Why has the NIPCCD been renamed after Savitribai Phule?

New Delhi, July 2 (NationPress) The Ministry of Women and Child Development has officially revealed the renaming of the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) to the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development on Wednesday.

This change, as per the ministry's statement, signifies the Institute's evolving mission and renewed commitment to region-specific, mission-oriented support aimed at the holistic development of women and children throughout the nation.

In line with this goal, a new Regional Centre will be inaugurated in Ranchi, Jharkhand, on July 4, 2025.

This centre will cater to the specialized training and research needs of the ministry's flagship programmes: Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya, Mission Saksham Anganwadi, and Poshan 2.0, with a focus on the eastern states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal.

The ministry emphasized, "In a pivotal move to enhance outreach and regional capacity-building, the new Regional Centre in Ranchi is set to be inaugurated on July 4, 2025."

Previously, the training requirements for these regions were only partially addressed by facilities in Guwahati and Lucknow, which created logistical challenges due to long distances for many field personnel.

This new centre will also provide an Advanced Diploma in Child Guidance and Counselling, improving accessibility for over seven lakh personnel operating under the ministry's missions across 115 districts.

Union Minister Annapurna Devi remarked that the renaming of NIPCCD serves as a "tribute to the enduring legacy of Savitribai Phule, a leading social reformer in India, and underscores the government’s dedication to women- and child-centric development."

She added, "The inauguration of the new Regional Centre in Ranchi is a significant milestone towards decentralized, region-specific capacity building in the Eastern region."

"This Centre will empower our frontline personnel by providing better access to training and support, thereby enhancing our flagship missions at the grassroots level," she continued, emphasizing that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ministry is working to ensure that no woman or child is overlooked on the path to Viksit Bharat - 2047.

The ministry highlighted that the new centre aims to bring training services closer to field personnel, facilitate the identification of local issues, promote tailored interventions, and enhance resource utilization for the empowerment of women and child welfare in the eastern region.

It will also support research, counselling, and extension activities in child development, mental health, and adolescent well-being.

The Institute, now known as the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development, is headquartered in New Delhi and operates regional centres in Bangalore, Guwahati, Lucknow, Indore, and Mohali.

It serves as the premier body for training, research, documentation, and capacity building in the field of Women and Child Development, playing a crucial role in enhancing implementation mechanisms of various flagship schemes through both online and physical training programs.