India hosts National Women and Child Development Summit

The Ministry of Women and Child Development hosted a two-day Departmental Summit in New Delhi on October 8–9, 2026, to strengthen coordination between the central government and states. The summit, part of a series envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote cooperative federalism, focused on four key themes: reimagining Anganwadi Centres for nutrition and early education, strengthening child protection systems, ensuring women’s safety, and enhancing women’s empowerment initiatives.

During the valedictory session, Prime Minister Modi emphasized the principle of ‘Jan Bhagidari’ (public participation), urging that Anganwadi Centres evolve into community engagement hubs rather than isolated government institutions. He proposed a framework for universities and higher educational institutions to adopt nearby Anganwadi Centres to facilitate academic research, youth engagement through medical students and volunteers, and targeted programs for adolescent girls.

Discussions also addressed the quality of Take-Home Ration, Hot Cooked Meals, and the improvement of data via the Poshan Tracker. The summit aimed to align policy actions to support the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat@2047’ through improved governance and service delivery.