Women and Children development in Madhya Pradesh | Course for MPPSC Preparation - MPPSC (Madhya Pradesh) PDF Download

Functions of Department of Women & Child Development

• Health and Education are the prime requirement for development of nation and states. It is unfortunate that even after more than six decades of independence; we are still termed as most backward nation on number of health and education indicators.{facts – i.e. 42% of Indian children are malnourished etc, include IMR rate which is highest in MP.} Now time has come to find the reasons why even after investing huge amount we could not make satisfactory progress in health sector especially of women and children. If these impediments are removed, nation can expects major breakthrough in the sector. 
• The main objective of the Department of Women & Child Development is to reduce Maternal Mortality Rate, Infant Mortality rate and Malnutrition among children and women. Thus main responsibility of implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Programme in the State lies with the department. {include ICDS background and its problems}. schemes/programs include women group formation, legal literacy programme for women, elimination of  prostitution, Beti Bachao Abhiyan for increasing female sex ratio, empowering Adolescent Girls of 11 to 18 years by improving their nutritional and health status through Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA), up gradation of home skills, life skills and vocational skills. 
• The Department also reviews, suggests and makes suitable amendments in various laws and rules concerned with women’s status for women’s empowerment. Integrated child protection scheme ( ICPS) has been started especially for the children for their integrated welfare and rehabilitation who are in the difficult situation.For improving sex ratio in age group 0-6 years,Beti Bachao Abhiyan (Save the Girl Child Campaign) is being implemented in the State.

• Every Tuesday is celebrated as Janamdin. So this is called Mangal divas. Anna Prasana, Godbharai and kishori Scheme with the help of Health Department in form of small function. First Tuesday as divas for GOD BHARAI RASM, in which an expectant woman receives the traditional offerings of Sreephal, Sindoor, Chudi and Bindi, with the objective to take complete care of the pregnant woman’s diet, nutrition with timely medical support. During the function, 100 tablets of iron and folic acid are given to each pregnant woman to help them to sustain through a healthy and fit term of pregnancy. 
• Second Tuesday is celebrated as Annaprashan divas with the objective to promote community participation in ICDS programmes and to decrease infant mortality rate. Additional nutritive supplement being provided to the child who has completed six months of agew under the programme. On third Tuesday, every child between the age group of 1 year to 6 years will celebrate his birthday at aanganwadi centers with other children. The aim of celebrating this as birthday to enhance the interpersonal relation between aanganwadi centers and the community and to make the ICDS more effective and powerful. 
• Adolescent Girl Day is celebrated on fourth Tuesday with a cultural programmes such as singing, dancing, rangoli making etc, as well as general knowledge and sports competition. The rationale behind these cultural gatherings is to build awareness among girls the importance of nutrition, primary health care and vocation training of various trades, which help to improve their level of income and economy. In addition to this, health check up camps where distribution of iron and folic acid tablets are made is also a part of this celebration. 

Sanjha Chulah

• For age group 3-6 years which provides cooked meal in morning breakfast and after noon lunch. There is provision of third meal also for malnourished children. daily new and delicious supplementary food will be supplied at anganwadi. 

• Present adverse sex ratio and the declining numbers of the girl child in the state is a serious cause for concern and warrant immediate corrective and concrete steps to halt this adverse trend. In this direction, state has started “ Beti Bachao Abhiyan (Save the Girl Child Campaign)” from 5th October 2011. The Women and Child Development Department is a nodal Department for this campaign. Under this campaign, various departments of the State government will act on 66 action points. 
• The action points include observance of the Beti Diwas (Daughter’s day), invoking community participation through participation of various communities, including religious leaders, and panchayati raj representatives, celebrating the special achievements of the girls in the state, effective implementation of the PCPNDT Act, providing education facilities to families with girl children only. Such families living below poverty line will be provided pension, on attaining the age of 55. These families will be provided other facilities like vocational training, concession in stamp duty on registration of homes in names of the relevant person/spouse etc. 

Atal Bal Arogya Evam Poshan Mission

The objective of the Mission is to provide an enabling mechanism for prevention and reduction of malnutrition and under five mortality rates in the children of the State through coordinated and concerted efforts of the key stakeholders. 

The key mandate for the Mission is to improve child nutrition by: 

• supporting improved service delivery and quality of services in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme while establishing effective coordination with relevant Departments, with a focus on children under two years of age; 
• facilitating effective implementation of evidence based policy and operational reforms for improving the coverage and quality of ICDS; 
• establishing institutional mechanisms for effective integrated planning and monitoring; and Assisting DWCD to design operational framework for communalization of ICDS services. 
• Targets- Reducing mortality rate for children under five years (U5MR) from 94.2 to 60 per thousand live births by 2020 
• Reducing the percentage of underweight children under five years from 60% to 40% by 2015 and further from 40% to 20% by 2020. 
• Reducing prevalence of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in children under 5 years from 12.6% to 5% by 2015 and to negligible by 2020.comprehensive strategy and action plan for implementation and achievement of its goals. 
• To achieve the planned goals and objectives, mission has defined its strategy and micro planning. However, the strategy and action plan is limited to three years only and may be revisited as and when required. 

