Lok Sabha Question No. 4349 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-20
Subject: Widow Remarriage Assistance Scheme
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Suresh Kumar Kashyap, Dr. Rajesh Mishra, Shri Kanwar Singh Tanwar, Shri Kota Srinivasa Poojary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4349

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2024

## WIDOW REMARRIAGE ASSISTANCE SCHEME

4349.  SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY:

DR. RAJESH MISHRA:

SHRI SURESH KUMAR KASHYAP:

SHRI KANWAR SINGH TANWAR:

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

- (a) whether the Government has launched Widow Remarriage Assistance Scheme in  the  country,  if  so,  the  details  including  the  salient  features,  goal  and objectives thereof;
- (b) the details of the beneficiaries under the said scheme along with outcomes in terms  of  improved  social  and  economic  empowerment  particularly  in  Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, district-wise;
- (c) the details of the eligibility criteria of the beneficiaries under the said scheme along with manner in which the scheme is designed to address the specific needs  of  widows  in  underserved  areas  of  the  country  especially  in  the Maharashtra; and
- (d) whether the scheme had any impact specifically in Jalgaon district, if so, the details of the well being and social integration of widows in the region?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): 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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