Lok Sabha Question No. 5552 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-27
Subject: Socio-Economic Empowerment of Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Md. Rakibul Hussain

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5552

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.03.2026

## SOCIO-ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN

## 5552. MD. RAKIBUL HUSSAIN:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has implemented various schemes/initiatives for the socio-economic empowerment, skill development and livelihood support of women in Dhubri district, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of said schemes being implemented by the Ministry including programmes related to women's welfare, self-reliance and economic empowerment as listed on the official website of the Ministry of Women and Child Development;
- (c) the  number  of  beneficiaries  from  the  said  district  who  have  availed  benefits  under  these schemes during the last five years, scheme-wise;
- (d) whether the Government has taken initiatives  to promote awareness  and  outreach  activities among women in rural and remote areas of Dhubri district so that they may avail themselves of the benefits of various welfare schemes; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (e):  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.

- (1)  Mission  Shakti : The  'Mission  Shakti'  aims  at  strengthening  interventions  for  women's 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 subschemes '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.

- 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  psycho-social counselling to needy women. As on 20.03.2026, 926 OSCs are operational in the country which  have  assisted  over  13.37  lakh  women  in  the  country.  Further,  36  OSCs  are operational in Assam including one OSC in Dhubri district and over 33 thousand women have been assisted through these OSCs in the State of Assam as on date.
- 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.  Women  Helpline  is  operational  in  35  States/ Union Territories and also integrated with Emergency Response Support System ERSS112. Till 28th February, 2026, WHLs have assisted over 99.09 lakh women in the country.
- 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. The scheme is implemented in all the districts of the country.
- 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. Presently, Nari Adalat is being run on pilot basis in 50 Gram Panchayats in the State of Assam and UT of Jammu & Kashmir and 10 Gram Panchayats in the State of Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh and Mizoram.

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).

- 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 ₹6,000/ - is also provided under PMMVY to eligible beneficiaries for second child subject to  the  second  child  being  a  girl.  Benefits  amounting  to  Rs.  20,144  crores  have  been extended to approximately 4.28 crore women across the country through this scheme since inception of the scheme (01.01.2017) till 23.03.2026.  The details of beneficiaries paid under the scheme in the Dhubri district of Assam during the last five financial years and current financial year are as under:

|        | Year                        | Beneficiaries Paid   |
|--------|-----------------------------|----------------------|
| Dhubri | 2020-21                     | 4,558                |
| Dhubri | 2021-22                     | 17,282               |
| Dhubri | 2022-23                     | 19,490               |
| Dhubri | 2023-24                     | 6,367                |
| Dhubri | 2024-25                     | 9,902                |
| Dhubri | 2025-26* (as on 23.03.2026) | 9,382                |

In order to promote awareness and outreach of the PMMVY, the Ministry runs special campaign for registration of eligible beneficiaries in all the States and UTs under PMMVY on  a  periodic  basis.  At  field  functionary  level,  various  Information,  Education  and Communication (IEC) and Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) activities such as Prabhat Pheri, Nukkad Natak, Newspaper Advertisements, Airing Radio Jingles, Selfie Campaign, Door to Door Campaign, Community Programmes are conducted.

- 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 Integrated 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. Presently,  419  Shakti  Sadans  are  functional  across  the  country  and  26 Shakti Sadans are functional in the State of Assam including in the district of Dhubri.
7. Sakhi  NiwasSakhi  Niwas  Scheme  (Working  Women  Hostel)  under  the  overarching Mission Shakti, is a demand driven Centrally Sponsored Scheme. The scheme aims to promote availability of safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women in urban, semi-urban and also in rural areas where employment opportunity for women exists. Presently, 560 Sakhi Niwas are functional across the country and 10 Sakhi Niwas are functional in the State of Assam.
- 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). As on 23.03.2026, 50 AWCCs are operational in the State of Assam.
- 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.

