Hostels for Working Women

for Ministry of Women and Child Development | Date - 19-07-2019

The total number of hostels set up/constructed for working women by the Government during 2016-17 to 2018-19 and State/UT-wise details of funds allocated, sanctioned and utilized including Maharashtra and Gujarat is at Annexure- A. As regards Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh, no new Working Women Hostel was sanctioned and no funds were released during 2016-17 to 2018-19.

Since its inception in 1972-73, 952 hostels have been sanctioned under the scheme all over the country for benefit of about 72,268 working women. To provide safety for working women, a provision has been made to keep security guard and to install CCTV Cameras in Working Women Hostels. To provide quality of stay for working women, provision has been made in the Scheme guidelines to provide safe and affordable accommodation for working women with clean and well-ventilated Day Care Centre for the children of inmates, medical first-aid and providing washing machines and geysers/solar water heating system. Details of sanctioned working women’s hostels in Maharashtra is at Annexure B.

The beneficiaries under the scheme are working women who may be single, widowed, divorced, separated, married but whose husband or immediate family does not reside in the same city/area. Particular preference is given to women from disadvantaged sections of the society. The Scheme guidelines also provide for reservation of seats for physically challenged beneficiaries.

It is the responsibility of the Implementing Agencies to create awareness about the facility among working women. However, the guidelines of the Scheme and list of sanctioned hostels are available on the Ministry’s website.

As per the norms of the Scheme, financial assistance is provided to the eligible implementing organisations such as State Government agencies and Civil Society Organizations through concerned State Government. The cost sharing ratio amongst the Central Government, State/UTs (other than NE and Himalayan States) and Implementing Agencies is 60:15:25 for construction of building for Working Women Hostel/running hostel in rented premises. For NE and Himalayan States, the ratio is 65:10:25. Corporate houses or associations like CII, ASSOCHAM and FICCI, can also seek financial assistance for a matching grant (50:50) for hostel building construction on public land only.

Annexure A

The details of hostels for working women set up by Government during 2016-17 to 2018-19.

State/UT-wise Details of fund allocated/Sanctioned, Utilized & No. of New Hostels Sanctioned under the scheme of Working Women Hostel

Annexure B

Sanctioned Working Women’s Hostels & their beneficiaries in Maharashtra

This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

***

MM/SB