Bhopal, June 5 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh government on Friday termed the Centre’s ongoing residential training programme for Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) a “milestone for protection of child rights,” as 134 CWC Chairpersons and members from across the state began a 13-day intensive training in Bhopal under the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s initiative.

In an official statement, the state government said the national-level foundational training is being organised by the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Training and Research in Women and Child Development, New Delhi, the Government of India’s premier training institute, at the RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration and Management in Bhopal.

The programme is designed to make the country’s child protection system more sensitive and robust, and is being conducted in four batches. The first batch of 36 participants started on June 1, 2026. The second batch of 33 members will run from June 29 to July 11, the third from July 20 to August 1, and the final batch of 32 from October 5 to October 17.

CWC members from 19 districts, Anuppur, Ashoknagar, Barwani, Bhopal, Burhanpur, Damoh, Datia, Dewas, Dindori, Guna, Harda, Narmadapuram, Indore, Khandwa, Mandla, Balaghat, Raisen, Sehore, and Vidisha, are attending the first batch.

The training is being held under the supervision of Navida Khatoon, Deputy Director and Course Director at the New Delhi Institute.

The 13-day curriculum focuses on grassroots implementation of the Centre’s flagship ‘Mission Vatsalya’ scheme.

Participants are being trained in the constitutional framework for child empowerment, vulnerability mapping to identify children in distress, and critical legislation, including the Juvenile Justice Act and the Adoption Act.

Modules also cover government policies, schemes, and programmes related to children, along with practical aspects of case handling by CWCs, the statutory bodies mandated for care, protection, and rehabilitation of children in need of care and protection.

The state government said the Centre’s initiative aims to build uniform, child-centric decision-making capacity at the district level and create a responsive child protection ecosystem.

It added that Madhya Pradesh is committed to working with the Centre to ensure effective on-ground implementation of ‘Mission Vatsalya’ and to strengthen institutional mechanisms for child welfare across all districts.

–IANS

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