Lok Sabha Question No. 4989 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-01
Subject: Women Welfare Policy
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Chandeshwar Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 4989

TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2022

## WOMEN WELFARE POLICY

## 4989. SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to unveil several policy changes directed at women's welfare across the country;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken  to  overcome  the  current  issues related to women's welfare along with the funds allocated in this regard; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c):  The Government has decided to implement 'Mission Shakti', an integrated women  empowerment  programme  as  umbrella  scheme  for  the  safety,  security  and empowerment of women during the 15 th Finance Commission period.  Mission Shakti seeks to realise the Government's vision for 'women-led development' by addressing issues  affecting  women  across  the  life-cycle  continuum,  while  making  them  equal partners in nation-building through convergence across Ministries/ Departments and at different levels of governance, ensuring greater participation and support of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and other local self governance bodies, and Jan Sahabhagita, and also strengthening digital infrastructure for last mile tracking of service delivery.

Mission Shakti has two sub-schemes - 'Sambal' and 'Samarthya'. While the 'Sambal' sub-scheme is for  safety  and  security  of  women,  the  'Samarthya'  sub-scheme  is  for empowerment of women.

Under the  'Sambal'  sub-scheme,  the  existing  schemes  of  One  Stop  Centres  (OSC), Women Helplines (181-WHL), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) have been subsumed and a new component of Nari Adalats - women's collectives to promote and facilitate alternative dispute resolution platform and gender justice in society and within families, has  been  added.  The  existing  scheme  of  Mahila  Police  Volunteers  has  been discontinued.

Under the 'Samarthya' sub-scheme, existing schemes of Ujjawala, Swadhar Greh and Working  Women  Hostel  have  been  subsumed.  Further,  the  ongoing  Pradhan  Mantri Matru  Vandana  Yojana  (PMMVY)  and  National  Creche  Scheme  for  the  Children  of Working  Mothers  (both  presently  part  of  ICDS)  have  also  been  brought  under  the 'Samarthya' sub scheme, as these schemes seek to empower women by providing wage compensation,  care  and  nutritional  benefits  to  working  women  and  their  children.  The 'National  Hub  for  Empowerment  of  Women'  (NHEW)  component  of  the  sub-scheme, subsuming the existing Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme, has been envisaged for ensuring convergence  and  monitoring,  geo-tagging  of  institutions,  training,  gender  budgeting, research and publication, critical gap funding, etc.

This umbrella scheme has been approved for implementation during the period of 15 th Finance Commission, i.e. from 2021-22 to 2025-26 with a total outlay of ₹20,989 crores including Central Share of ₹ 15,761 crores and State Share of ₹ 5228 crores.

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