PIB: National Action Plan for Children, 2016

National Action Plan for Children, 2016 (NPAC) was launched at a special function held to celebrate the National Girl Child.

The NPAC has been developed by the Ministry of Women & Child Development. It seeks to ensure the following:

• The Action Plan has four key priority areas; survival, health and nutrition; education and development; protection and participation
• The NPAC  defines objectives, sub-objectives, strategies , action points and indicators for measuring progress under the four key priority areas and also identifies key stakeholders for the implementation of different strategies.
• The plan also puts focus on new and emerging concerns for children such as online child abuse, children affected by  natural and man-made disasters and climate change, etc.
• The strategies and action points largely draw upon the existing programmes and schemes of various Ministries/Departments.
• However, for new and emerging issues related to children; it also suggests formulation of new programmes and strategies, as required.
• The plan takes into account the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and provides a roadmap towards achieving them though co-ordination and convergence with different stakeholders.

The National Policy for Children (2013) provides for formation of a National Co-ordination and Action Group (NCAG) under the Ministry of Women and Child Development to coordinate and implement the plan and monitor the progress with other Ministries concerned as its members.