Parliament Question: Assistance for Construction of Working Women’s Hostels

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3311 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2025 ASSISTANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF WORKING WOMEN’S HOSTELS 3311. SHRI DURAI VAIKO: Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has provided any financial assistance under the Central Scheme of Assistance for Construction/Expansion of Hostel Buildings for Working Women with Day-Care Centre, specifically for Tiruchirapalli and Pudukottai districts in Tamil Nadu; (b) if so, the details of such assistance, including amounts sanctioned, year of approval, implementing agency and current status of construction/renovation in said districts; (c) the number of working women’s hostels currently operational in the said districts alongwith the total bed capacity made available through Central/State funding; (d) whether any additional funds are proposed/planned under future budget allocations to expand safe, affordable lodging with day-care facilities for working women in said districts, if so, the details thereof; and (e) whether the Ministry is approving/expediting such hostels to support women’s employment and welfare in semi-urban and rural regions, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR) (a) to (e): Sakhi Niwas Scheme [Working Women Hostel (WWH)] under the umbrella of Mission Shakti, is a demand driven Centrally Sponsored Scheme where States/UTs assess their requirement as per local needs and proposals are approved by the Programme Approval Board (PAB) after discussion with States/UTs. The Scheme aims to promote availability of safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women and for those women who are pursuing higher education and training, with Day care facility for children in urban, semi-urban and even rural areas where employment opportunity forwomen exist. In this scheme, fund is provided for rental accommodation. Component of new construction has been discontinued. The erstwhile Working Women Hostel (WWH) Scheme was launched in 1972-73 to provide Grant-in-Aid for construction of new/ expansion of existing buildings for providing hostel facilities to working women. It is now known as Sakhi Niwas under Mission Shakti since April, 2022. The available details of functional Sakhi Niwas in Tiruchirapalli and Pudukottai Districts are at Annexure-I. Besides above, Ministry of Finance (MoF), Department of Expenditure (DoE) in August, 2024 has allocated Rs.5,000/- crores to 28 States under Part (X) (Construction of Working Women Hostels) of Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) Scheme for construction of working women hostels. Under this Scheme, Rs.223.00 crore has been allocated to the government of Tamil Nadu. They submitted proposals for construction of hostels in 14 Districts at the total cost of Rs.223.00 crore. The proposals of state government have been approved by DoE and 1st instalment of Rs.147.18 crore has been released by DoE to the State Government during 2024-25. Details of proposals approved under the Scheme are at Annexure-II. *****Annexure-I ANNEXURE WITH REGARD TO REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (E) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3311 FOR ANSWER ON 08.08.2025 REGARDING ASSISTANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF WORKING WOMEN’S HOSTELS ASKED BY SHRI DURAI VAIKO, HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (LS). Details of functional Sakhi Niwas in Tiruchirapalli and Pudukottai Districts District Name of the Name of the Functional Hostels Year of Total Bed S.N Implementing with Address approval Capacity Organisation Young Women's Christian Young Women's 1 Association, Reynold Road, 1977-78 30 Christian Association Cantonment, Trichy-623001 BHEL- Grama Valarchi Panikuzhu, Working Women BHEL- Grama 2 1983-84 100 Hostel, Bhel Township, Trichy- Valarchi Panikuzhu 620014 Holy Cross Hostel-Amaithi Nilaiyam, Bharathi Nagar Extn., Holy Cross Hostel- 3 1983-84 100 Anna Nagar, Allithurai Road, Amaithi Nilaiyam Puthur, Trichy - 620017 Tamilnadu Pengal Nala Sangham, Annai Ashramam Campus, Tamilnadu Pengal 4 Vinobha Nagar, Airport, Trichy - 1985-86 Nala Sangham 72 Tiruchirapalli 620007 Kasthuri Ba Working Women's Kasthuri Ba Working 5 Hostel, 3/2 Wiliams Road, 1985-86 100 Women's Hostel Cantonment, Trichy-620001 St. Mary’s Working Women’s St. Mary’s Working 6 Hostel-TMSSS, Marsingpet Road, 1987-88 Women’s Hostel- 120 Melapudur, Trichy - 620001 TMSSS Ponni-Bharathidasan University, Working Women Hostel, Ponni Ponni-Bharathidasan 7 1987-88 300 Hostel, Bharathidasan University, University Palkalai Perur,Trichy-620024 J.J Educational Health and J.J Educational Charitable Trust, Amma Pettai, 8 2001-02 Health and Charitable 200 Poolangulathupatti Post, Trichy - Trust 620009. Thozhi Trichy Hostel, No.33, Tamil Nadu Working Herber Road, Cantonment, Near Women’s Hostels 9 2020-21 100 Mayor Bungalow, Tiruchirappalli, Corporation Ltd 620001 (TNWWHCL) Pudukottai Thozhi Hostel, T.S.No Tamil Nadu Working 2024-25 Pudukottai 3760, 2nd Melaveethi, Women’s Hostels 10 (State 36 Santhanathapuram, Pudukottai, Corporation Ltd fund) Tamil Nadu, 622001 (TNWWHCL)Annexure-II ANNEXURE WITH REGARD TO REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (E) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3311 FOR ANSWER ON 08.08.2025 REGARDING ASSISTANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF WORKING WOMEN’S HOSTELS ASKED BY SHRI DURAI VAIKO, HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT (LS). Details of hostels approved for construction in the State of Tamil Nadu under SASCI Scheme (Amount Rupees in Crore) Sl. No. District Number of Hostel Number of Beds Amount Approved 1 Chennai (Taramani) 1 450 36.69 2 Chennai (Chepauk) 1 500 42.00 3 Madurai 1 50 5.19 4 Coimbatore 1 200 15.95 5 Kancheepuram 1 200 15.12 6 Erode 1 100 9.64 7 Krishnagiri 1 100 10.86 8 Nagapattinam 1 100 9.98 9 Cuddalore 1 50 5.19 10 Dharmapuri 1 50 5.19 11 Theni 1 50 5.19 12 Sivagangai 1 50 5.19 13 Ranipet 1 50 5.45 14 Krishnagiri 1 1495 51.36 Total 14 3445 223.00 *****