National mission for empowerment of women to be launched soon: Tirath

New Delhi, Jan 18(ANI): Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath on Monday said that the government is proposing to set up a national mission for the empowerment of women.

The mission aims to ensure empowerment of women in all spheres - economic, social, political and legal.

Addressing Social Editors' Conference in the national capital, Tirath highlighted the measures being taken to strengthen legal provisions for the welfare of women.

"The Ministry has set up an Inter Ministerial Group to finalize the proposed Bill for Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace and a proposal for restructuring and expansion of Rashtriya Mahila Kosh and the premier micro credit agency for women to raise its corpus to Rs. 500 crore from the present Rs. 100 crore is under active consideration," Tirath said.

She further said that the Ministry has formulated a new scheme, namely, "Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY)", which will be piloted in 95 districts where conditional cash transfer would be given to pregnant woman and lactating mothers so that she enhances maternal care and nutrition.

In order to address the issue of under nutrition and nutrition deficiency in children, Tirath said that a new scheme the integrated child development scheme (ICDS), aimed at improving the well being of children in difficult circumstances including children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection, has been launched.

She said that 7073 ICDS projects have been sanctioned under which 14 lakhs anganwadi centres would be functioning in the long run.

"The new scheme will be primarily implemented through the State Governments and States will play important role in effective implementation of the scheme," Tirath said.

Six State Governments, including Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur have already signed the MOU with the Ministry for implementation of this scheme.

The Minister added that State Governments of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam and Goa have also communicated their willingness to sign the MOU with the Ministry, while the proposal from the remaining State Governments are awaited. (ANI)