Lok Sabha Question No. 4664 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-28
Subject: Helplines and Support Services for Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri R K Chaudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4664

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2025

## HELPLINES AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR WOMEN

## 4664.  SHRI R K CHAUDHARY:

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

- (a) the details of the schemes being run by the Government for empowerment of women in Uttar Pradesh along with the measures being taken to ensure the safety of women;
- (b) the manner in which helplines and support services for women are being made effective in the said State;
- (c) whether any schemes are being implemented by the Government to ensure the rights and safety of children, if so, the details thereof along with the action taken to prevent child labour;
- (d) the details of funds allocated to the Ministry along with the manner in which it is being utilised; and
- (e) the manner in which coordination is being established between Government and  Non-Government  organisations  for  implementing  women  and  child development schemes, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  and  (b):  The  Government  gives  utmost  priority  to  the  safety,  security  and empowerment of women in the country. To this end, the Government has adopted multi-pronged approach to address the welfare of women on a life-cycle continuum basis for their educational, social, economic and political empowerment so that they become equal partners in fast paced and sustainable national development.

In the past few years, a number of initiatives have been taken for holistic development and empowerment of women in the country including in the State of Uttar Pradesh.

Under  Deendayal  Antyodaya  Yojana  -  National  Rural  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAYNRLM), nearly 10.29 crore women are connected with around 91.75 lakh women's self-help groups that are transforming rural socio-economic landscape in country.

In order to enhance the employability of female workers, the Government is providing training to them through a network of Women Industrial Training institutes, National Vocational Training Institutes and Regional Vocational Training Institutes.

A number of enabling provisions for creating congenial work environment for women workers have been incorporated in Labour Codes viz. the Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial  Relations  Code,  2020,  the  Occupational  Safety,  Health  and  Working Conditions Code, 2020 and the Code on Social Security, 2020.

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) mandates that at least one third of the jobs generated under the scheme (MGNREGS) should be given to women.

Pradhan  Mantri  Awaas  Yojana  -  Gramin  (PMAY-G)  Scheme  focuses  on  woman ownership of houses and it has been decided that the allotment of house shall be made, with some exceptions, in the name of the woman or jointly in the name of the husband and wife.

Construction of over 12.47 crore toilets under 'Swachh Bharat Mission', clean cooking gas  connections to  10.33  crore  women  below  poverty  line  under  'Pradhan  Mantri Ujjwala Yojana' and connecting over 15.51 crores rural household with tap drinking water connections under 'Jal Jeevan Mission' have transformed the lives of women by reducing their drudgery and care burden.

National  Agriculture  Market  or  e-NAM,  an  online  trading  platform  for  agricultural commodities is helping women overcome or compensate the barriers they face in accessing  markets.  National  Cooperative  Development  Corporation  (NCDC)  is playing a significant role to uplift women cooperatives as large number of women are engaged and involved  in  cooperatives  dealing  with  activities  related  to  food  grain processing,  plantation  crops,  oilseeds  processing,  fisheries,  dairy  &  livestock, spinning mills, handloom and power loom weaving, Integrated Cooperative Development Projects, etc.

To  ensure  economic  independence  of  women  through  skill  development  and vocational training, the  Government  has  also introduced Skill India Mission. Government has also set up the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana across the country. Emphasis has been laid on creating additional infrastructure both for training and apprenticeship for women

There are schemes like Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and Stand-Up India, Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) which have been launched for helping women set up their own enterprises. To economically empower women, 84% of loans of sizes from rupees ten lakh to rupees one crore under 'Stand-Up India' have been made available to women by the Government.

In order to bring women in the mainstream of political leadership at the grass root level, Government has reserved at least 33% of the seats in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) for women through the 73 rd  amendment to the Constitution. Today, there are more  than  14.50  lakh  Elected  Women  Representatives  (EWRs)  in  PRIs,  which  is approximately 46% of the total elected representatives.

The greatest leap forward for women empowerment and representation of women in the highest political offices in the country has been the notification by Government of the  Nari  Shakti  Vandan  Adhiniyam,  2023  (Constitution  One  Hundred  and  Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 on 28 th  September, 2023, for reservation of one-third of seats for women in the House of People (Lok Sabha) and in the State Legislative Assemblies including Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi

Under Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0), Anganwadi Services Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent Girls has been reorganized into 3 primary verticals: (i) Nutrition Support for children below the age of 6 years, Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls (14 -18 years); (ii) Early Childhood Care and Education [3-6 years] and (iii) Anganwadi Infrastructure including modern, upgraded Saksham Anganwadi.

The  Government  of  India  has  launched  'Mission  Shakti'  -  an  integrated  women empowerment  programme  as  an  umbrella  scheme  for  the  safety,  security,  and empowerment of women, to be implemented during the 15th Finance Commission period, i.e., up to FY 2025-26. It has been in effect across the country since 1st April 2022 including State of Uttar Pradesh. Mission Shakti has two sub-schemes namely "Sambal"  for  safety  and  security  of  women  and  "Samarthya"  for  empowerment  of women. The 'Sambal' has components of One Stop Centre (OSC), Women Helpline (WHL),  Beti  Bachao  Beti  Padhao  (BBBP)  and  Nari  Adalat.  The  'Samarthya'  has components of Shakti Sadan, Sakhi Niwas, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Palna and SANKALP: Hub for Empowerment of Women (SANKALP: HEW). Mission Shakti is a centrally sponsored scheme and the overall implementation of the schemes lies  with  the  State  Governments/UT  Administrations.  Under  Mission  Shakti,  two components namely One Stop Centre (OSC) and Women Helpline (WHL) provide emergency and non-emergency support to women in need including State of Uttar Pradesh.

One Stop Centre (OSC) provides integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence and those in distress, both in private and public spaces.

It provides services like medical aid, legal aid and advice, temporary shelter, police assistance and psycho-social counselling to needy women. As on date total 79 OSCs are functional in State of Uttar Pradesh and assisted 2,63,385 women since inception till 31.01.2025. Women Helpline (WHL) provides 24/7 telephonic assistance through a  universal  toll-free  number  (181)  by  connecting  women  for  emergency  and  nonemergency needs and in State of Uttar Pradesh 8,25,373 women have been assisted through till 31.01.2025.

(c)  to  (e):   Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  is  implementing  a  Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely 'Mission Vatsalya', through the State/ UT Governments including in the State of Uttar Pradesh to deliver various services for Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) as well as Children in Conflict with Law (CCL). These services  include  Institutional  Care  and  Non-Institutional  Care.  The  Child  Care Institutions  (CCIs)  established  under  the  Mission  Vatsalya  scheme  support, interalia, age-appropriate education, access to vocational training, recreation, health care, counselling etc. Under non-institutional care, support is provide to the children through Sponsorship, Foster Care, Adoption and After Care.

As per Section 2(14) (ii) and (ix) of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act) (as amended in 2021), a child who is found working in contravention of labour laws for the time being in force or is found begging, or living on the street and who is found vulnerable and is likely to be inducted into drug abuse or trafficking is included as a 'child in need of care and protection', among others. The primary responsibility of execution of the Act, as such, lies with the State/UTs.

The scheme supports 24x7 outreach helpline service for children in distress. This Child Helpline is available through a dedicated toll free number 1098, which can be accessed  by  children  in  crisis  or  by  adults  on  their  behalf  from  any  place  in  the geographical  location of India. Child Helpline  services  are  100%  funded  by Government of India.

During  the  last  financial  year  2023-24,  the  budget  allocated  to  the  Ministry  was Rs.25,448.75 crore, out of which 98.31% was utilised.

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