The SANKALP centres engage in widespread outreach and awareness, through organising awareness activities, camps and campaigns, in convergence with Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP). This approach improves awareness generation and access to government schemes by  ensuring  the  dissemination  of  targeted  IEC  materials,  organizing  local  awareness campaigns, and conducting gender sensitization programs across schools, colleges, and public forums. The SANKALP centres have also been provided with facility of vehicle as well as additional financial allocation for conducting awareness campaigns on womencentric issues to ensure wider outreach of women-centric activities.

SANKALP: HEW is being implemented in all States/UTs except the State of West Bengal. As on date, total 35 State SANKALP: HEWs and 742 District SANKALP: HEWs are functional including in the district of Dhubri.

The number of beneficiaries in Assam under Mission Shakti during the last five years is 11,46,393.

- (2) Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0): 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 and UT administration.

Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, a package of six services are provided to the eligible beneficiaries i.e. Supplementary Nutrition, 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.

The State/UT and district wise data on beneficiaries under Mission Poshan 2.0 is available on Poshan Tracker at the link: https://www.poshantracker.in/statistics.

(3) 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 Ministry of Rural Development is  implementing  the Pradhan Mantri Awaas YojanaGramin (PMAY-G) w.e.f. 1 st April 2016 to provide assistance to eligible rural households for the construction of Pucca houses with basic amenities to achieve the objective of "Housing For All" in rural areas. Under the PMAY-G, the initial target was to provide assistance for the construction of  2.95  crore  houses  during  FY  2016-17  to  2023-24.  The  Government  of  India  approved  the implementation  of  the  scheme  during  FY  2024-25  to  2028-29  to  provide  assistance  for  the construction of 2 crore additional houses.

Under the PMAY-G, the targets are allocated by the Ministry to the States/UTs by considering them as a unit and further distribution of targets to the Districts/ Blocks/ GPs is done by the State Government/  UT  Administration  themselves.  The  Ministry  has  allocated  cumulative  target  of 29.88 lakh houses to Assam against which the State has given sanctions to 29.09 lakh houses and 21.47 lakh houses are already completed, as of 23.03.2026. Further, the State Government has fixed target of 1.63 lakh houses in Dhubri district against which houses have been sanctioned to 1.61  lakh  beneficiaries,  1st  instalment  of  assistance  released  for  1.55  lakh  beneficiaries,  2nd instalment to 1.35 lakh beneficiaries and 1.14 lakh houses are already completed, as of 23.03.2026.

The PMAY-G guidelines provide that allotment of the house shall be made in the name of a woman or jointly in the name of the husband and wife, except in the case of a widower/unmarried/separated  person/transgender.  Further,  in  order  to  ensure  empowerment  of women, an advisory has been issued stating that all the houses under PMAY-G should include names of women members of the household in sanction details/ownership details (either solely or in  joint  ownership)  and  that  the  female  member  (s)  may  be  added  as  secondary  owner  in  the sanction letters where the initial sanction has already been given in the name of the male member.

Under  the  PMAY-G,  the Awaas  SAKHI ( S upport A pplication  for K nowledge, H elp  and I nnovation)  is  an  innovative  mobile  application  developed  to  enhance  access  to  PMAY-G  by bringing essential information and resources in one place. Through the application, beneficiaries can gain awareness about the scheme, obtain answers to their queries and determine their eligibility for the scheme, equipping them with knowledge to make informed decisions.

Further,  Awaas  Sakhi  paves  the  way  towards  active  involvement  of  beneficiaries  and  their community in the house construction process by making available house design typologies, locally available BIS certified materials and trained rural masons. Awaas Sakhi, in the essence of its name, aims to provide Help, enable access to Knowledge and promote Innovation in PMAY-G. The application makes essential information and tools available at the fingertips of the beneficiaries enabling them to take full advantage of the scheme and achieve their dream of owning a secure and resilient house.

Under the PMAY-G, community-based participatory monitoring system is also in place utilizing the  services  of  the  Self-Help  Group  (SHG)  network  under  National  Rural  Livelihood  Mission (NRLM). The services of NGOs and Civil Society Organizations are also utilized for creating awareness about the programme and to monitor the progress and quality of the construction of the house.

