Koosina Mane initiative

Koosina Mane initiative

News: The Karnataka government announced plans to set up “Koosina mane” across 4,000-gram Panchayats for children of working mothers.

What is Koosina mane?
• “Koosina mane” translates to ‘child homes’ or ‘creches’ and is aimed at providing healthcare, nutrition, and safety for children whose mothers are employed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

What is the significance of such initiative?
• Its primary focus is improving maternal and child health.
• The fact that this initiative aligns with the goals of both the MGNREGA and the Women and Children Development Department is an excellent example of convergence.
• These crèches can also be built as community assets.
• This scheme will get support from gram Panchayats in the State and recognising it as “essential public infrastructure” is a significant step toward redistributing the gendered burden of childcare.

What issues does it address?
• Triple Burden - In Indian households, working women encounter what is rightly termed the “triple burden” of work — paid work, childcare and domestic chores.
• The “motherhood penalty” - Being a mother is considered to be one of the reasons why women drop out of the labour force.