Karnataka State Government Announces Women Protection & Empowerment Mission

By: WE Staff | Wednesday, 10 March 2021

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced a proposal to provide six-month child care leave to women Government employees. The initiative taken by the Karnataka State Government towards the welfare of women should set a model for other states.

Presenting the 2021-22 budget in the State Legislative Assembly, he announced a grant of Rs 37,188 crore for programs related to women. He also proposed an up-gradation of Anganawadis located in Bengaluru and other cities into creches so that urban working women are benefitted and also new creches in two major government offices in each district would be opened.

"Women employees of the state government will be given a total of six months child care leave along with maternity leave which is already in existence. This will be a supplementary step towards the welfare of women who are a very important part of the administrative machinery," said Yediyurappa.

The Chief Minister also announced a loan facility for women entrepreneurs in the service sector of up to Rs two crore at a subsidized rate of four percent through the Woman Development Board/Karnataka State Finance Corporation and also proposed Rs five crore to help women entrepreneurs through the introduction of the 'Elevate Women Entrepreneurship' initiative

 The State Government of Karnataka announced funding for the establishment of 6,000 micro-enterprises for rural women self-help groups under the 'Sanjeevini' initiative, which will benefit 60,000 women.

The government also proposed putting goods made by women's self-help groups and entrepreneurs on the market, organizing annual fares at the divisional level, and implementing an e-market facility.

It also proposed the development of a center of excellence in partnership with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and the National Law School to provide assistance and advice to women who have been victims of atrocities.

A total of Rs 30 crore would be spent on the launch of the 'VanithaSangathi' scheme, which will provide BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) bus passes at a discounted rate to women garment workers in Bengaluru.

CM also suggested that different laws and regulations be re-examined to create a more favorable working environment for women and incorporating gender and child budgets into the Panchayat Raj scheme.

He also announced the installation of 7,500 cameras in public places across Bengaluru as part of the safe city initiative, as well as plans to increase night beats using a technology-based e-beat system.

10 percent reservation was proposed in the allotment of site, godown, store, shop-cum-godowns in the premises for women who had obtained a license from the Agricultural Produce Market Committee.

Under the direct guidance of the Chief Minister, the start of the 'women Protection and Empowerment Mission' was suggested.