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Women: Status, Problems, and Empowerment
4.1 Social Status Indicators
Key data from NFHS-5 (2019–21) and PLFS (2022–23):
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Female literacy rate | 70.3% (vs. male 84.7%) |
| Sex ratio (Census 2011) | 943 females per 1,000 males |
| Sex ratio at birth (NFHS-5) | 929 females per 1,000 male births |
| Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) | 37% (PLFS 2022–23; improved from 23.3% in 2017–18) |
| Women in Parliament (Lok Sabha 2024) | ~15% |
| Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) | 97 per 1,00,000 live births (SRS 2018–20; target: 70 by 2030) |
| Child Marriage (women aged 20–24 married before 18) | 23.3% (NFHS-5) |
| Anaemia among women (15–49 yrs) | 57% (NFHS-5) |
4.2 Major Women-Specific Schemes
| Scheme | Year | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) | 2015 | Addresses sex-selective abortion and girl education; 640 districts; Sukanya Samridhi account |
| PM Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) | 2017 | Rs 6,000 cash incentive for first child's birth; compensation for wage loss |
| Ujjwala Yojana | 2016 | Free LPG cylinders to BPL women; 9.59 crore connections (2023) |
| Mahila Shakti Kendras | 2017 | One-stop centres for rural women; 640 blocks across 115 aspirational districts |
| Mission Shakti (Ministry of WCD) | 2021 | Umbrella scheme: Sambal (safety/security) + Samarthya (empowerment); replaces 8 older schemes |
| Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam | 2023 | 33% reservation in Lok Sabha and Assemblies; implemented post-delimitation |
| PM Jan Dhan Yojana | 2014 | 56% accounts held by women; financial inclusion |
| SHG (Self Help Groups) — DAY-NRLM | 2011 | 9.07 crore women in 81.08 lakh SHGs (2024); Rs 7.88 lakh crore bank linkage |
4.3 Rajasthan-Specific Women's Initiatives
- Rajasthan Sampark Portal / Bhamashah Yojana (now PM Jan Dhan linked): Women as head of household for direct benefit transfer
- Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana: Rs 50,000 incentive for girl child education from birth to Class XII
- Devi Ahilyabai Holkar scheme: Scholarships for tribal and SC women
- Indira Gandhi Matritva Poshan Yojana (IGMPY): Rajasthan's own cash transfer for second child birth
- Rajasthan Samajik Suraksha Pension Yojana: Old-age, widow, and disability pensions — 1 crore+ beneficiaries