Lok Sabha Question No. 319 (STARRED), answered on 2026-03-13
Subject: Women Empowerment Schemes
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Anup Sanjay Dhotre

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 319 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.03.2026

## WOMEN EMPOWERMENT SCHEMES

## 319. SHRI ANUP SANJAY DHOTRE:

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

- (a) the details of women empowerment-related schemes being run by the Government during the last three years;
- (b) the details of funds being spent by the Government on these schemes year-wise especially in the Maharashtra district-wise;
- (c) the details of the said schemes which have been successful in achieving their objectives;
- (d) the number of Anganwadis in Maharashtra, especially in Akola district;
- (e) the details of the benefits extended to the child and mother through these Centres in the said district along with the number of beneficiaries availing such benefits since 2022, year-wise and Anganwadi-wise; and
- (f) the  details  of  the  schemes  being  implemented/under  consideration  for  girls  below  18 years of age?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) to (f):  A statement is laid on the table of the House.

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Statement referred to in the reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. *319 for 13.03.2026 raised  by  Shri  Anup  Sanjay  Dhotre,  MP  (LS)  regarding  'Women  Empowerment Schemes'

(a)  to  (c)  Yes,  sir.  The  Government  gives  utmost  priority  to  the  safety,  security  and empowerment of women in the country. Government has adopted multi-pronged approach to address  the  needs  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. This 'Women led development' is essential for realising the goal of a developed India, or 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047.

The  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  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 seeks to focus on proposing strategies for improving convergence across Ministries/ Departments and at different levels of governance. Mission Shakti comprises of two sub-sc hemes 'Sambal' and 'Samarthya' for safety and security of women and empowerment of women respectively.

The 'Sambal' sub -scheme is for safety and security of women. It has the components of One Stop Centres (OSCs), Women Helpline (WHL), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) and Nari Adalat.

- I. One Stop Centres (OSCs)One Stop Centre (OSC) provides integrated and immediate support  and  assistance  under  one  roof  to  women  affected  by  violence  and  those  in distress, both in private and public spaces all across the country. It provides services like medical aid, legal aid and advice, temporary shelter, police assistance and psychosocial counselling to needy women.
- II. Women Helpline (WHL)Women Helpline (WHL-181) provides 24-hour toll-free telecommunication services to support women in both emergency and non-emergency situations. It offers assistance to women affected by violence and provides information about government schemes and services all across the country.
- III. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP)Beti  Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme was launched on 22nd January 2015 to help address Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of empowerment of girls and women over a life cycle continuum. Beti Bachao Beti  Padhao  (BBBP)  scheme  has  transformed  from  policy  initiative  into  national movement by mobilizing various stakeholders, including government agencies, media civil society and general public.
- IV. Nari  AdalatNari  Adalat  scheme  provides  a  platform  for  alternative  grievance redressal for women at the gram panchayat level. The Adalats are mandated to help women in distress at the panchayat level in resolving smaller issues relating to domestic violence, and other gender-based violence by negotiation, mediation, and reconciliation with mutual consent for accessible justice.

The 'Samarthya' sub scheme is for empowerment of women. It has the components of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Shakti Sadan, Sakhi Niwas, Palna and SANKALP: Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW).

- I. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)The PMMVY is a Centrally Sponsored  Maternity  Benefit  Scheme  under  which  cash  incentives  of  ₹5,000/ -  is provided directly to the Bank/Post Office account of the beneficiary in Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode for first child. The eligible beneficiaries receive the remaining cash incentive, as per approved norms towards maternity benefit under Janani Suraksha Yojana after institutional delivery, so that on an average a woman gets ₹6,000/ -. Cash incentive  of  ₹6,00 0/-  is  also  provided  under  PMMVY  to  eligible  beneficiaries  for second child subject to the second child being a girl.
- II. Shakti SadanUnder the overarching 'Mission Shakti', erstwhile schemes of 'Swadhar Greh' for women in difficult circumstances and 'Ujjawala Home' for Prevention of Trafficking,  have  been  merged  w.  e.  f.  01.04.2022  and  known  as  'Shakti  Sadan Scheme',  which  is  an  Integr ated  Relief  and  Rehabilitation  Home-for  women  in distressful  situations  including  trafficked  women.   It  aims  at  creating  a  safe  and enabling  environment  for  the  women  in  such  difficult  situations,  to  enable  them  to overcome the adverse circumstances.
- III. Sakhi NiwasThe Sakhi Niwas Scheme (Working Women Hostel) is a demand driven centrally sponsored scheme, under which funds are released directly to the States/UTs for  implementation  of  the  scheme  and  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.
- IV. PalnaPalna Scheme is implemented with the aim of expanding the outreach of crèches to ensure that women everywhere have the opportunity to work and do not drop out from workforce because of care responsibilities. Palna aims to provide day-care crèche facilities to the children (06 months -06 years).
- V. SANKALP: Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW)The  SANKALP:  HEW (Hub  for  Empowerment  of  Women)  which  functions  as  a  Project  Monitoring  Unit (PMU) for all components of Mission Shakti. It serves as a single window system to bridge the information and knowledge gap regarding schemes and facilities available for women as well as guide them to avail the benefits and entitlements.