Nirasrit Bal Grih Scheme

• Also known as Shelter less Children’s Home Scheme. The objective of the scheme is to ensure proper upbringing of shelter less children by giving them education and training, so that they grow up as productive and socially responsible citizens. A grant equivalent to 90% of Rs.250, i.e., Rs.225/- per child per month is provided to the voluntary organizations running such homes. 

Bal Vikas Kendra Yojana- Also known as Child Development Centre Scheme. 

• The object of  this scheme is to provide opportunities for creative development of children up to the age of 16 years. One such centre has been established at Jobat (Jhabua District) where children between 6 to16 years of age are admitted. Under this scheme a grant of Rs.500/- per child per month is provided to the voluntary organizations. 90% of the total expenditure is borne by the State government and remaining 10% by the concerned organization. Such establishment of child development centres are  mostly in tribal areas.

Jabali Scheme for Eradication of prostitution- (MPPCS 2010 mains)

• The scheme is an attempt to discourage women/girls of adopting caste based prostitution prevalent among the Bedia, Banchada and Sansi communities. Different kinds of activities are being implemented, with the help of voluntary agencies, which revolve round the women/girls involved in the practice and their children. 

These are being organized in 5 stages as follow:

• Ashram Shalas for education of children 
• Economic programme for prostitutes
• Protection/shelter and rehabilitation homes for children
• I.E.C. schemes for creation of public awareness
• Schemes for health check-up and treatment of prostitutes

Presently, under this scheme, Ashram schools are being run in 6 districts

• Morena
• Rajgarh
• Sagar
• Raisen
• Chhatarpur
• Vidisha

MP schemes on women empowerment

• The cabinet has taken a decision establish ‘Directorate of Women Empowerment’ in the state by bifurcating the ‘Directorate of Women and Child Development’ for effective implementation of women’s empowerment schemes –>sate government calender for year 2012 has slogan ‘Beti hae to Kal hae’ (Future is when Daughter is) 

Ladli Laxmi Yojana

• To benefit girls right from their births upto marriage
• To create positive thinking about girls among masses, improvement in sex ratio and encourage girls’ education and health
• To make girls in the state a ‘Lakhpati’ at 21 years of age
• Government deposits National Saving Certificate (NSC) worth Rs.6000/- p.a. for five years i.e. NSCs worth Rs.30,000/- are deposited in a girl’s name
• Every girl child enrolled under Ladli Laxmi Yojana will get Rs.1.8 lakh when she attains the age of 21 years and had not married before 18 years of age

Mukhya Mantri Kanya Dan Yojana

• To provide financial assistance to poor, needy, destitute families for marrying off their daughters/ widows/ divorcees
• Under this scheme, mass marriages are performed which increase social harmony and curb unnecessary expenditure on weddings. 

Beti Bachao Abhiyan

• Initiated to balance sex ratio and foster awareness and sensitivity in society
• 12 department have been given the responsibility of identified 66 Activities. As part of its campaign, the government plans to promote frugal marriage ceremonies and encourage social boycott of people who take and give dowry
• The multi-pronged approach will involve changing the pro-son mindset and a combination of incentives and disincentives in favour of the girl child. Steps like reserving half the posts of teachers for women and pension to parents whose only children are daughters will be initiated besides promoting adoption of the girl child
• Taking effective measures to prevent pre-natal tests and cases of foeticide 
• To protect girl child under PCNDT Act – In a first action of its kind in the state under the PC & PNDT Act, the name of a lady doctor, who had offered planning for male child has been removed from the register of MP Medical Council for a period of five years. 

Gaon Ki Beti Yojana

• To provide financial assistance to motivate talented rural girls for higher education in government or private colleges 
• Scholarship worth Rs.500/- p.m. to Ist division class 12th passed rural girls for 10 months

Pratibha Kiran Yojana

• To improve educational standards of Ist division class 12th passed girls belonging to urban BPL families
• Rs.300/- p.m. for degree courses for 10 months

Atal Bal Arogya Evam Poshan Mission

• Prevention and reduction of malnutrition & U5 mortality rates. Targets- U5MR-  from 94 à 60% by 2020 To reduce under weight  children from 60 to 40 by 2015 and 40 to 20% by 2020 

Usha Kiran Yojana

• For implementation of Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDVA), Madhya Pradesh launched Usha Kiran Yojana in the year 2008 
• The scheme’s objective is to help in reduction in cases of domestic violence, awareness generation about the rights, building confidence and entire development of women, better rearing of children, and making happy and ideal home environment. 
• Fact- The State has an area of 308, 244 Sq. Km., making it the second largest state in the country (9.38% of country’s total area). The State has a population density of 236 persons as against that of the country at 382. The configuration of administrative units in the State includes 10 divisions, 51 districts, 342 Tehsils (sub-districts) and 313 Blocks with 89 (28%) of them being the Tribal Blocks. There are as many as 476 towns and 54903 villages.