New Delhi, Oct 28 (ANI): The Centre has urged the State Governments to expedite and effectively implement Economic and Social Empowerment Schemes for the Women.

Inaugurating the State Ministers’ meet to review women and child development programmes here today, Union Minister for Women Child Development Krishna Tirath said: “Important legislations on women should be closely monitored and efforts should be made for improvement in the schemes, if required.”

“Women and children issues are being given top priority by the Government. Several programmes for women are being implemented to address their varied needs, schemes to provide skill development for income generation, micro-credit and awareness generation and child protection is on the top of the agenda of the Government,” she added.

Highlighting the role of women in society, she said that protection of women from domestic violence is very important to ensure her contribution to the progress of the nation.

“The Prevention from Domestic Violence Act should be implemented with the same intention and spirit in which it was enacted,” she said.

Expressing concern over declining female sex ratio, she said it is leading to imbalance feature. Hence there is need for strict and effective implementation of the PNDT Act.

“The high rate of infant mortality in the country needs to be attended with top most priority and practices for safe delivery and medical care of infants should be promoted,” she added.

Stressing the need of nutrition support for the children, the Minister said that the Ministry is in the process of launching new schemes like the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and the Conditional Maternity benefit Scheme for women.

The schemes are named as ‘Sabla’ and ‘Indira Gandhi Matratava Sehyog Yojana’ respectively.She also said that efforts are being made to reach rural women through Swayamsiddha and Rashtriya Mahila Kosh.

Urging States to expedite universalisation of the ‘Integrated Child Development Services’ (ICDS), she said the Centre has expanded the scheme by bringing the number of Anganwadis to 14 lakhs with enhanced budget, increased honoraria for Anganwadi workers and improved financial norms. (ANI)