Cabinet nod to women cell to support skills, jobs and health(IE)

Cabinet nod to women cell to support skills, jobs and health(IE)

Context

The move, aimed at bringing gender empowerment under focus ahead of the 2019 elections, will ostensibly help the BJP to justify its promise of SabkaSaath, Sabka Vikas

What has happened?

The Union Cabinet has given approval for setting up of the Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra (PMMSK). The government plans to reach the 115 most backward districts in the country with 920 Mahila Shakti Kendra

What is a Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra?

• It would be a support service for empowering rural women with opportunities for skill development, employment, digital literacy, health and nutrition
• It will aim to improve declining child sex ratio, ensure survival and protection of the girl child, ensuring her education and empowering her to fulfil her potential
• It will provide an interface for rural women to approach the government for getting their entitlements and for empowering them through training and capacity building
• At the national level, the Mahila Shakti Kendra will provide domain-based knowledge support
• At the state level, it will cater to the State Resource Centre for Women that will provide technical support to the respective government on issues related to women
• The district and block level centres, and will provide support to the PMMSK and also give a foothold to BetiBachao, BetiPadhao in 640 district

Student volunteers

• The government plans to involve student volunteers.
• Monitoring of activities: The activities of student volunteers will be monitored through a web-based system and they will provide with certificates for community service, stated a statement released by the government. The Niti Aayog will also be involved in digitally monitoring the scheme.

Financial outlay

The financial outlay during 2017-18 to 2019-20 will be Rs 3,636.85 crore with a central share of nearly Rs 3,084.96 crore