The Ministry  of  Rural  Development is  also  implementing  the National  Social  Assistance Programme (NSAP), which is a social security programme for the most vulnerable sections of our society, covering both rural and urban areas. It includes all categories of beneficiaries who live below the poverty line (BPL). Under the programme, financial assistance in the form of a pension ranging from Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 per month is provided to the elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities who live below the poverty line (BPL) and meet the eligibility criteria prescribed in the NSAP guidelines.

Although  all  sub-schemes  under  NSAP  cover  women  beneficiaries,  Indira  Gandhi  National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) is 100% women-oriented scheme under which the eligible age is 40 years and the pension amount is Rs. 300/- per month. After attaining the age of 80 years, the beneficiary will get Rs. 500/- per month.

The States/UTs are encouraged to provide top-up amount of at least an equivalent amount to the assistance provided by the Central Government so that the beneficiaries could get a decent level of assistance. At present, the States/UTs are adding top-up amou nt ranging from ₹200/ -to ₹ 3700/ -per month per beneficiary under widow pension scheme.

Funds under NSAP schemes are disbursed to the States/UTs based on the number of digitized beneficiaries or their fixed State/UT cap, whichever is lower. As per NSAP guidelines, States/UTs are  responsible  for  further disbursal of benefits to beneficiaries at Village/Block/Ward/District level. The number of beneficiaries under IGNWPS during the last five years in Assam is as under:

| 2020-21   | 2021-22   | 2022-23   | 2023-24   | 2024-25   |
|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| 1,37,463  | 1,21,181  | 1,19,955  | 1,19,955  | 1,19,955  |

NSAP guidelines stipulates to ensure wide and continuous publicity about the entitlements under different schemes of NSAP and the procedure for claiming them through posters, brochures, media and other means. Further 1% of the administrative expenses may be earmarked for Information, Education & Communication (IEC)- awareness generation activities.

Further, Rural Skills Division of the Ministry of Rural Development is also implementing the following two welfare schemes in the field of skill development for rural poor youth for their gainful employment with a view to eradicate poverty in the country under the umbrella scheme of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). A brief on the Schemes is as under:

(1)  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyaya  Grameen  Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU-GKY): DDU-GKY  is  a placement-linked skill development program for rural poor youth in the age group of 15-35 years. It empowers the rural poor youth with employable skills and facilitates their participation in regular labour  markets,  thus  providing  them  with  jobs  having  regular  monthly  wages  at  or  above  the minimum wages. DDU-GKY guideline provides social inclusion of SC/ST (50%), Women (33%), and PwDs (5%).

The number of beneficiaries from Dhubri District who have availed the benefits of DDU-GKY scheme in the last 5 years is provided below -

| FY      |   Trained |   Placed |   Women Trained |   Women Placed |
|---------|-----------|----------|-----------------|----------------|
| 2021-22 |       120 |       54 |              39 |             15 |
| 2022-23 |       419 |      185 |             117 |             61 |
| 2023-24 |       196 |      195 |             123 |             92 |
| 2024-25 |       277 |       44 |             271 |             41 |

| 2025-26 28.02.2026)   | 88   | 191   | 88   | 191   |
|-----------------------|------|-------|------|-------|

Further, under DDU-GKY, the following initiatives have been taken to promote awareness and outreach activities:

- Community-based  mobilisation:  Awareness  drives  are  conducted  through  Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under ASRLM, involving village-level meetings, counselling sessions, and mobilisation camps to sensitise women about DDU-GKY opportunities.
- IEC and outreach  activities:  Use  of  Information,  Education  and  Communication  (IEC) materials  such  as  pamphlets,  posters,  and  local  campaigns  in  vernacular  languages  to improve programme visibility in remote areas.
- Involvement  of  local  institutions:  Collaboration  with  Gram  Panchayats,  community resource persons, and block-level mission  units to reach out to  eligible  women beneficiaries.
- Special  mobilisation  drives  for  women:  Focused  efforts  to  encourage  participation  of women, particularly from vulnerable and marginalised groups, ensuring their inclusion in training programmes.
- Counselling  and  handholding  support:  Pre-enrolment  counselling,  career  guidance,  and post-placement  support  are  provided  to  address  socio-cultural  barriers  and  improve retention.
- Engagement of PIAs: Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) are mandated to undertake targeted  mobilisation  and  awareness  campaigns,  especially  in  underserved  and  remote areas.

