Women’s rights groups have accused the government of being insensitive by failing to allocate funds under ‘Swadhar Greh Scheme’.

AHMEDABAD: The Central government had launched Swadhar Greh Scheme, an integrated relief and rehabilitation scheme for women in distress situations and difficult circumstances. Under the scheme, women are provided with shelter, food, clothing, counseling, primary health facilities, vocational training, other daily requirements, etc. However, not a single rupee has been allocated to Gujarat in the past two years under Swadhar Greh Scheme.

In response to a question from MP Sanjay Raut in the Rajya Sabha on August 2, the Women and Child Development Department stated, Swadhar Greh - for women in difficult circumstances - and Ujjawala Home - for trafficking prevention - have been merged and renamed ‘Shakti Sadan’. The reply also contained information on how much money has been given under the scheme to different states in the last three years.

Rs 15.26 lakh was allocated to Gujarat under the ‘Swadhar Greh’ scheme in 2020-21,  but no fund was allocated in 2021-22, the year the name of the scheme was changed to ‘Shakti Sadan’.In 2022-23, Gujarat received zero funding. Women’s rights groups have accused the government of being insensitive by failing to allocate funds under ‘Swadhar Greh Scheme’.

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“First and foremost, we don’t know whether the scheme has been merged or a new name has been given, the government may now feel that Gujarat is a very developed state, so the women here do not deserve any such scheme, so it may be possible that no funds will be sought,” ‘said All-India Mahila Sanskrutik Organisation’s Gujarat Convenor Meenakshi Joshi.

“As social workers, we feel that the government should establish special shelter homes for women because when women leave their families their mental health suffers, and if the wrong company is found, they can fall into the trap of trafficking. The government should make suggestions to the centre for funds under ‘Swadhar Greh Scheme,’ she added. When The New Indian Express  contacted, Gujarat’s women and child development officials declined to comment.