Thaindian News

New Delhi, Feb.28 (ANI): The Centre on Saturdayasked the State governments to effectively implement the Womens Empowerment Policy to ensure gender equality, enhance participation, protection from domestic violence and their economic and social empowerment.

Union Minister for Child and Women welfare Renuka Chowdhary here asked the States to take advantage of the schemes to promote welfare and protection of women in the society.

Addressing a meeting of the State Ministers in charge of women and Child Development, Renuka said that the government recently introduced amendment in various legislations for the empowerment of women including Child Marriage Act and Protection from Domestic Violence besides launching of schemes like gender budgeting, micro financing and Swadhar Homes for Women in distress.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhary said that the Centre has decided to universalize the scheme to cover each and every block of the country with an enhanced budget, increase honoraria for Anganwadi Workers and improve norms and also urged the States to take an expansion of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) in a mission mode.

Renuka also asked the States to forward new proposals for setting up of hostels for working women, Swadhar Homes for women in stress and creches.

Emphasizing on strict monitoring to check the incidence of female foeticide, child marriage and trafficking of women, Renuka said the Centre has recently announced two important schemes Dhanlaxmi and Priyadarshani. Both the schemes will help in the economic empowerment of girl child.

Ujjawala, a scheme has been launched to rehabilitate traffic victims. But the success of the schemes will depend on the efforts of being made by the State Government towards the implementation of the schemes.

States were asked to appoint protection Officers without delay for the effective implementation of Protection from Domestic Violence Act and child marriage act and to take up construction of pucca building for Anganwadi

Organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the conference was attended by the Ministers from the States in charge of the Women and Child Affairs, the representatives of the National Commission for Women, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, National Institute for Public Cooperation and Child Development, Central Social Welfare Board and Central Adoption Resource Agency and Rashtriya Mahila Kosh.

Also, on the occasion National Awards were presented to 74 Anganwadi workers for their exemplary contribution under Integrated Child Development Services. Each of the recipients was given Rs.15,000 and a citation.

Besides, the Stree Shakti Puraskars were also presented to five selected individuals who contributed for the cause of development, welfare and empowerment of women. Each was given Rs. 300,000 and a citation. (ANI)