Ministry of Women & Child Development - Year End Review, 2017 - Part I

National Nutrition Mission (NNM)

• Need - Malnutrition indices have shown a relative decline as per National Family Health Survey (NFHS) – 4 in 2015-16.
• However, the overall malnutrition scenario still continues to look bleak across the country.
• Notably, around 35% children under 5 years of age remain underweight and around 38% remain stunted.
• Further, around 23% women (15-49 years of age) have chronic energy deficiency (BMI less than 18.5).
• Objective - The National Nutrition Mission was launched recently with a three year budget commencing from 2017-18.
• NNM aims at improving the nutritional status of Children from 0-6 years, Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers.
• The goals include-

1. preventing and reducing stunting in children (0-6 years)
2. preventing and reducing underweight prevalence in children (0-6 years)
3. reducing Low Birth Weight (LBW)
4. reducing the prevalence of anaemia among young Children (6-59 months)
5. reducing the prevalence of anaemia among Women and Adolescent Girls in the age group of 15-49 years

• Scheme - Accordingly, the reduction would be by 6% at 2% per year for first there goals and by 9% at 3% per year for the rest, during the next three years beginning 2017-18.
• Implementation - The mission ensures convergence with various other programmes related to women and child.
• It includes -

1. Anganwadi Services
2. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana
3. Scheme for Adolescent Girls (WCD Ministry)
4. Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)
5. National Health Mission (Health & Family Welfare Ministry)
6. Swachh Bharat Mission (Drinking Water & Sanitation Ministry)
7. Public Distribution System (Consumer Affairs Ministry, Food & Public Distribution)
8. MGNREGS (Rural Development Ministry)

• One of the key activities is Information and Communication Technology enabled Real Time Monitoring (ICT-RTM) of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).
• Accordingly, a customized mobile based Common Application software (ICDS-CAS) has been developed.
• Through this, Anganwadi workers feed the information regarding the services delivered.

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

• The Maternity Benefit Programme was announced for its Pan-India implementation from December, 2016.
• The Programme has since been named as Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
• Under this, eligible pregnant women and lactating mothers would receive cash incentive of Rs 6000 as per approved norms.

Mahila Shakti Kendra

• The scheme was launched recently to address women’s issues at the village level.
• Over 300 thousand student volunteers are being sent out in 115 most backward districts under this new scheme.
• Volunteers, mobilised through local colleges, NCC, NSS, NYK etc., work with local women helping them access government schemes.
• Also, District Level Centres for Women are being set up in all 640 districts, providing convergence at the district level for all women related initiatives.
• Likewise, State Resource Centres for Women are the state-level mechanism ensuring coordination between blocks, districts, state and centre.

Women safety and security

• A number of projects are being implemented under the Nirbhaya Fund, for women safety and security.

• A robust online Management Information System has been developed to track implementation of all the projects under Nirbhaya.
• A focussed project for women’s safety in 8 prominent cities is being prepared under the Nirbhaya Fund.
• This will cover Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Lucknow.
• A project for Integrated Emergency Response Management under Nirbhaya is run by the Railways.
• CCTVs and monitoring rooms are being installed at major Railway Stations.
• Central Victim Compensation Fund has been created under the Nirbhaya fund, to support States/UTs for their Victim Compensation Scheme.
• Mahila Police Volunteers are being appointed to encourage women to report crime and are serving as role models in their communities.
• The scheme is currently operational in 5 States.
• New Taxi Policy Guidelines have been put in place in consultation with the Ministry, which have much improved safety measures for women.
• SHe-Box is a newly established online complaint mechanism, to help women report incidents of Sexual harassment at the workplace.
• Any female employee, whether employed by the government or private, can file an online complaint of sexual harassment.
• Swadhar Greh Scheme targets the women victims of difficult circumstances.
• It envisages providing shelter, food, clothing and health as well as economic and social security for them.
• More than 500 Swadhar Greh are functioning at present in the country benefiting more than 1500 women.
• In addition one Widow Home with a capacity of 1000 inmates fully funded by the Ministry has been constructed at Sunrakh Bangar, Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh.

Political representation

• Elected Women Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions are being trained through the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development.
• This is to aid them take up their responsibilities as development planners and exercise their power effectively.

Legislation

• The National Policy for Women, 2017 was drafted with multi-stakeholder views and is currently under consideration.

• It has been prepared keeping in view the socio economic changes that have occurred since the last policy of 2001.
• The draft Policy addresses the diverse needs of women including

1. health - food security and nutrition
2. education
3. economy including agriculture, industry, labour, employment, NRI women, soft power, service sector, science and technology
4. governance and decision making
5. protection against violence
6. creation of an enabling environment

Other measures

• Maternity leave for working women has been extended to a period of 26 weeks (6 months).
• Benefitting single mothers, passport rules have been amended in their favour.
• Now either mother or father’s name can be provided in application form and do not have to provide certificate of marriage/divorce during application.
• One Stop Centres (OSCs) offer a single window to a range of services including access to police, medical, legal and psychological support, and temporary shelter.
• 10 new Women Helplines with the uniform code 181 have been started, taking the total coverage now in 28 States during 2017.
• Women of India Festival 2017 was organised to encourage women producers of organic products.
• More than 500 women farmers and entrepreneurs from even remotest parts of the country participated in the Festival.
• Sattvik Food Festival provided an opportunity to around 100 women entrepreneurs and farmers who produce organic products to exhibit and sell their products.

Source: PIB