These measures collectively aim to improve participation of women in DDU-GKY and ensure equitable access to skill training and sustainable livelihoods in Dhubri district.

## (2) Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs):

- Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETI) is a poverty alleviation programme under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana -National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) that  promotes  sustainable  livelihoods  through  skill  development  with  a  mandate  of minimum 70% settlement. Functioning as a strategic arm of the Skill India Mission and adhering  to  common  norms  of  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  and  Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
- RSETIs  operates through a three-way partnership among  the Ministry of Rural Development, State/UT Governments, and Sponsor Banks. Banks establish at least one RSETI in each lead district to provide fully funded by MoRD, largely residential, shortterm National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) aligned training to rural youth (18 -50 years) with a focus on self-employment and micro-enterprise development, along with credit linkage and two years of handholding support.
- The Scheme ensures inclusive participation of women, SC/STs, minorities, PwDs, SHG members and through convergence with various government schemes and departments,

training  programmes  are  extended  to  beneficiaries  identified  under  NRLM,  PMEGP, DAY-NULM, MUDRA, PMAY-G and MGNREGA  and other livelihood and entrepreneurship promotion initiatives, thereby enhancing employability, reducing distress migration, and strengthening rural livelihoods.

The number of beneficiaries from Dhubri District who have availed the benefits of RSETI scheme in the last 5 years is provided below -

| FY                         | Total   | Total   | Women (Out of total)   | Women (Out of total)   |
|----------------------------|---------|---------|------------------------|------------------------|
|                            | Trained | Settled | Trained                | Settled                |
| 2021-22                    | 604     | 334     | 554                    | 334                    |
| 2022-23                    | 711     | 582     | 666                    | 537                    |
| 2023-24                    | 939     | 690     | 885                    | 642                    |
| 2024-25                    | 1304    | 928     | 1200                   | 827                    |
| 2025-26 (up to 28.02.2026) | 869     | 725     | 841                    | 725                    |

Under  RSETI,  Dhubri  RSETI  conducts  regular  awareness  and  mobilisation  activities  in coordination with banks, State Rural Livelihood Missions and local administration to identify and motivate rural women for skill development and self-employment programmes. In this regard, the Director and Faculty of RSETI conduct five Entrepreneurship Awareness Programmes (EAPs) every month across the district.

These activities include village-level awareness camps, counselling sessions, and interaction with Self-Help  Groups  (SHGs)  to  enhance  participation  of  women  in  training  programmes.  These programmes are aimed at mobilising rural unemployed women, creating awareness about RSETI training programmes, self-employment opportunities, and facilitating access to various government welfare schemes and credit linkages.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is also implementing the following  schemes  for  the  socio-economic  empowerment,  skill  development  and  livelihood support of women:

(1)  Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): Ministry  of  Skill  Development  and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) is implementing its flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana  (PMKVY),  since  2015,  for  imparting  skill  development  training  through  Short-Term Training (STT) and up-skilling and re-skilling through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to youth across the country including Dhubri District with aim to enhance the employability of the youth to access employment opportunities by equipping them with industry relevant skills

Under PMKVY, a total of 26468 candidates have been trained/ oriented in Dhubri District till 31.12.2025 out of which 16736 are females. Gender-wise, FY-wise details of candidates trained/ oriented under PMKVY in Dhubri District till 31.12.2025 is at Annexure .

(2)  Craftsmen  Training  Scheme  (CTS): Directorate  General  of  Training  (DGT),  under  the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), implements the Craftsmen Training

Scheme (CTS) through a network of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) for skilling the youth of the country including women.

