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam is not just a campaign but a people’s movement… Every tree planted in the name of our mothers is a symbol of love, life and care,” CM said. Sirsa said the participation of international delegates as “a proud moment for India and a testament to PM Modi’s global leadership.”