Lok Sabha Question No. 517 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-04
Subject: Empowerment of Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Vivek Narayan Shejwalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO: 517

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2022

## EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

517.   SHRI VIVEK NARAYAN SHEJWALKAR:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has charted out any action plan to bring women into the mainstream of all the sectors in the country in order to empower them; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI )

- (a)  &  (b):  The  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  is  implementing  various schemes/ programmes to bring women into the mainstream of all the sectors in the country in order to empower them. The details are as under:
1.  One Stop Centre and Universalization of Women Helplines : Ministry of WCD is administering  two  schemes  from  Nirbhaya  Fund  namely  One  Stop  Centre  and Universalization  of  Women  Helplines.  The  One  Stop  Centres  (OSCs),  popularly known as Sakhi Centres, aim to facilitate women affected by violence (including domestic  violence)  with  a  range  of  integrated  services  under  one  roof  such  as Police facilitation,  medical  aid,  providing  legal  aid  and  legal  counselling,  psychosocial  counselling,  temporary  shelter  etc.  The  Women  Helpline  (WHL)  Scheme provides 24 hours emergency and non-emergency response to women affected by violence,  both  in  public  and  private  spaces  by  linking  them  with  appropriate authority such as Police, One Stop Centre, Hospital, Legal Services etc. WHL also supports women in distress with rescue van and counselling services in addition to providing  information  about  women  welfare  schemes  and  programs  across  the country. Women can dial 181 short code to avail services from Women Helpline.
2.  Swadhar Greh Scheme : The Swadhar Greh Scheme is is being implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for women who are victims of difficult circumstances in need of institutional support for rehabilitation so that they could lead their life with dignity.
3.  Ujjawala  Scheme :  The  Ujjawala  Scheme  is  being  implemented  as  a  Centrally Sponsored  Scheme  for  Prevention  of  trafficking  and  for  Rescue,  Rehabilitation, Reintegration  and  Repatriation  of  victims  of  trafficking  for  commercial  sexual exploitation.

4. Working Women Hostel : Working Women Hostel Scheme is implemented by the Government with the objective to provide safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women, with day care facility for their children, wherever possible, in urban, semi urban, or even rural areas where employment opportunity for women exist.

5. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao(BBBP) : Beti Bachao Beti Padhao(BBBP) Scheme was launched  on  22nd  January  2015  with  an  aim  to  address  declining  Child  Sex  Ratio (CSR)  and  related  issues  of  empowerment  of  girls  and  women  over  a  life  cycle continuum. The objective of the scheme are, to prevent gender biased sex selective elimination, to ensure survival and protection of the girl child and to ensure education and participation of the girl child.

6.  Mahila  Shakti  Kendra  (MSK) :  The  Mahila  Shakti  Kendra  (MSK)  Scheme  was approved  in  November,  2017  as  a  centrally  sponsored  scheme  to  empower  rural women through community participation. The aims to facilitate inter-sectoral convergence of schemes and programs meant for women. The scheme is implemented through State Governments and UT Administrations with a cost sharing ratio of 60:40 between Centre and States except for North East & Special Category States where the funding ratio is 90:10. For Union Territories 100% central funding is provided.

7.  Pradhan  Mantri  Matru  Vandana  Yojana  (PMMVY): Pradhan  Mantri  Matru Vandana  Yojana  (PMMVY)  is  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Conditional  Cash  Transfer Scheme,  for  implementation  across  the  country  with  effect  from  01.01.2017.  The maternity  benefit  under  PMMVY  is  available  to  all  Pregnant  Women  &  Lactating Mothers (PW&LM), excluding PW&LM who are in regular employment with the Central Government or the State Governments or Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) or those who are in receipt of similar benefits under any law for the time being in force, for first living  child  of  family.  Under  the  scheme  Rs.5,000/-  are  provided  to  the  eligible beneficiary  in  three  installments  during  pregnancy  and  lactation  in  response  to individual fulfilling certain nutrition and  health seeking conditions. The  eligible beneficiary  also  receives  the  remaining  cash  incentive  as  per  approved  norms towards  maternity  benefit  under  Janani  Suraksha  Yojana  (JSY)  after  institutional delivery so that on an average, a woman gets Rs.6,000/-.

Recently,  Ministry  has  launched  'Mission  Shakti'  (Integrated  Women  Empowerment Programme)  -  an  Umbrella  Scheme  in  a  mission  mode  aimed  at  strengthening interventions for safety, security and empowerment of women. It seeks to realise the Government's  vision  for  'women-led  development'  by  addressing  issues  affecting women on a life-cycle continuum basis and by making them equal partners in nationbuilding  through  convergence  across  Ministries/  Departments  and  different  levels  of governance, greater participation and support of Panchayats and other local governance bodies and Jan Sahabhagita, apart from strengthening digital infrastructure for last mile tracking of service delivery.

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