In ITIs, craftsmen training is provided in 169 NSQF aligned trades. Each trade has a dedicated course curriculum. The duration of training: six months, one and two years. The training courses under CTS are designed to impart basic skills and knowledge in the respective trades so as to prepare trainees for wage employment and self-employment

At present, there are 14,688 ITIs established in the country, out of which, 3,345 are Government and 11,343 are Private ITIs. In Dhubri district of Assam only 1 ITIs is functioning.

A total number of 67,07,804 trainees have been trained in ITIs under CTS from session 2021-22 to 2025-26. In Dubri District of Assam there are 34 trainees have been trained in ITIs under CTS from session 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Directorate  General  of  Training  under  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  &  Entrepreneurship  is imparting vocational training in 169 NSQF compliant courses for both women & men through a network  of  Industrial  Training  Institutes  (ITIs)  and  National  Skill  Training  Institutes  (NSTIs) under Craftsmen Training Scheme across the country.  Out of the 169 trades, following 07 trades are women-centric.

|    | S.No.Name of Trade                            | Entry Qualification                                | NSQF Level   | Duration    |
|----|-----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------|--------------|-------------|
|  1 | Dress Making                                  | Passed 08 th class examination                     | Level -      | 2.5One year |
|  2 | Sewing Technology                             | Passed 8 th class examination                      | Level -      | 2.5One year |
|  3 | Surface Ornamentation Techniques (Embroidary) | Passed 8 th class examination                      | Level -      | 2.5One year |
|  4 | Computer Aided Embroidery Designing           | & Passed 10 th class examination or its equivalent | Level -      | 3.5One year |
|  5 | Fashion Design and Technology                 | Passed 10 th class examination or its equivalent   | Level -      | 3.5One year |
|  6 | Cosmetology                                   | Passed 10 th class examination or its equivalent   | Level -      | 3.5One year |
|  7 | Spa Therapy                                   | Passed 10 th class examination or its equivalent   | Level -      | 3.5One year |

To increase employability of youths including Women, Directorate General of Training (DGT) under Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has revised the syllabus of subject 'Employability Skills' in Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) courses. The areas covered for development  of  soft  skills  and  entrepreneurial  skills  such  as  Entrepreneurship,  Basic  English Skills, Communication Skills, Essential Digital Skills, and Financial & Legal Literacy.

( 3) Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Scheme: The Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) Scheme under the Skill India Programme aims to provide skill training in a non-formal mode at the doorsteps of the beneficiary with 100% grant from the Government of India. The objective of the scheme is to increase the household income by promoting self/wage employment through skill development training. The target beneficiaries of the scheme are non-literates, persons having rudimentary level of education and school dropouts up to class 12th in the age group of 15-45 years. The priority groups are women (83%), SCs, STs, OBCs and minorities in the rural areas and urban low-income areas.

Presently, there is only one JSS active in Dhubri District. Total number of beneficiaries trained in JSS Dhubri under JSS scheme from FY 2021-22 till 31 st December 2025 is 4,680.

The JSS scheme adopts a community-based mobilisation approach to reach women from rural and remote areas. Mobilisation of beneficiaries is undertaken at the grassroots level through door-todoor surveys, village meetings, community awareness programmes and interaction with Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Joint Liability Groups (JLGs), Panchayati Raj Institutions and local community organisations. These outreach activities enable identification and mobilisation of women from SC, ST, minority, economically weaker sections and other vulnerable groups, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

The  effectiveness  of  this  approach  is  reflected  in  the  participation  pattern  under  the  scheme, wherein women constitute more than 80 -83% of total beneficiaries trained under JSS, indicating strong  outreach  among  women  from  socio-economically  disadvantaged  backgrounds.  The scheme's  doorstep  training  model,  flexible  training  hours  and  locally  relevant  trades  further facilitate participation of women, including those from rural areas.

