Maha: 3 pc of DPC funds to be used for women and child welfare schemes

For this, land will be made available through the collectorate in every district for construction of Mahila and Bal Vikas Bhawan, the minister said.Thakur said funds required for construction of these bhawans will be transferred directly to the Public Works Department through the DPCs.To ensure empowerment of women and children, Mahila and Bal Vikas Bhawans will be constructed at the district level.

The Maharashtra government has decided to allott 3 per cent of total funds earmarked to District Planning Committees (DPCs) for implementation of women and child welfare schemes, state minister Yashomati Thakur said on Wednesday.

These welfare schemes in Maharashtra will now receive funds to the tune of Rs 468 crore from DPCs, the women and child development minister said.

A decision to this effect was taken by the state cabinet at its weekly meeting here, Thakur said.

Talking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, she said 3 per cent of funds under the district annual plan will be henceforth earmarked for empowerment of women and children in every district.

As a result of this decision, out of an allocation of Rs 15,622 crore made by the state government to the DPCs, nearly Rs 468 crore will be made available for various schemes to be implemented for women and child development, Thakur said.

The government has decided to bring various district-level offices of the women and child development department under one roof. For this, land will be made available through the collectorate in every district for construction of Mahila and Bal Vikas Bhawan, the minister said.

Thakur said funds required for construction of these bhawans will be transferred directly to the Public Works Department through the DPCs.

''To ensure empowerment of women and children, Mahila and Bal Vikas Bhawans will be constructed at the district level. This scheme will also include building government-run beggars' homes, maintenance of such existing shelters and creation of facilities for rehabilitation of construction workers and devdasis,'' the minister said.

Similarly, from the 3 per cent permanent funding received from the DPCs, construction and maintenance of government inspection homes, girls' hostels and state-run shelters, including those for women, will be undertaken, she said.

Thakur said for financial empowerment of women, Mahila Bachat Gat Bhawan will work towards strengthening women self-help groups.

''A total of 36 vehicles will be provided to District Women Child Development officers (one in each district). These vehicles will be used to carry goods produced by women self-help groups and those produced by the Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVIM) to the local market,'' Thakur informed.

The Integrated Child Development Scheme will cover various works such as constructing new 'anganwadis' (child care centres), maintaining water and electricity supply, modernisation of kitchens and expansion of anganwadi buildings and their repair, she said.

The state government has decided to implement a three-tier strategy, wherein various welfare schemes targeted at women and children will be undertaken, Thakur said.

Through these schemes, the state government will take care of the homeless, destitute, orphans, women victims of domestic violence and children in need of care, feeding mothers and adolescents, she said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)