**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing three major Centrally Sponsored Schemes—Mission Shakti, Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0, and Mission Vatsalya—to promote the welfare, safety, and nutrition of women and children. As reported in March 2026, these initiatives focus on inter-ministerial convergence and the bridging of information gaps through a single-window monitoring system. Key goals include enhancing safety, providing maternity benefits, and supporting women in STEM fields through specialized fellowships and training.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Mission Shakti Verticals**
* **Sambal:** A sub-scheme dedicated to the safety and security of women, comprising One Stop Centres (OSCs), Women Helplines (WHL), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP), and Nari Adalat.
* **Samarthya:** A demand-driven sub-scheme for women's empowerment, including Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Shakti Sadan, Sakhi Niwas, Palna, and SANKALP: Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW). Funds are released to States/UTs for implementation.
**Monitoring and Convergence (SANKALP: HEW)**
* **Project Monitoring Unit (PMU):** SANKALP functions as the PMU for all Mission Shakti components, operating at National, State, and District levels.
* **Single Window System:** It acts as a bridge to address knowledge gaps regarding government schemes and guides women in availing benefits and entitlements.
* **Inter-sectoral Mandate:** Aims to create a conducive environment for social change by facilitating convergence between various government departments and ministries.
**STEM Initiatives (WISE-KIRAN Scheme)**
* **Holistic Support:** Implemented by the Department of Science and Technology to provide opportunities in the Science & Technology (S&T) domain.
* **Programmes:** Includes WISE-PhD and WISE-PDF for doctoral/post-doctoral research, WISE-SCOPE for societal challenges, and WIDUSHI for senior women scientists.
* **Vigyan Jyoti:** An initiative to encourage girls in STEM through career counseling, academic classes, tinkering activities, and industry visits.
* **Performance:** Supported approximately 900 women under various WISE-KIRAN programmes during the 2025-2026 financial year.
**Impact Analysis**
**Women**
**Impact**
Women gain improved access to safety mechanisms, maternity benefits, and institutional support for empowerment. Those in the scientific community receive financial and career-continuity support through fellowships and IPR training.
**Action Required**
Women are encouraged to use the SANKALP single-window system to identify and avail themselves of relevant benefits and entitlements.
**Children**
**Impact**
Children benefit from improved nutrition and health indicators under Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0, while Mission Vatsalya provides a framework for protection and welfare in difficult circumstances.
**Action Required**
Eligible beneficiaries should engage with Anganwadi services and local welfare programs.
**States and Union Territories (States/UTs)**
**Impact**
They serve as the primary implementation agencies for demand-driven components of the Samarthya sub-scheme.
**Action Required**
States/UTs must implement scheme components effectively using the funds released by the Central Government and ensure local-level convergence through the SANKALP district hubs.
**Meritorious Girls (STEM)**
**Impact**
Increased exposure to STEM careers and academic support through the Vigyan Jyoti initiative.
**Action Required**
Participate in year-round activities such as counseling, lab visits, and science camps to pursue careers in underrepresented STEM areas.
Key Entities Referenced
Mission Shakti: An umbrella scheme for women's safety, security, and empowerment, comprising the sub-schemes 'Sambal' and 'Samarthya'.
Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0: A centrally sponsored scheme focused on improving nutrition and health indicators for women and children across India.
Mission Vatsalya: A major scheme dedicated to the protection and welfare of children, particularly those in difficult circumstances.
SANKALP: Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW): A Project Monitoring Unit and single-window system designed to bridge information gaps and facilitate the convergence of women-centric schemes at national, state, and district levels.
WISE-KIRAN: A holistic scheme implemented by the Department of Science and Technology to provide opportunities and support for women in the Science & Technology domain.
Ministry of Women and Child Development
Ministry of Women and Child Development
implementing Centrally Sponsored Schemes in
the country for the welfare of women and
children
Posted On: 18 MAR 2026 3:28PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing Centrally Sponsored Schemes in the
country for the welfare of women and children, which are placed under three verticals, viz. (1) Mission
Shakti, for safety, protection and empowerment of women; (2) Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 for
improving nutrition & health indicators of women and children in the country; and (3) Mission Vatsalya,
for protection and welfare of children in difficult circumstances.
The ‘Mission Shakti’ aims at strengthening interventions for women's safety, security and empowerment.
It seeks to focus on proposing strategies for improving convergence across Ministries/ Departments and at
different levels of governance. Mission Shakti comprises of two sub-schemes ‘Sambal’ and ‘Samarthya’
for safety and security of women and empowerment of women respectively.
The “Sambal” sub-scheme is for safety and security of women. It has the components of One Stop
Centres (OSCs), Women Helpline (WHL), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) and Nari Adalat.
The “Samarthya” sub scheme is for empowerment of women. It has the components of Pradhan Mantri
Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Shakti Sadan, Sakhi Niwas, Palna and SANKALP: Hub for
Empowerment of Women (HEW). It is a demand driven Centrally Sponsored sub scheme, under which
funds are released to the States/UTs for implementation of various components.
Further, SANKALP: HEW (Hub for Empowerment of Women) functions as a Project Monitoring Unit
(PMU) for all components of Mission Shakti. It serves as a single window system to bridge the
information and knowledge gap regarding schemes and facilities available for women as well as guide
them to avail the benefits and entitlements.
Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW) known as SANKALP: HEW (Supportive Action for Nurturing
and Knowledge-Based Advancement, Last-Mile Delivery and Potential Realization of Women : Hub for
Empowerment of Women), set up at National, State and District levels for empowerment of women with
aims to facilitate inter-sectoral convergence of schemes and programs meant for women at Central, State/
UT and district levels with the mandate to create an environment in which women realize their full
potential to address gaps in state action for women and for promoting inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral
convergence through strengthening the processes that promote holistic empowerment of women by
creating an environment conducive to social change by improving access and utilization of government
schemes.
The Department of Science and Technology is also implementing a holistic scheme ‘Women in Science
and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)’ in the country to provide various opportunities to women in
the Science & Technology (S&T) domain through various programmes viz. WISE Fellowship for Ph.D.(WISE-PhD) to pursue doctoral research in basic and applied sciences; WISE-Post Doctoral Fellowship
(WISE-PDF) for post-doctoral research in basic and applied sciences; WISE-SCOPE to address societal
challenges through S&T interventions and WIDUSHI to support senior women scientists continue their
scientific career. Another programme, ‘WISE Internship in IPR (WISE-IPR)’ provides training in the field
of Intellectual Property Rights. A unique initiative ‘Vigyan Jyoti’ aims to encourage meritorious girls to
pursue a career in underrepresented areas of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)
through various year-round activities viz. parent-student counselling, career counselling, special academic
classes, tinkering activities, role model interactions, lab/industry visits, science camps, etc.
During the financial year 2025-2026, around 900 women have been supported under various programmes
of WISE-KIRAN.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri
Thakur in Rajya Sabha in reply to a question today.
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SS
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