With Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar making news for rising to what is seen as the pinnacle of beauty and brains, given her Haryana background, Beti Bachao Beti Patadho and women empowerment are the catchphrases of the season. More specifically, the empowerment of women from rural India.
The Union cabinet has sanctioned a Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra with the aim to empower rural women through community participation to create an environment in which they realise their full potential.
Chhillar participated in all kinds of activities—from dance to sports to debates to drama as a school girl. She knew what she wanted—whether it was to pursue medicine as a career or train for a shot at beauty pageants. She started small—winning the college beauty crown, the next was Ms Haryana crown and later she went on to bag Miss World 2017.
She may not have, in less than a week of her victory, motivated the government to do this, but a good, timely, living face to a scheme always helps the government, particularly in projects and programmes that aim at addressing people in rural India.
The cabinet also approved the extension of schemes of ministry of women and child development under the umbrella of 'Mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women' for one more year. They were to expire in 2018, but have now got one more year of life.
To provide comprehensive support to women affected by violence, One Stop Centres (OSCs) will be established in 150 additional districts during the period. These OSCs will be linked with women helpline and will provide 24 hour emergency and non-emergency response to women affected by violence both in public and private space across the country. A unique initiative involving engagement of Mahila Police Volunteers (MPVs) on a voluntary basis will also be done to create public-police interface, which will be expanded to 65 districts covering all states and union territories.
In Mumbai, Maharashtra Finance and Planning Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has promised to set up a gender budgeting cell. He expects this cell to coordinate between various departments for effective implementation of schemes of the WCD ministry.
Funds and efforts that go towards women empowerment end up going into a bottomless pit, and results are hard to see. However, that has not deterred the government. The new women empowerment scheme for rural India comes with a financial outlay of Rs.3,636.85 crore. The Centre will chip in Rs.3,084.96 crore.
Colleges will be at the heart of the new scheme, with government intending to engage the community through student volunteers, initially in 115 most backward districts. Student volunteers will work towards awareness generation, focusing on government schemes/programmes as well as social issues.
A government press release said more than three lakh student volunteers from local colleges will be engaged in this process, while association with NSS/NCC cadre students will also be an option for contributing to nation building as responsible citizens.
“This will provide an opportunity to student volunteers to participate in the development process by bringing change in their own communities and ensuring that women are not left behind and are equal partners in India's progress.”
The approved sub-schemes are social sector welfare schemes especially for care, protection and development of women. Chronic gender -adverse issues like declining child sex ratio, child morbidity and mortality, education and protection of the girl child are all the larger goals.
Essentially, the scheme will provide an interface for rural women to approach the government for availing their entitlements and for empowering them through training and capacity building. Student volunteers will encourage the spirit of voluntary community service and gender equality.
Expansion under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao has also been approved based on the successful implementation in 161 districts.
For once, mind appears to have been applied to the crucial issue of monitoring such a scheme. Technology will be used to monitor the outcome based activities of student volunteers who will be awarded certificates for community service. These certificates will be uploaded on the national portal for verification for a future college admission process or for a prospective employer.
The government intends to monitor the sub-schemes under this umbrella through a common task force that will oversee convergence and cost efficiency. The NITI Aayog will provide inputs towards monitoring the outcome based indicators.
