Lok Sabha Question No. 4369 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-20
Subject: Schemes for Unmarried Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Murari Lal Meena

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4369

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2024

## SCHEMES FOR UNMARRIED WOMEN

## 4369.  SHRI MURARI LAL MEENA:

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

- (a) the  details  of  the  schemes  currently  being  run  by  the  Government  for  the upliftment of women including unmarried women;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  introduced  any  kind  of  financial  assistance, education or employment related scheme especially for unmarried women of Rajasthan, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the manner in which these schemes are being implemented by the Government and the impact these schemes have had in Dausa district so far;
- (d) whether the Government is also paying attention towards the social and mental development of women under these schemes; and
- (e) if so, the nature of programs being run by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (e): 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 unmarried women in the State of Rajasthan. 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 Schemes in the country for the welfare of women and children, which are placed under three verticals, viz. (1) Mission Shakti, for safety, protection and empowerment of women; (2) Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 for improving nutrition & health indicators in the country; and (3) Mission Vatsalya, for protection and welfare of children in difficult circumstances. The details of the schemes are as under:

Mission  Shakti: The  'Mission  Shakti'  aims  at  strengthening  interventions  for women safety, security and empowerment. It comprises of two verticals 'Sambal' and 'Samarthya' for safety and security of women and empowerment of women respectively. The 'Sambal' vertical is for safety and security of women and the key  components  namely, One  Stop  Centres  (OSCs) which  is  an  institution located  at  district  level  offering  under  one  roof  immediate  help  to  women  in distress such as temporary shelter, medical & police assistance, counselling and legal  support,  the Women  Helpline  (WHL)  181 provides  toll-free  24-hours telecom  service  to  women  seeking  support  and  information.  The  'Samarthya' vertical is for the empowerment of women. Shakti Sadan is an Integrated Relief and Rehabilitation Home  for women  in distress situations and difficult circumstances  including  trafficked  women. Sakhi  Niwas (Working  Women Hostel)  that  aims  to  promote  availability  of  safe  and  conveniently  located accommodation for working women in urban, semi-urban and even rural areas where  employment  opportunity  for  women  exist.  The SANKALP:  Hub  for Empowerment of Women (HEW) serves as a vehicle to bridge the information and knowledge gap regarding schemes and facilities available for women.

(ii) The schemes like Samagra Shiksha, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Babu Jagjeevan  Ram  Chhatravas  Yojana,  Eklavya  Model  Residential  Schools  and various scholarship schemes including pre-matric, post-matric and scholarship for higher education and fellowship as well as e-learning platforms like 'National Mission  on  Education  through  Information  and  Communication  Technology' (NMEICT)  Scheme,  SWAYAM  (Study  Webs  of  Active  Learning  for  Young Aspiring Minds), SWAYAM PRABHA, National Digital Library (NDL), Virtual Lab, e-Yantra, PM e-Vidya, NEAT (National Education Alliance for Technology) etc have been implemented for ensuring affordable and quality education for all including unmarried women.

(iii) 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.

(iv) Pradhan Mantri Garib  Kalyan  Anna Yojana  (PMGKAY) that  helped  a  large number  of  citizens  belonging  to  Antyodaya  Anna  Yojana  (AAY)  households  and Priority  Household  (PHH)  beneficiaries  during  the  COVID-19  pandemic  has  been continued for about 81.35 crore beneficiaries for a period of next five years with effect from 1st January, 2024.

(v)  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.

(vi) 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.

(vii)  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.

(viii)  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.

(ix)  Under Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojna  (PMKVY), skill  and  vocational training is provided to women.

(x) Pradhan  Mantri  Gramin  Digital  Saksharta  Abhiyan  (PMGDISHA) provides digital literacy to rural populations.

(xi) 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.

(xii) Stand Up India and MUDRA Yojna facilitate  bank  loans  and  entrepreneurial activities and have majorly benefitted women entrepreneurs.

(xiii) Schemes such as 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. (xiv) Mahila Coir Yojana advanced technology in order to upscale their living standards and thereby attain self- is a sub-component of the Coir Vikas Yojana. MCY is a 100% women oriented and intensive two-month training programme which aims to provide training  to  rural  women  engaged  in  the  coir  sector,  on  sophisticated  machinery/ sustainable employment.

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