Question : National Commission for Women

(a) whether the National Commission for Women (NCW) has completed 25 years of its establishment and if so, the details thereof including achievements made and challenges faced along with the steps taken to improve its working;

(b) whether the Government has set up Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) to provide credit to women, if so, the details of schemes and their performances during the last three years;

(c) whether large amount of funds remain unutilised under the RMK and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government has reviewed the functioning of various autonomous bodies/subordinate offices under the Ministry and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the other steps taken by the Government for improving their working?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

(a) Yes Madam. During the period the Commission has taken a series of steps to improve the socio-economic status of women and also for their empowerment. The details are at Annexure-I.

(b) The Government of India has set up “Rashtriya Mahila Kosh” (National Credit Fund for Women) during 1993 to provide micro-credit to Intermediary Micro-financing Organisation (IMOs) like NGOs for on-lending to poor women beneficiaries at concessional rate of interest. The details of loan disbursed by RMK during last three years is placed at Annexure-II.

(c) RMK has received a corpus of Rs.100 crores from Government of India and the same was used for its loaning activities and operational surplus funds are invested. RMK utilised the corpus and cumulatively it has disbursed Rs.303.75 crore till date. Surplus funds of Rs.210.43 crore as on 31.03.2017 available with RMK were invested in nationalised banks for future loaning and other activities.

(d) & (e) The functioning of various autonomous bodies/ subordinate offices under the Ministry are reviewed from time to time. In respect of RMK, the loan guidelines has been revised for improving its working and ensuring transparency in its lending activities. An Outreach Committee has been constituted for expanding the network of RMK along with its Capacity Building as on 22nd Dec, 2017. RMK has been brought under DBT for ensuring its funds reaches the genuine women beneficiaries.

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