Parliament Question: Women Empowerment Schemes

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1026 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.12.2025 WOMEN EMPOWERMENT SCHEMES 1026. DR. KADIYAM KAVYA: Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state: (a) the details of the women’s empowerment schemes being implemented under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Mahila Shakti Kendra in Warangal, Telangana; (b) the status of anganwadi centres, along with nutrition/early childhood care therein in the said State; (c) the details of the child nutrition programs under the Poshan Abhiyan, including growth monitoring; and (d) the details of the violence prevention measures undertaken including One-Stop Centres/helplines set up in the said State/district? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR) (a): Beti Bachao Beti Padhao helps to address Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and attendant issue of empowerment of girls and women. The scheme tries to create mindset and behavioural changes towards the girl child by informing, influencing, motivating, engaging, and empowering various stakeholders. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme aims to work towards the protection and education of girl child through multi-sectoral interventions encouraging greater spend on activities that have on ground impact, e.g., promotion of sports among girls, awareness about PC-PNDT Act, and skilling of girls etc. BBBP is being implemented in all districts in the State of Telangana, including the district of Warangal. BBBP has transformed from a policy initiative into a national movement by mobilizing various stakeholders, including government agencies, media, civil society, and the public at large. This movement aims not only to address immediate concerns related to sex ratio and gender-based discrimination but also to foster a cultural shift towards valuing the girl child and ensuring her rights and opportunities.The Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) Scheme was approved in November, 2017 as a centrally sponsored scheme to empower rural women through community participation. A third party evaluation study of MSK scheme was conducted by NITI Aayog in 2020. Taking into account the findings of the evaluation and after consultation with States and UTs and stakeholders, the scheme was discontinued with effect from 01.04.2022. However, Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing the Umbrella Scheme named as ‘Mission Shakti’ with effect from 01.04.2022 across the country including the State of Telangana which aims at strengthening interventions for women safety, security and empowerment. The ‘Mission Shakti’ has two verticals ‘Sambal’ for safety and security of women and ‘Samarthya’ for empowerment of women. “Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW)”, a component under Samarthya, sub-scheme of ‘Mission Shakti’ is functioning as a Project Management Unit (PMU) for monitoring and supervisory unit of Mission Shakti Scheme. The HEW centres also engage in widespread outreach and awareness through organising awareness activities, camps, and campaigns to disseminate information related to women centric schemes, programmes, policies and legislations. Under SANKALP: HEW each District has one DHEW and currently, all the 33 district HEWs of the State of Telangana are functional including Warangal district. (b) & (c): Under Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 programme, Anganwadi Services Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyaan and Scheme for Adolescent Girls has been reorganized into 3 primary verticals: (i) Nutrition Support for children below the age of 6 years, Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls (14 -18 years); (ii) Early Childhood Care and Education [3-6 years] and (iii) Anganwadi Infrastructure including modern, upgraded Saksham Anganwadi, for better nutritional delivery to end beneficiaries. Regular monitoring of growth parameters is essential for identifying children who may be malnourished and for making timely interventions. Therefore, Anganwadi centres have been equipped with Growth Monitoring devices like infantometer, stadiometer, weighing scale-infant, weighing scale – Mother & Child. A total of 35,769 Anganwadi Centres are currently running in the State of Telangana. ECCE is one of the six free services provided through Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) located across the country under Anganwadi Services. Early childhood is the most crucial period for the overall development of children. Recognizing the importance of this crucial period, the Early Childhood Care and Education component covers provision for pre-school learning material for cognitive, emotional, social and intellectual development of the child; development of muscular coordination and basic motor skills; aesthetic appreciation, independence and creativity; good healthy habits.Under Mission Poshan 2.0, a new strategy has been made for reduction in malnutrition and for improved health, wellness and immunity through activities like community engagement, outreach, behavioral change, and advocacy. It focuses on Maternal Nutrition, Infant and Young Child Feeding Norms, treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM)/ Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and wellness through AYUSH practices to reduce prevalence of wasting, stunting, anaemia and being underweight. Supplementary Nutrition in the form of Hot Cooked Meal and Take-Home Ration is provided to Children (6 months to 6 years), Pregnant Women, Lactating Mothers and Adolescent Girls registered in Anganwadi centres to beat the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition by adopting a life cycle approach. . (d): The One Stop Centre (OSC) is a component of the Sambal vertical under the Mission Shakti. It provides integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence and those in distress, both in private and public spaces. It provides services like medical aid, legal aid and advice, temporary shelter, police assistance and psycho-social counselling to needy women. As on date, out of approved 1025 One Stop Centres (OSCs) in each district across the country, 864 OSCs are operational across the county. As on date, 36 OSCs have been approved in the State of Telangana and all are functional. Over 12.67 lakh women have been assisted since inception, i.e. 1st April, 2015 up to 30th September, 2025 including 77,858 women in the State of Telangana. Women Helpline (WHL): Women Helpline (WHL) is also a vertical under the Mission Shakti. WHL aims to provide 24X7 emergency and non-emergency response through telephonic short-code 181 to women, by integrating it with Emergency Response Support System ERSS-112, One Stop Centres and Child Helpline 1098. Presently, WHL is functional in 35 States and UTs and over 93.48 lakh women have been assisted since inception, i.e. 1st April, 2015 up to 30th September, 2025 including 76,444 women in the State of Telangana. *******