Punjab targets 650 daycare centres for working women

Lahore: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has accelerated the establishment of daycare centres across Punjab under a special initiative of the Women Development Department. The provincial government has allocated Rs1 billion for the project and aims to establish 650 daycare centres by the next fiscal year. In the first phase, 390 centres were targeted, with 350 already functional and 40 nearing completion. These facilities are being developed in hospitals, educational institutions, government offices, chambers of commerce, and other public workplaces to support working women. The initiative is expected to improve workforce participation, strengthen social infrastructure, and enhance the attractiveness of public institutions. Could this large-scale childcare network become a model for inclusive urban and economic development across Punjab?