The Government of India is implementing numerous schemes for the social and economic empowerment of women, including single mothers and widows. One notable initiative is the establishment of the “Krishna Kutir” home in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, which can accommodate 1,000 residents and provides various support services including health, legal, and counseling services.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is spearheading the “Mission Shakti” scheme, which includes two sub-schemes, “Sambal” for safety and security and “Samarthya” for empowerment. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), cash incentives are provided to pregnant women and lactating mothers for their first child, and an additional incentive for a second girl child.
The government has also amended PAN Card and passport rules to better support single mothers, allowing the option to include only the mother’s name on these documents. Recent changes to pension rules enable female government servants to nominate their children for family pensions in cases of marital discord.
The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) provides social security to senior citizens, widows, and disabled persons. Under the Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, beneficiaries receive varying amounts of pension depending on state contributions. The scheme currently supports approximately 6.7 million beneficiaries.
Additionally, the Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund offers financial assistance and vocational training to widows of armed forces personnel, with grants up to $605.
This information was provided by Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Savitri Thakur, in response to a question in Rajya Sabha.
