Top 12 Government Schemes for Women

Women have a significant role in Indian society. Also, they are the most vulnerable section of India. In a patriarchal society, girls and women have experienced discrimination for centuries. It has been gradually changing, and there is a greater understanding of the need to treat girls equally and give them similar opportunities in society. 

Women's empowerment is the advancement of women and their acceptance and participation in decision-making. Also, it entails granting them equal opportunity for advancement and development in society and eliminating gender bias. 

On November 19, 2019, Facebook and the Ministry for Women and Child Development teamed to improve digital literacy and online safety for women and children in India. "We Think Digital" is the name of the Global Literacy Program's campaign.

The Government of India has launched a number of programmes over the past few years that are aimed specifically towards women with the intention of ensuring their economic security and granting them the social respect they deserve. The Government has stepped up to bring equality at every level, empower women, and improve child education as gender disparity has always existed in Indian society. These are a few of the most popular plans:

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme:

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Program, introduced on January 22, 2015, by the Prime Minister of India in Haryana, ensures the survival, protection, and education of girl children. The programme intends to address issues related to the recent decline in the gender ratio, raise public awareness, and improve the effectiveness of welfare services developed for girls.

         Every single citizen of the nation is eligible for the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme. But, this plan is broken down into 3 groups to achieve maximum reach. They include:

• First Group (young and married couples, pregnant mothers and parents) 

• Second-Level Groups (the youth of India, adolescents, in-laws, doctors, private hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic centres) 

• Third-Level Groups (general people of the country, religious leaders, voluntary organisations, frontline workers, officials, media and women SHGs Sector)

One Stop Centre Scheme:

The One Stop Centre Scheme is a federally sponsored programme that receives funding from the Nirbhaya fund. State governments get all federal funding necessary to protect women from gender-based violence, including as acid assaults, rape, and sexual harassment, in both public and private settings. This programme combines non-emergency, legal aid, and emergency (medical) services under one roof to combat all types of violence against women. The One Stop Centre Plan provides benefits to all women who have experienced violence, regardless of their class, caste, geography, religion, marital status, or sexual orientation.

Working Women Hostel: 

The government of India has launched the "Working Women Hostel Scheme" to support safe housing and environments for working women and provide daycare facilities for their kids. The government offers grant-in-aid through this women's empowerment programme for the construction of new hostel buildings and the enlargement of an existing building in rented space.

Beneficiaries of Scheme:

• Working Women (single, widowed, married, divorced, separated). 

• Working women from underprivileged social groups are given special preference under this programme. 

• The guidelines of the scheme also provide for the reservation of seats for programme participants with physical disabilities.

Women Helpline Scheme:

One of the government's programmes for women's empowerment, the Women Helpline Program, aims to provide women who have experienced abuse in either public or private spaces with round-the-clock emergency assistance. By the use of a single toll-free number (181) that offers women across the country quick support, women's helplines have been made universally accessible in all States and Union Territories. Also, this initiative raises awareness of programmes and schemes for women's empowerment.

UJJAWALA:

The Ujjawala scheme was introduced in 2007 in an effort to stop the trafficking of women and children. The plan's goals are to stop, save, rehabilitate, reintegrate, and repatriate those who have been trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation.

             The organised crime of trafficking women and children for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation violates fundamental human rights. Lack of a safe environment, women's low status, and poverty are a few factors contributing to trafficking. A comprehensive programme called Ujjawala was introduced by the government to combat illicit trafficking as well as to rescue, rehabilitate, and integrate those who had been trafficked for sexual exploitation.

Objectives:

• To eliminate the sexual exploitation of children and women for commercial gain. 

• To make it easier to remove victims from the scene of their exploitation and to place them in custody where they will be secure. 

• To provide rehabilitation services with both immediate and long-term to the victims by giving essential amenities/needs such as shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment including counselling, legal advice and guidance, and vocational training

Mahila-E-Haat:

A programme called Mahila E-Haat was started by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It is one of the women's empowerment programmes in India that gives female entrepreneurs the chance to use technology and showcase their products (produced, manufactured, and sold) on an online platform. 

            Women entrepreneurs can promote their products with descriptions and images using just cellphone and internet connections. Here, buyers can contact sellers through phone, in person, email, or any other method. Clothing, accessories for fashion, pottery, boxes, items for the home, toys, and many other things could be on the list of products. Through an online portal, this effort helps the "Made in India" campaign.

Objectives:

• Encouraging women to pursue online entrepreneurship. 

• To inform women about many facets of online selling and aid them in starting their business.

Sakhi Niwas:

Under the Sakhi Program, facilities have been established that provide a range of integrated services under one roof, including temporary housing, legal counsel, and medical care. 

In addition, they offer the necessary assistance to women who are the victims of financial, emotional, psychological, and other forms of abuse. This is done regardless of age, class, caste, level of education, marital status, race, or culture. Any woman in need of assistance, or someone acting on her behalf, can contact the Sakhi Centre around-the-clock by calling the women's toll-free helpline number 181.

SWADHAR Greh:

One of the government's programmes in India to empower women, SWADHAR Greh, strives to offer social, economic, and health security as well as housing, food, and clothing. This programme gives women legal support and empowers them to take the initiative to reintegrate into society.

Beneficiaries of Scheme:

• Women who have been abandoned and are not supported financially or socially. 

• Homeless women (who survived natural calamity but do not have economic support) 

• Women prisoners (released but do not have a family)

• Rescued or released prostitutes with trafficked women or girls 

• AIDS and HIV infected women

Mahila Shakti Kendras (MSK):

Mahila Shakti Kendra is another well-liked women's empowerment programme in India. It intends to offer women convergent support services at one location so they can grow their talents, find work, and improve their digital literacy. This programme is active on a number of levels, including the federal, state, and local. By constructing 920 Mahila Shakti Kendras, the government hopes to reach the 115 most underdeveloped and backward districts.

Objectives:

• To create an environment where women can access quality healthcare, education, jobs, counselling, etc. 

• To make these possibilities available nationwide at the block and district levels.

STEP (Support to Training and Employment Program for Women):

STEP (Support to Training and Employment Program for Women) is one of India's most successful women's empowerment programmes. It was designed to give women employment security and training in skill development. This government-sponsored programme provides institutions and organisations with grants so they can run the training programme. Marginalised (with a focus on SC/ST households, women-headed households, and families living in poverty), asset-less rural women, and the poor in the cities are the beneficiaries of this scheme.

Annapurna Scheme: 

Annapurna Yojana is one of the central government loan schemes meant for women. The Indian government provides loans up to Rs. 50,000 for women-owned food catering firms under this programme. The borrowed money could be used to cover working capital needs, such as buying kitchenware, a mixer/cumulative grinder, a hot case, tiffin boxes, etc. The lender is exempt from making the first month's EMI payment after the loan is approved. The money must be paid back in 36 monthly instalments once it has been approved. Based on the market rate and the relevant bank, the interest rate charged is decided.

Mahila Police Volunteers:

The Mahila Police Volunteers programme was introduced by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and Home Affairs in all States and Union Territories. In order to ensure police outreach on crime cases, this central government-sponsored programme strives to establish a connection between police authority and local communities. This programme encourages women to join the police force and seeks to provide a safe, positive environment for women.

Objectives:

• To fight crime against women, an MPV will act as a public-police interface. 

• The main responsibility of MPVs is to report instances of violence against women, including dowry harassment, domestic abuse, child marriage, and assault against women in public places.