Further, the Government of India also implements several initiatives through various Ministries and Departments which contribute to the empowerment and welfare of women. One  such  initiative  is  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Ujjwala  Yojana  (PMUY),  implemented  by  the Ministry  of  Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas.  Pradhan  Mantri  Ujjwala  Yojana  (PMUY)  was launched in May, 2016 to provide deposit free LPG connection to adult women from poor households.  Use  of  LPG  as  a  cooking  fuel  frees  women  from  the  drudgery  of  collecting firewood, reduces time spent on cooking and prevents deforestation.

Under the Government of India's Skill India Mission (SIM) , the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) delivers skill, re-skill and up-skill training through an extensive network of skill development centres under various schemes, viz. Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), to all the sections of the society across the country including women. The SIM aims at enabling youth of India to get future ready and equipped with industry relevant skills.

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana -National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY- NRLM) launched in June 2011 under the Ministry of Rural Development, is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Government of India aims at mobilizing rural poor women households into Self Help Groups (SHGs) and provide them long-term support so that they diversify their livelihoods, improve their incomes and lead a better-quality life

Additionally,  the  Department  of  Financial  Services  (DFS)  under  the  Ministry  of  Finance implements key financial inclusion and enterprise-promotion schemes:

1. Stand-Up India (SUI) Scheme: Launched on 05 April 2016, this scheme facilitates loans ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 crore through Scheduled Commercial Banks. Each bank branch is mandated  to  provide  loans  to  at  least  one  Scheduled  Caste  (SC)  or  Scheduled  Tribe  (ST) borrower and one woman borrower for setting up a greenfield enterprise in manufacturing, services, trading, or activities allied to agriculture.

2. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY): Introduced on 08 April 2015, this scheme offers collateral-free  institutional  credit  to  non-corporate,  non-farm  small  entrepreneurs  through Scheduled Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies, and Microfinance Institutions. Eligible individuals with a viable business plan can avail loans up to  ₹20  lakh  for  income -generating  activities  in  manufacturing,  trading,  services,  and  allied agricultural sectors. Loans are categorized into Shishu (u p to ₹50,000), Kishor (₹50,000 to ₹5 lakh), Tarun (₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh), and Tarun Plus (₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh).

Further, the year-wise details of fund released under Mission Shakti to the State of Maharashtra during the last three years and current year is at Annexure-I .

(d) to (f) As per Poshan Tracker, there are 1,10,630 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) in the State of Maharashtra including 1564 AWCs in Akola District under the scheme. The State/UT wise including the State of Maharashtra data from Poshan Tracker regarding number of Anganwadi Centres, beneficiaries and services at AWCs is available at the link: https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics.

Further, t he Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 and Mission Vatsalya. The details of the schemes are as under:

Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0): In the 15th Finance Commission, components of nutritional support for children below the age of 6 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers, Adolescent Girls (14 -18 years); Early Childhood Care and Education [3-6 years]; Anganwadi infrastructure including modern, upgraded Saksham Anganwadi, Poshan Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent Girls have been reorganised under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0).

Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, a package of six services are provided to the eligible beneficiaries i.e  Supplementary Nutrition (SNP), Pre-school  Non-Formal Education,  Nutrition  &  Health  Education,  Immunization,  Health  Check-up,  and  Referral Services. Three of the six services, viz., Immunization, Health check-up and Referral Services are related to health and are provided through National Health Mission (NHM) & Public Health Infrastructure. Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 is a Centrally Sponsored scheme. Central  Government  is  responsible  for  the  overall  planning  and  policy  under  the  scheme whereas  its  day-to-day  implementation  falls  under  the  ambit  of  State  Government  or  UT administration.

Further,  SAG  was  revised  from  01.04.2022  onwards  and  was  subsumed  under  Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. The Scheme aims at providing nutritional support to Adolescent Girls (AGs) [14-18 years] for improving their health and nutritional status under the  nutrition  component  and  providing  them  IFA  supplementation,  Health  check-up  and Referral  Service,  Nutrition  &  Health  Education  and  Skilling  etc.  under  non-nutrition component of the Scheme. The targeted beneficiaries under the Scheme are AGs in the age group of 14 to 18 years in Aspirational Districts and all North Eastern States.

Mission Vatsalya: Mission Vatsalya (erstwhile Child Protection Services Scheme (ICPS)) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) which is implemented through States/Union Territories (UTs) to deliver services for better outreach and protection for Children in Need of Care and Protection (CNCP) and Children in Conflict with Law (CCL) which include Institutional Care and Non-Institutional 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 green field projects for  encouraging  innovative  solutions  (iv)  Cement  convergent  action  by  gap  funding,  if required.

The scheme also provides for emergency outreach services (24x7) for children in difficult circumstances through Child Helpline (1098).

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## Annexure-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN THE REPLY TO PART (A) TO (C) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *319 FOR ANSWER ON 13.03.2026 REGARDING 'WOMEN EMPOWERMENT SCHEMES'

The year-wise details of funds allocated to the State of Maharashtra under Mission Shakti:

(Rupees in Lakhs)

|                |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |   2024-25 |   2025-26 (till 10.03.2026) |
|----------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------------------------|
| Mission Shakti |   24152.4 |   3031.69 |   15462.1 |                     11791.9 |

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