International Women’s Day: Women Empowerment Schemes of Narendra Modi Government

The International Women’s Day will be celebrated across the world, including India, with pomp and fervour on 8 March 2017. On this occasion, we are providing you with some of the schemes launched by the Narendra Modi Government to empower Indian women.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme

• The scheme was launched in January 2015 to prevent gender biased sex selective elimination, ensure survival and protection of the girl child.

• This is being implemented through a national campaign and focussed multi sectoral action in 100 selected districts low in CSR, covering all States and UTs.

• The scheme was launched by the government in the backdrop of declining the Child Sex Ratio (CSR). As per the 2011 census, the CSR reduced from 927 in 2001 to 918 in 2011, which is an alarming trend.

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One Stop Centre Scheme

• One Stop Centres (OSC) support women affected by violence, in private and public spaces, within the family, community and in the workplace.

• Women facing physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic abuse, irrespective of age, class, caste, education status, marital status, race and culture will be supported by these centres.

Women Helpline Scheme

• The Women Helpline Scheme seeks to provide 24 hours immediate and emergency response to women affected by violence.

• This scheme was launched by the by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development on 1 April 2015.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

• The scheme seeks to provide free LPG connections to women from below poverty line (BPL) households and builds on the objective of achieving universal coverage of cooking gas in the country.

• Under the scheme, a financial support of 1600 rupees will be provided for each LPG connection to the BPL households.

• Incidentally, this is for the first time the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has involved in implementing a welfare scheme benefitting crores of women belonging to the poorest households.

SWADHAR Greh Initiative

• The scheme aims at creating a supportive institutional framework catering to their primary needs in difficult situations.

• The scheme will work upon providing basic amenities, such as shelter, food, clothing and health along with economic and social security to women in distress.

• Also, the scheme will make sure that the special needs of these women are taken care of.

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Mahila E-Haat

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched Mahila E-Haat, a bilingual portal on 7 March, 2016.

• It is an initiative for meeting aspirations and needs of women.

• This is a unique direct online marketing platform. It leverages technology for supporting women entrepreneurs, SHGs and NGOs.

• This helps women in  showcasing the products  and services which are made, manufactured and undertaken by them.