Not to be published/broadcast  Before 16th Nov, 2009   

 State Government is giving top priority for the betterment of women folk in the State. For this various initiatives to improve the overall conditions of women in rural as well as urban areas of the State have been taken. State Government is protecting the interests of poor, helpless, widows and aged women and various schemes are being implemented for their betterment

One such scheme is 'Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojna'. Under this scheme the girls and women whose family income falls below Rs. 15001 annually are being given Rs. 11001 as marriage grant. In the year 2008-09 as many as 1056 eligible girls and women had been benefited by spending Rs. 116 lacs.

Under the Mother Teresa Matri Sambal Yojna such helpless women whose annual income is less than Rs.18, 000 are being provided a financial assistance of Rs.2000 per child. The assistance is provided for two children till they attain the age of 14 years. Rs.107.28 lacs had been spent under this scheme to help 13060 children in the year 2008-09.

State government is providing various benefits to girls to change the psyche of people who consider girl child as a burden. 'Balika Samridhi Yojna' for girls born in BPL families is being implemented to achieve this objective. In this scheme the government deposits Rs.500 in bank or post office on the birth of a girl child and the girl can have this money when she attains 18 years of age.  Scholarships are also being provided to girls up to 10th class in this scheme. In the year 2008-09 Rs.75 lacs were spent to benefit 13409 girls under this scheme.

Decreasing female sex ratio in the State is an area of concern and State government has reiterated its commitment to tackle the problem by issuing strict directions to concerned authorities to implement the laws pertaining to female foeticide more stringently. Regular surprise checks on clinics conducting sex determination tests are being conducted by health department besides generating awareness on the issue through awareness campaigns etc. at State, District and Village level.

Kishori Shakti Yojna aimed at improving nutritional and health status of adolescent girls and promoting self-development awareness of health, hygiene, nutrition, family welfare and management so that there could be significant improvement in health and nutrition status of women and their decision making capabilities is promoted is also being implemented in the state. In the year 2008-09 as many as 95944 girls were provided supplementary nutrition, 2851 were imparted skill enhancement training, 143987 were provided iron folic acid pills, 173030 were provided nutrition and health education and 64 girls were provided coaching for higher education. Haemoglobin tests were conducted on 87,387 girls under the scheme. Rs.47 lacs were spent on the implementation of this scheme.

 The state government is also providing a grant of Rs.25000 to promote widow remarriage.  In the year 2008-09 Rs. 21.50 lacs had been spent to help 86 such couples.

To provide shelter to helpless and destitute women, the state government is running a 'Nari Sewa Sadan' at Mashobra in district Shimla where such women are being trained in tailoring and embroidery so that they can lead a self sustained and respectable life after leaving the destitute home. Every woman is also being provided a rehabilitation amount of Rs.10, 000. Rs.42 lacs were spent under this scheme in the year 2008-09.

      The state government is also providing social security pension at a rate of Rs.330 per month to widow and destitute women whose annual income is less than Rs.6000. 64074 such women had been benefited under this scheme by spending Rs.2500 lacs in the year 2008-09.

Women empowerment can be achieved in real sense only when women are economically strong and independent. The state government has announced to generate employment and self employment avenues to unemployed girls and women in order to make them self dependent. Women self help groups have done commendable job in this direction. At present, more than 24329 Women Self Help Groups are functioning in the State who are involved in various income generating activities and have an income of more than Rs.77 crore. 

14 working women hostels are also being run in the state.

In order to protect the rights of working women and to check exploitation at workplaces, Female Grievances Redressal Committees have been constituted in all Government, Non-Government, Board and Corporation offices. A Gender Budgeting Cell has also been established in the directorate of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Women empowerment is on the priority agenda of the present government .The women are assured of equal participation in the progress of the State on the path of prosperity, self-employment and self-reliance.