Lucknow, 14 April (HS) : The UP government’s six-month long women empowerment programme ‘Mission Shakti’ was launched at the beginning of Sharadiya Navratri to ensure safety, dignity and self-reliance of women in the state. With the campaign lasting Chaitra Navratri, crores of people from the urban and rural part of the state, became part of this campaign. Women who could not speak out in front of people are now making a mark for themselves.
Till the completion of six months of the Mission Shakti campaign, various programmes were organised at the urban and rural level by the Department of Women Welfare in the state, spreading the spirit of respect, security and self-reliance, said a spokesperson of the state government here. Working towards women empowerment, the Yogi government added countless new beneficiaries under several golden schemes operating in the state, he said.
The spokesperson said that a substantial number of girls and women in the state today, are getting benefitted from visionary schemes of the Yogi-led government like Kanya Sumangala Yojana, Chief Minister’s Samuhik Vivah Yojana, Banking Correspondent Sakhi (BC Sakhi), Informer Scheme, Destitute Women Pension Scheme, Anti Romeo Squad, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and School Chalo Abhiyan. The state government has executed these schemes with an aim to provide a bright future and security to the daughters of the state.
Open interaction of 1,18,756 women & daughters with DM
He said that under the Mission Shakti, DMs used to have interactions with women regarding incidents of domestic violence, dowry, sexual harassment of women at the workplace. At the state level, events like ‘Shakti Samvad’ and ‘Haq ki baat jiladhikari ke sath’ involved the participation of 1,18,756 women and daughters of the state to speak up their mind without any hesitation. These women were given guidance about legal remedies available for them.
The spokesperson said that in the month of February, 3,742 youths and women from different districts of the state were linked with the mainstream of employment under the Mission Shakti Abhiyan by the Department of Women Welfare. To boost the morale of daughters in the state, a school education program was organized. Under this, 23,220 girls were counselled last month. In the month of January, around 1380 meritorious girls of the state have been honoured with a cash prize of Rs 65 lakhs and 6,123 gender champions of the state received a cash prize amounting to Rs 3.5 lakhs so far.
Over 1.85 lakh new beneficiaries of destitute women pension scheme
He said that working for the all-round development of women, focusing on their security, education, self-reliance, respect and health, this section of society is being encouraged by the schemes of the Yogi Government, Since the commencement of the Mission Shakti Abhiyan. 1.85 lakh new beneficiaries were added to the Destitute Women Pension Scheme till the International Women’s Day. Today, women are leading the way in rural and urban areas of the state, he added.
After the death of their husband, around 27.95 lakh women of the state have been paid under the destitute women pension scheme. In fact, the government has also abolished the age limit for destitute women pension scheme. The objective of the scheme is socio-economic empowerment of the widows in the state, he said.