Mission Shakti

In News

• Recently, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has issued detailed guidelines for the ‘Mission Shakti’ scheme.

Mission Shakti

• About:
  • It is an integrated women empowerment programme as an umbrella scheme for the safety, security and empowerment of women for implementation during the 15th  Finance Commission period 202l-22 to 2025-26. 
  • The norms of ‘Mission Shakti’ will be applicable with effect from 01.04.2022.
• Aim & Objectives: 
  • Strengthening interventions for women’s safety, security and empowerment. 
  • Realise the Government’s commitment to “women-led development? by addressing issues affecting women on a life-cycle continuum basis and by making them equal partners in nation-building through convergence and citizen-ownership.
  • Make women economically empowered, exercising free choice over their minds and bodies in an atmosphere free from violence and threat. 
  • Reduce the care burden on women and increase female labour force participation by promoting skill development, capacity building, financial literacy, access to microcredit etc.
  • Making people aware about Government schemes and programmes as well as legal provisions to fight social evils like dowry, domestic violence, Sexual Harassment at Workplace and to promote gender equality etc.
  • Create awareness among masses for inducing positive behavioural change towards women and girls.
  • To prevent gender-biased sex selective elimination; to ensure survival, protection, education and development of the girl child. 
• Components:
  • Sambal: 
    • Sambal is for the safety and security of women.
    • The components of ‘Sambal’ sub-scheme consist of erstwhile schemes of One Stop Centre (OSC), Women Helpline (WHL), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) with a new component of Nari Adalats – women’s collectives to promote and facilitate alternative dispute resolution and gender justice in society and within families.

• Samarthya:
  • It is for the empowerment of women. 
  • The components of ‘Samarthya’ sub-scheme consist of erstwhile schemes of Ujjwala, Swadhar Greh and Working Women Hostel have been included with modifications. 
    • In addition, the existing schemes of National Creche Scheme for children of working mothers and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) under umbrella ICDS have now been included in Samarthya. 
    • A new component of Gap Funding for Economic Empowerment has also been added in the Samarthya Scheme.

Image Courtesy: AIR Twitter 

Services and Activities Involved

• The scheme will provide financial support for service delivery and for hiring of technical/ other required manpower for the initiatives for immediate and long-term care and support to the targeted women. The services include:
• Emergency/ Immediate services & short-term care: Putting in place mechanisms for providing a continuum of support and care for women affected by violence and women in distress through dedicated 24 hours helpline by a national toll-free number and integrated services such as temporary shelter, legal aid, psycho-social counselling, medical assistance, police facilitation and link them with existing services etc. through One Stop Centres.
• Institutional Care for long term support: The long-term institutional care component, inter alia, includes taking care of the needs of women right from the conception stage till the time they need such care and support because of their physical, financial and sociological status due to various factors. 
  • The support system, inter-alia, includes financial support through direct benefit transfer (DBT) route, shelter, food, rescue & rehabilitation services, counselling, functional literacy, vocational training for skill development, entrepreneurship and linkages with various other support and referral services to destitute, distressed, marginalised, victims of violence, and working women or those who do not have anyone to take care through Shakti Sadan, a home for destitute, distressed, marginalised, victims of trafficking 9 etc. to provide care and support and all the daily needs and services. 
  • SakhiNiwas or Working Women Hostel will provide a safe and secure place for the working women away from their native place/ homes with all functional facilities like accommodation, food, day-care facility for their children, wherever possible, in urban, semi-urban, or even rural areas where employment opportunities for women exist on nominal cost basis.
  • The Palna or National Creche component will provide a safe and secure place for the children of working mothers in the age group of 6 months to 6 years for 71/2 hours a day. 
  • Financial support for pregnant and lactating mothers is to improve the health and nutrition for mother and child as well as for partial compensation of wage loss, if any.
• Behaviour Change Communication for dignity and prevention of crime and violence against women: 
  • This would include large-scale awareness programs and community engagement for gender sensitisation, advocacy, training and capacity building of all duty bearers, service providers and stakeholders through inter-ministerial convergence.
  • In addition, engaging with men and boys would be done to partner for countering VAW and Gender stereotypes that will include Inter-sectoral consultation, Media Campaign, Training & Capacity building/ sensitization programme, Innovation, Outreach and advocacy, IEC material/awareness kit etc. 

Source: PIB