The Government of India is implementing Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme which was approved in November 2017 as a centrally sponsored scheme, to empower rural women through community participation.
KRC TIMES Desk
The Government of India is implementing Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme which was approved in November 2017 as a centrally sponsored scheme, for implementation during the financial year 2019-20, to empower rural women through community participation.
The scheme envisages community engagement through college students volunteering in 115 aspirational districts as a part of block-level initiatives. The capacity building of women collectives in not more than 50% of the blocks in the aspirational districts.
District Level Centre for Women (DLCW) in 640 districts to facilitate women-centric schemes and to provide a foothold for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme is to be initiated. State Resource Centre for Women to extend support to the respective government in the implementation of women-centric schemes and programs including BBBP.
Student volunteers will play an instrumental role in awareness generation regarding various important government schemes and programmes as well as social issues. They will cater to awareness about government schemes, programs, training, and capacity building for rural women and help in bridging information and knowledge gap regarding schemes and facilities available for them.
As on date, administrative approval for implementing the scheme has been given in 31 States and Union Territories. State Resource Centre for Women (SRCW) and District Level Centre for Women (DLCW) are functional in 26 States and Union Territories and 124 districts respectively.
Student volunteers have been identified by nine states for creating awareness. District level activities were approved for 220 districts in Phase-I 2017-18. 220 districts in Phase-II, 2018-19 and remaining 200 districts in Phase-III, 2019-20.
Further, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has been undertaking capacity building programmes for Elected Women Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions with an objective of empowering them to serve as a catalyst for social change with awareness on women’s rights within the country.
This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 12th July 2019
