Lok Sabha Question No. 1149 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-25
Subject: Schemes for Unmarried Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Daroga Prasad Saroj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN & CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1149

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.07.2025

## SCHEMES FOR UNMARRIED WOMEN

## †1149. SHRI DAROGA PRASAD SAROJ:

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

- (a) the  details  of  the  schemes  being  implemented  by  the  Government  for  the upliftment of women including the unmarried ones at present;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  provided  any  kind  of  financial  assistance  or introduced any scheme related to education or employment of unmarried women of Uttar Pradesh and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the manner in which the said schemes are being implemented by the Government along with the impact of said schemes in said State; and
- (d) whether the Government has focused on social and mental development of the women under the said schemes and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (d): 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 Uttar Pradesh. The major schemes/ programmes of Government of India in this regard are as follows:-

The Ministry of Women and Child Development during the 15th 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:

(i)  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 tollfree 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 11.8 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 15.6 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  16,000  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 (PMJDY) 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 Yojana 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 (MCY), a sub-component of Coir Vikas Yojana, 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/ advanced technology in order to upscale their living standards and thereby attain self-sustainable employment.

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