Lok Sabha Question No. 4281 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-20
Subject: Widow Remarriage Beneficiaries
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Shobhanaben Mahendrasinh Baraiya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4281

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2024

## WIDOW REMARRIAGE BENEFICIARIES

## 4281.  SMT. SHOBHANABEN MAHENDRASINH BARAIYA:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the salient features of the Widow Remarriage Assistance Scheme;
- (b) the  number  of  beneficiaries  who  received  financial  assistance  under  this scheme so far;
- (c) whether any special campaign is being run by the Government to create social awareness for remarriage and to promote remarriage in rural areas, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to provide employment training and take other empowerment measures for the beneficiaries after remarriage, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government has any special plan to expand the scheme to reach 5 lakh beneficiaries by 2025;
- (f) whether  any  measures  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  to  provide education and health facilities to the children of couples remarrying under the scheme; and
- (g) whether  the  Government  proposes  any  partnership  programme  with  nongovernmental organizations and community groups for effective implementation, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR )

(a) to (g): Various State Governments have the schemes for Widow Remarriage. But, at the Central Government level, there is no such scheme.

However, there are a number of schemes being implemented by various Ministries/ Departments of the Government of India across the country for social and economic empowerment of women, including widows. Some of the major schemes/ programmes in this regard are as follows:-

(i)  The  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  during  the  15 th   Finance Commission period with effect from the financial year 2022-23, is implementing Centrally Sponsored, Mission Shakti for safety, security and empowerment of women. Under Mission Shakti, there is a component of Shakti Sadan which provides necessary assistance including shelter, food, vocational training for destitute women and women in difficult circumstances. Further, Sakhi Niwas component of Mission Shakti provides for affordable and safe accommodation for  working  women  and  women  pursing  higher  education  or  training  for employment and entrepreneurship.

(ii) National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), Atal Pension Yojana (APY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Suraksha  Bima  Yojana  (PMSBY)  and  Pradhan Mantri  Jeevan  Jyoti  Bima  Yojana  (PMJJBY) have  been  implemented  to provide social protection through insurance coverage and pension.

(iii) In order to reduce drudgery and enhance the ease of living for the women particularly in the rural areas, under the Swacch Bharat Mission more than 11.6 crore toilets have been constructed, 10.3 crore households have been provided Clean cooking fuel through Ujjawala Yojana and safe and potable tap  water connection  to nearly  15  crore  households through  Jal  Jeevan Mission.

(iv) Prime Minister Awaas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G) and Pradhan Mantri Awaas  Yojana  Urban  (PMAY-U) aim  to  provide  'Housing  for  All'  through provision of pucca house with basic amenities to all houseless families and households  living  in  kutcha  and  dilapidated  house  in  rural  areas  and  the housing requirement of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) including slum dwellers in the urban areas.

(v)  Under Ayushman  Bharat, the  Government  is  providing  free  of  cost treatment through over 1200 medical packages to over 55 crore citizens. Out of these, over 141 medical packages are exclusively designed for addressing medical  needs  of  women.  Seven  types  of  screening  (TB,  Hypertension, Diabetes,  Oral  Cancer,  Breast  Cancer,  Cervical  Cancer  and  Cataract)  are provided under the scheme, which have benefitted crores of women. There are over 150,000 Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs), also referred to as Ayushman Arogya Mandir, in both urban and rural areas, bring health care closer  to  the  community. Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PMJAY) is  the  world's  largest  public  funded  health  assurance scheme, with special focus on poor and disadvantaged women.

(vi) There are over 13,000 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK) functional  across  the  country.  The  PMBJK  besides  providing affordable medicines and medical devices, including about 40 women specific items also have provision for sale of Sanitary Napkins named 'Suvidha Sanitary Napkins' at extremely affordable price of Rupee 1 per pad. (vii)  Under Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojna  (PMKVY)  and  Prime Minister's Internship Scheme, skill  development  and  vocational training  is provided to women. (viii) Women are also the largest beneficiaries under Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojna (PM-JDY) one of the largest financial inclusion initiatives in the world which also provides access to direct benefits under various welfare schemes, credit and insurance services.

(ix)  Schemes  such  as Stand  Up  India,  MUDRA  Yojna, Start-up  India, Pradhan  Mantri  Street  Vendors  AtmaNirbhar  Nidhi  (PM  SVANidhi), Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS),  Credit  Guarantee  Fund  Scheme  for  Micro  and  Small Enterprises  (CGMSE) provides  employment/  self-employment  and  credit facilities. Majority of the beneficiaries under these schemes are women.

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