Lok Sabha Question No. 2391 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-13
Subject: Protection of Women and Children under Welfare Schemes
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Rajmohan Unnithan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2391

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.02.2026

## PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN UNDER WELFARE SCHEMES

## 2391.  SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN:

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

- (a) whether  gaps  in  implementation  of  women  and  child-centric  welfare  schemes  are affecting vulnerable families in Kerala, particularly in border and coastal districts like Kasaragod, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether nutritional  support,  childcare  services  and  maternal  health  outreach  remain inadequate in certain regions, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  performance  of  ICDS,  POSHAN  Abhiyaan  and  related  schemes  has been reviewed, district-wise, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  any  special  interventions  have  been  proposed  for  backward  and  high-risk districts, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  steps  being  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  to  strengthen  delivery, monitoring and inclusiveness of women and child welfare programmes?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e): Various schemes implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) for welfare  of  women  and  children  all  over  the  country,  including  schemes  for nutrition support, childcare services and maternal health outreach in Kerala, have been clubbed into  three  Umbrella  Missions  viz.  (1)  Mission  Saksham  Anganwadi  &  Poshan  2.0  for improving  nutrition  &  health  indicators  (2)  Mission  Shakti,  for  safety,  protection  and empowerment of women; and (3) Mission Vatsalya, for protection, care and welfare of children in difficult circumstances. Details of the Umbrella Missions are as under:

(i)  Saksham  Anganwadi  &  Poshan  2.0  (Mission  Poshan  2.0): Under  this  mission, Anganwadi Services Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent Girls have been reorganized into 3 primary sub-verticals: (i) Nutrition Support for Children, Pregnant Women & Lactating Mothers and for Adolescent Girls (ii) Early Childhood Care and Education and (iii) Anganwadi Infrastructure including upgraded Saksham Anganwadis.

(ii)  Mission  Shakti: It  comprises  of  two  verticals 'Sambal' and 'Samarthya' for  safety, security and empowerment of women, respectively.

I. Sambal The following schemes have been included under the Sambal vertical: One Stop Centres  (OSC) -  for  providing  integrated  support  and  assistance  to  women  affected  by violence and those in distress, both in private and public spaces in a convergent and coordinated manner  under  one  roof ;  Women  Helplines  (181-WHL) is  a  24  x  7  x  365  toll-free emergency/non-emergency  response  system  that  is  integrated  with  ERSS  (112)  and  other existing helplines/institutions; Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) - launched with an aim to address declining Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) and related issues of empowerment of girls and women over a life cycle continuum; Nari Adalat -a  pilot  initiative  aimed  at  empowering women by ensuring justice and to offer services such as alternate dispute resolution, grievance redressal,  counselling,  evidence-based  decision-making, pressure group  tactics,  negotiation, mediation, and reconciliation.

II.  Samarthya  The  following  schemes  have  been  included  under  'Samarthya'  vertical: Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) -  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Maternity Benefit  Scheme  under  which  cash  incentives  flow  to  the  beneficiaries  in  Direct  Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode for the first child and the second girl child; Shakti Sadan - an Integrated Relief and Rehabilitation Home for women in distress situations including trafficked women; Sakhi Niwas -  to  promote availability of safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women in urban, semi-urban and also in rural areas where employment opportunities for  women  exist; National  Hub  for  Empowerment  of  Women  (NHEW) -  to  facilitate intersectoral convergence of schemes and programs meant for women at National level, State/ UT level and district level and Palna that aims to increase the participation of women in work force in the economy by providing quality crèche facility in safe and secure environment for children.

(iii)  Mission  Vatsalya: Mission  Vatsalya  includes  the  Integrated  Child  Protection  Scheme (ICPS) for better outreach and protection for children in need and care in a mission mode with the  objective  to:  (i)  Support  and  sustain  Children  in  difficult  circumstances.  (ii)  Develop context-based  solutions  for  holistic  development  of  children  from  varied  backgrounds. (iii)Provide scope for encouraging innovative solutions, (iv) Cement convergent action.

NITI  Aayog  has  got  conducted  a  third-party  evaluation  of  the  schemes  of  the  Ministry  of Women and Child Development for Financial Years 2019 to 2024. The study found that the schemes of the Ministry are relevant.

The implementation of schemes including utilization of funds is reviewed on regular basis at various high levels through physical meetings, video conferences and field visits.

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