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Economy

Women Welfare: From Beti Bachao to Financial Empowerment

Welfare Schemes: SC/ST, Backward Classes, Minorities, Disabled, Women, Children, Elderly

Paper I · Unit 2 Section 6 of 17 0 PYQs 50 min

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Women Welfare: From Beti Bachao to Financial Empowerment

Constitutional and Legal Framework

  • Article 15(3) — Permits special provisions for women and children; basis for women-specific affirmative action
  • Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 — Civil law providing protection orders, residence orders, and monetary relief
  • Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 — Mandates Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in organizations with 10+ employees
  • Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act 2017 — Extended maternity leave to 26 weeks (from 12 weeks) for establishments with 10+ employees

Central Women Welfare Schemes in Rajasthan

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP):

  • Launched January 22, 2015 by PM Modi from Panipat (Haryana)
  • Original 100 districts with low Child Sex Ratio (CSR); expanded to all 640 districts by 2020
  • Rajasthan CSR at birth improved from 888 (2012) to 911 (2019-21, NFHS-5); remains below national average of 929
  • Nodal ministries: Women and Child Development, Health, Education
  • Key interventions: mass media campaigns, community mobilization, incentive schemes for girls' education

One Stop Centre (OSC) / Sakhi Centre:

  • 24x7 integrated support for women facing violence — shelter, police assistance, legal aid, medical services, counselling
  • 733 OSCs operational nationally (target: one per district); Rajasthan operates OSCs in each district

Mission Shakti:

  • Central umbrella mission since 2021 consolidating women safety and empowerment schemes
  • Two sub-missions: Sambal (protection) and Samarthya (empowerment)
  • Sambal includes: One Stop Centre, Women Helpline (181), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Nari Adalat
  • Samarthya includes: Ujjwala (rescue/rehabilitation), Swadhar Greh (shelter for homeless women), Mahila Shakti Kendra (rural women), Working Women Hostel

PM POSHAN (formerly Mid-Day Meal Scheme):

  • Free cooked meals to all children in Classes 1–8 in government and government-aided schools
  • Rajasthan: 10.22 lakh students benefited annually (pre-2024 data)
  • Reduces classroom hunger and female student dropout

Rajasthan-Specific Women Schemes

Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana:

  • Launched: June 2016
  • Beneficiary: Every girl born on/after June 1, 2016 in a government/Rajasthan State Health Insurance Scheme empanelled hospital
  • Total benefit: ₹50,000 across 6 instalments:
    • ₹2,500 at birth (hospital discharge)
    • ₹2,500 at age 1 (after vaccination)
    • ₹4,000 on Class 1 admission
    • ₹5,000 on Class 6 admission
    • ₹11,000 on Class 10 admission
    • ₹25,000 on Class 12 pass
  • Condition: girl must be studying in government school from Class 6 onwards
  • Objective: combat female foeticide and ensure school retention through Class 12

Lado Protsahan Yojana:

  • Launched: 1 August 2024 (current Bhajanlal Sharma government)
  • Total benefit: ₹1,50,000 in 7 instalments:
    • ₹5,000 at birth | ₹5,000 at age 1 | ₹10,000 Class 1 | ₹15,000 Class 6 | ₹20,000 Class 10 | ₹25,000 Class 12 | ₹70,000 at age 21 (on graduation)
  • Eligibility: Girls born in Rajasthan government/approved hospitals; EWS families
  • Administered through PCTS (Pregnancy Child Tracking System) portal
  • Achievement: ₹7.50 crore disbursed to 30,000 girls on Rajasthan Diwas (30 March 2025)

Note: Lado Protsahan Yojana (2024) complements but does not replace Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana (2016); Rajshri remains operational.

Mukhyamantri Nari Shakti Udyam Protsahan Yojana (MNSUPY):

  • Loans up to ₹50 lakh for individual women entrepreneurs; up to ₹1 crore for SHG clusters/federations (enhanced in Budget 2026-27)
  • Subsidy: 25% of loan amount; 30% for SC/ST/OBC/Divyang women
  • Extended till FY 2028-29; ₹150 crore already sanctioned through 1,186 applications
  • Complemented by ₹100 crore Rural Women BPO initiative; Raj Sakhi Stores at divisional headquarters for SHG product marketing
  • Lakhpati Didi ceiling raised to ₹1.5 lakh

Gargi Puraskar and Balika Protsahan:

  • Gargi Award: 1,87,612 girls awarded cash prizes for scoring 75%+ in Class 10 Board examination (Source: Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26)
  • Balika Protsahan: 1,52,316 girls benefited (Source: Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26)

Indira Gandhi Matritva Poshan Yojana (IGMPY):

  • Rajasthan-specific maternity benefit scheme providing ₹6,000 in 5 instalments for second-born child
  • Complements the national Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), which provides ₹5,000 for the first child

Rajasthan Diwas 2025 Women Package (30 March 2025):

CM Bhajanlal Sharma transferred ₹375 crore to women's accounts covering:

  • Lado Protsahan Yojana: ₹7.50 crore to 30,000 girls
  • Women's SHG Funding: ₹100 crore
  • Kali Bai Bhil Scooty: 5,000 girl students
  • LPG subsidy: ₹200 crore to 1.10 crore families
  • Gargi Award: ₹13.16 crore to 31,790 girls

RSRTC Concessions for Women:

  • Women's fare concession increased from 30% to 50% on Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation buses
  • Free travel on special occasions: 6,04,338 women on Women's Day; 7,47,976 on Raksha Bandhan (Source: Rajasthan Economic Review 2025-26)