What is Umbrella Scheme, for whom, and what are its benefits?

 

Umbrella Scheme is safety and empowerment mission for women. On 22 November 2017, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval to the Umbrella Scheme Mission for the extension of the schemes of Ministry of Women and Child Development for the period 2017-18 to 2019-20. That not only this, the CCEA has also approved a new scheme called 'Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra', which will empower rural women through community participation, to create an environment in which it can use its full potential. Besides, the extension under Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao has also been approved on the basis of successful implementation in 161 districts.

 

Benefits from Umbrella Scheme

These schemes are specially planned for the care, protection and development of women. Its goal is to improve the declining sex ratio, ensure the survival and safety of the newborn, ensuring her education and empower her to fulfil her potential. It will provide an interface for rural women to approach the government to get their rights, it will empower them through testing and capacity building. Voluntary students will encourage voluntary community service and a sense of gender equality.

 

Prime Minister's Women's Power Center Scheme

It is envisaged to function at various levels, while the national level (area-based knowledge support) and state-level (state resource centre for women) structures will provide technical assistance to the concerned government on issues related to women, district and block. The level centres will provide support to MSK and it will provide the basis for Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao in 640 districts to be covered in a phased manner.

 

During this period, one-stop centres will be established in 150 additional districts to provide inclusive assistance to the women suffering from violence. These one-stop centres will be connected with the women's helpline and 24-hour emergency and non-emergency response will be provided to women suffering from violence at both public and private places across the country. In the States and Union Territories, a unique fruit will be introduced by volunteering women police volunteers on a voluntary basis, so that public-policy contact can be established. It will be expanded to 65 districts covering all states and union territories.

 

Plan monitoring and evaluation

A Common Task Force will be set up to plan, review and monitor all sub-schemes at the national, state and district levels to ensure the purpose of action and cost-efficiency. Each plan will have a set of clear, focused goals set in the guidelines aligned with the SDGs. The methodology will be put in place to monitor the results based indicators for all the sub-schemes suggested by the Niti Aayog. These schemes will be implemented through the States / Union Territories and implementing agencies. All the sub-schemes have inbuilt monitoring structure at the central level, state, district and block levels.