Schemes run by the government of India for Women Empowerment that you must know about

                                               By Likita Gowda

We firmly believe that when women are empowered, we can create empowered societies which in turn can create stronger economies. Women face multiple challenges and issues every day and it is more than necessary for governments around the world to not only help tackle those issues but also empower & enable them to lead independent lives. And over the years we have seen governments recognizing these issues and trying to bring about change. Here are some important schemes that the government of India has launched in recent years for the betterment of women’s lives in our country

1.Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala

 yojana

This is a scheme run by the ministry of petroleum & natural gas wherein women in below the poverty line households are provided with free LPG connection. The government provides financial assistance of Rs. 1600 for each LPG connection as well as interest-free loans for the purchase of stoves. This scheme is applicable to women in BPL families living in both urban and rural areas. This is directly uplifting women by safeguarding them from the health hazards of cooking with fossil fuels & also reducing their time spent on cooking.

2. STEP - Support to Training and Employment Program for Women 

Launched under the startup India initiative, STEP is meant to benefit women in the age group of 16 years and above by providing them with skills to not only help make them employable but also to enable them to become self-employed/entrepreneurs. The duration of a particular project will be up to 5 years depending on the nature of the project, the number of beneficiaries undertaken and the kind of activities involved. Under this scheme, help is provided in various sectors like horticulture, agriculture, handicrafts, tailoring, stitching, etc and women are also helped with their soft skills and spoken English for the workplace.

Source:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Save_Girl_Child_-_Beti_Bachao,_Beti_Padhao.jpg 

3. Beti bachao, Beti padhao 

This scheme is one of the most widely known schemes in India with the remarkable campaign the government has done for it during its launch. A joint initiative of the Ministry of women & child development, the Ministry of Health & family welfare and the Ministry of human resource development, this scheme was launched to help eradicate female foeticide. And also educate the girl child to make her self-reliant in the society. It also aims to bridge the gender gap between girl and boy infants by saving the girl child. 

4. Mahila-E-Haat

An initiative of the Ministry of women & child development under Digital India and Startup India initiative, Mahila-E-Haat enables women entrepreneurs, self-help groups and NGOs to use technology to showcase their products and services. This online marketing platform was launched in 2016 and is open to women across the country above the age of 18.

5. Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra

Launched in 2017, this scheme helps empower rural women by providing them with opportunities for employment, skills development, nutrition and health and digital literacy. Rural women can approach the government through the interface provided by the Mahila Shakti kendra to avail their entitlements through training and capacity building.

Source: https://www.pradhanmantriyojana.co.in/working-women-hostel-scheme/

6. Working women hostel

These hostels have been launched with the objective of providing safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women along with daycare facilities for their children in urban, suburban and rural areas. There are around 890 that have been sanctioned wherever employment opportunities for women exist. The rent charged from women should not be more than 7.5 percent of their total gross salary in case of dormitories, 10 percent in case of double bedrooms and 15 percent in case of a single bedroom. These hostels are available for women whose gross salaries don’t exceed Rs. 50000 per month in metropolitan areas and Rs. 35000 per month in any other areas.

7. Sakhi or One Stop Centre Scheme

The One Stop Centre Scheme is popularly known as 'Sakhi'. This was launched in 2015 with the 'Nirbhaya' fund. The main objective of the One Stop Centre Scheme is to provide shelter, police desk, legal, medical and counseling services to the victims of violence in public as well as private spaces. It has been established at various locations throughout the country and also has a 24-hour helpline number 181.

8. Sukanya samriddhi Yojana

This is a wonderful scheme launched in 2015 under the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign to encourage parents to build a fund to help secure their girl child’s future. This is a fixed income investment with a lock-in period of 21 years wherein you can make regular deposits and earn interest on the same. One can also claim tax deductions of up to Rs. 1,50,000 in a year for the contributions made towards the scheme.

9. Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana

Introduced in 2017, the Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana is a maternity benefit scheme implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Under this scheme, pregnant and lactating mothers are provided with a direct cash benefit for the first live birth. The main objective is to partially compensate the women for the loss of income during childbirth and childcare and providing conditions for safe delivery, and good nutrition and feeding practices.

Source: http://pmwelfareschemetn.in/en/kishori-shakti-yojana-ksy/

10. Kishori Shakti Yojana

Another scheme implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Kishori Shakti Yojana is aimed at empowering adolescent girls in the age group of 11 to 18 years. The main objective of the scheme is to make these girls self-reliant by making them aware of health care and hygiene, helping them with their studies and vocation and linking them to opportunities for learning life skills.