Mission Shakti Scheme: Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) recently released guidelines for ‘Mission Shakti’ scheme.

Key Points:

• This scheme has been launched by the Government of India (GoI).
• It is an integrated women empowerment programme as an umbrella scheme for the safety, security and empowerment of women.
• It will be implemented during the 15th Finance Commission period 202l-22 to 2025-26.
• Newly released guidelines of Mission Shakti will be applicable with effect from April 1, 2022.

What is Mission Shakti?

• Mission Shakti is a scheme, launched in mission mode for the safety, security and empowerment of women.
• It seeks to realize the Government’s commitment to "women-led development". 
• This commitment will be fulfilled by:

• Focusing on the issues affecting women on the basis of the life-cycle continuum.
• Making women equal partners in nation-building.

• It also seeks to reduce the care burden on women and increase female labour force participation by promoting skill development, capacity building, financial literacy, access to micro-credit, etc.
• The key objectives of the mission are to provide care, support and assistance to women and to put in place quality mechanisms for the rescue, protection and rehabilitation of women who are victims of crime and violence.
• The scheme is also aimed at improving accessibility to various government services available for women at various levels.

Mission Shakti has two sub-schemes - Sambal and Samarthya.

• While the “Sambal” sub-scheme is for the safety and security of women, the “Samarthya” sub-scheme is for the empowerment of women.

1.Sambal:

The components of ‘Sambal’ sub-scheme consist of erstwhile schemes of One Stop Centre (OSC), Women Helpline (WHL), Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) with a new component of Nari Adalats – women’s which is collective to promote and facilitate alternative dispute resolution and gender justice in society and within families.

2.Samarthya:

The components of ‘Samarthya’ sub-scheme consist of erstwhile schemes of Ujjwala, Swadhar Greh and Working Women Hostel that have been included with modifications.

• In addition, the existing schemes of the National Creche Scheme for children of working mothers and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) under the umbrella ICDS have now been included in Samarthya.
• A new component of Gap Funding for Economic Empowerment has also been added to the Samarthya Scheme.