(4) National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS): The Government of India launched 'National  Apprenticeship  Promotion  Scheme'  (NAPS)  in  August,  2016  with  the  objective  to promote apprenticeship training and to increase the engagement of apprentices. Since 2022-23, the scheme continues as NAPS-2 and implemented throughout the country, including women. NAPS2 aims to promote apprenticeship training in the country, by providing partial stipend support to the  apprentices  engaged  under the Apprentice Act, 1961, undertaking capacity building of the apprenticeship ecosystem, and providing advocacy assistance to the stakeholders. Accordingly, the scheme facilitates a partial stipend support limited to 25% of stipend paid, up to a maximum of Rs.1,500 per month, per apprentice during the training period. The stipend support by GoI is being  paid  through  Direct  Benefit  Transfer  (DBT)  to  the  bank  account  of  apprentice.  Under apprenticeship training, as per the provision of the Apprentices Act, 1961, it is not obligatory on the part of the employer to hire apprentices on completion of the training.

While  women-centric  trades  are  actively  promoted,  establishments  are  encouraged  to  create inclusive and safe training environments as mandated under the Apprentices Act, 1961. Section 14 of the Apprentices Act explicitly applies critical safety and welfare provisions to apprentices during training. If the apprentice is in a factory, the relevant chapters (III, IV & V) of the Factories Act,  1948  apply  to  them  as  if  they  were  workers.  If  the  apprentice  is  in  a  mine,  the  relevant provisions of the Mines Act, 1952 apply, again treating them as if they were regular employees. This means that safety measures, fitness for work, welfare facilities, and other protective norms apply to apprentices identically to formal workers. While the Apprentices Act does not separately address gender or sexual harassment, apprentices -regardless of gender -are covered under the broader Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act,

2013 (POSH Act). Section 15 of the Act governs working hours, prohibits unauthorized overtime, and mandates leave/holiday entitlements similar to employees. For apprentices of age eighteen and above, training will be during normal working hours of the establishment. For those apprentices under the age of 18, working hours will be between 8.00 AM and 6.00 PM. However, concerned apprenticeship adviser may permit exceptions.

In  apprenticeship  stakeholder  engagements,  engaging  female  apprentices  is  being  emphasised. Further, since June 2022, Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela (PMNAM) facilitates candidates to avail opportunities in Apprenticeship training and facilitates establishment to identify potential candidates and in selection of Apprentices. The event is conducted every month on the 2 nd Monday, in at least 1/3 rd of the districts of each State, including Assam.

The details of apprentices engaged nationwide, within the state of Assam, and specifically in the Dhubri district under NAPS-2 during last five financial years are as follows:

|   S. No. | Heads                  | Total Apprentices engaged under NAPS-2during last five financial years Women Apprentices engaged under NAPS-2 during last five financial years   | Total Apprentices engaged under NAPS-2during last five financial years Women Apprentices engaged under NAPS-2 during last five financial years   |
|----------|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | PAN India              | 35,53,948                                                                                                                                        | 7,50,229                                                                                                                                         |
|        2 | Assam (All districts)  | 40,095                                                                                                                                           | 16,806                                                                                                                                           |
|        3 | Dhubri district, Assam | 1,404                                                                                                                                            | 710                                                                                                                                              |

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Annexure ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN THE REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (E) OF THE LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 5552 FOR ANSWER ON 27.03.2026 REGARDING "SOCIO-ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN"

Gender-wise, FY-wise details of candidates trained/oriented under PMKVY in Dhubri District till 31.12.2025.

| FY      | Female   | Male   | Transgender   | Total Trained / Oriented   |
|---------|----------|--------|---------------|----------------------------|
| 2015-16 | 841      | 1,100  |               | 1,941                      |
| 2016-17 | 0        | 76     |               | 76                         |
| 2017-18 | 870      | 323    |               | 1,193                      |
| 2018-19 | 689      | 450    |               | 1,139                      |
| 2019-20 | 3,321    | 1,004  | 1             | 4,326                      |
| 2020-21 | 5,236    | 4,817  | 4             | 10,057                     |
| 2021-22 | 534      | 374    |               | 908                        |
| 2022-23 | 200      | 178    |               | 378                        |
| 2023-24 | 2,174    | 636    |               | 2,810                      |
| 2024-25 | 2,728    | 672    |               | 3,400                      |
| 2025-26 | 143      | 97     |               | 240                        |
| Total   | 16,736   | 9,727  | 5             | 26,468                     |

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