(a) whether the Government are aware of the cruelty and atrocities perpetrated on women despite their representation in the panchayats and the rampant incidence of foeticide;

(b) if so, the number of schemes and programmes implemented/proposed to be launched by the Government to effectively prevent such atrocities evils; and

(c) the steps being to push through the bill for reservation of seats for women in the Central and State Legislatures?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF OCEAN DEVELOPMENT (DR. MURLI MANOHAR JOSHI)


(a) As per the data compiled by the National Crimes Record Bureau (NCRB), Ministry of Home Affairs, the incidence of srimes committed against women during the last three years is as follows:

1999                2000                 2001



135771              137472               125152@



@  upto available months.

(b) A Statement is annexed.

(c) The Government had introduced the Constitution (Eighty- fifth) Amendment Bill, 1999 seeking to provide that as nearly as one-third of the seats shall be reserved for women in the House of the People and Legislative Assemblies of States, in Parliament on 23.12.99. Further course of action will depend on the decision of the Parliament.

STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PART(b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4744 FOR 23.4.2002 REGARDING CRUELTY AND ATROCITIES ON WOMEN

Details of schemes implemented by the Government of India for awareness generation and empowerment of women

1. Women Component Plan

The Ninth Five Year Plan has adopted the concept of the Women Component Plan under which at least 30% of funds/benefits of concerned Departments/Ministries are to be earmarked for women.

2. Rural Women’s Development And Empowerment Project

(Swa-Shakti):- The Swa-Shakti Project, earlier known as Rural Women’s Development and Empowerment Project, was sanctioned on 16-10-1998 as a Centrally- sponsored Project for a period of 5 years with an estimated outlay of Rs.186.21 crore. In addition, an amount of Rs. 5 crore is being provided during the project period, for facilitating the setting up, in the project states, of Revolving Funds for giving interest- bearing loans to beneficiary groups primarily during their initial formative stage.

3. Integrated Women’s Empowerment Programme (Swayamsidha)

Swayamsidha is an Integrated scheme for Women’s empowerment. It is based on formation of women into Self-Help groups (SHGs) and aims at holistic empowerment of women through awareness generation, economic empowerment and convergence of various schemes.

The vision of Swayamsidha is to mobilize and develop empowered women who will:

§    Demand their rights from family, community and government.
§    Have increased access to an control over, material, social and political resources;
§    Have enhanced awareness and improved skills; and
§    Be able to raise issues of common concern through mobilization and networking.

4. Women in Difficult Circumstances (Swadhar):-

The scheme has been designed with a flexible and innovative approach to cater to the requirement of women in various types of distress in diverse situations under different conditions. The scheme provides shelter, counseling and training for women in difficult circumstances who do not have any social and economic support.

5. Awareness Generation Projects for Rural & Poor Women:-

The Awareness Generation Programme aims to identify the needs of rural and poor women and to generate awareness among them about their status in the family and society and to activate them to work for achieving their rights and to deal with social issues. Since 1993-94, special emphasis has been given to participation of women in Panchayati Raj institutions and their role in promoting national integration and communal harmony.

6. Support to training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP)

This programme launched in 1987, seeks to provide updated skills and new knowledge to poor and assetless women in the traditional sectors, such as agriculture, animal husbandry, dairying, fisheries, handlooms, handicrafts, khadi and village industries, sericulture, social forestry and wasteland development for enhancing their productivity and income generation. This would enhance and broaden their employment opportunities, including self-employment and development of entrepreneurial skills.

7. Women’s Economic Programme (NORAD)


This programme was launched in 1982-83 with assistance from Norwegian Agency for Development Corporation (NORAD). Under this programme, financial assistance is given to Women’s Development Corporations, Public Sector Corporations, autonomous bodies and voluntary organisations to train poor women, mostly in non-traditional trades and to ensure their employment in these areas.


8. Education Work for Prevention of Atrocities on Women

The scheme of assistance to voluntary organisations for Education Work for Prevention of Atrocities on Women was started in 1982. Under this scheme, universities, colleges, women studies centres, institutions of higher learning and voluntary organisations are given financial assistance for undertaking various activities such as production and publication of the educative journals, articles, books, conducting surveys and studies on violence against women, awards to best films, short plays, short stories, etc., translation of such material from one language to another language, holding seminars, conferences, meetings, exhibitions, film festivals etc. holding of training camps for social workers including Govt. functionaries, legal literacy camps/para legal training camps, use of traditional media such as street plays, puppetry etc. organising Women Development Centres in educational institutes and legal and counselling services to women prisoners etc.

9. Family Counseling Centre

The objective of the Family Counseling Centre (FCC) Programme implemented by the Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB) is to provide preventive and rehabilitative services to women and children who are victims of atrocities and family mal-adjustments. The Scheme is being implemented since 1984 through voluntary agencies. It was evaluated through the National Institute of Public Cooperation & Child Development during the year 1990-91 and a revised scheme is in force since 1992-93. Under the revised scheme, a maximum of Rs.1 lakh per centre per annum is given for continuation of existing FCCs while Rs.1.15 lakh is given for new FCCs. The salaries of two counselors who are either Post graduate in Social Work or Psychology and Rs.15000/- for recurring items are borne fully by the CSWB while the institution is required to contribute 20% towards other recurring expenditure.