SRINAGAR: The government has said that widows, single mothers and women in difficult circumstances are entitled to a wide range of financial, social and legal privileges under multiple central schemes, as it detailed its approach to women’s empowerment in a reply in the Rajya Sabha on December 17, 2025.
Responding to an unstarred question by Satnam Singh Sandhu, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur said the Centre is implementing an array of schemes aimed at improving safety, economic independence, health and social security for vulnerable women, while also reducing their exposure to trafficking, violence and exploitation.
At the core of these interventions is Mission Shakti, under which the government has said it is strengthening mechanisms for women’s safety and empowerment. Through One Stop Centres at the district level, women facing violence or distress can access temporary shelter, medical assistance, police support, counselling and legal aid under one roof. A 24-hour toll-free Women Helpline, 181, is operational nationwide to provide immediate assistance and information.
For financial support, the government has said that eligible pregnant women and lactating mothers receive direct cash benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, with Rs 5,000 provided for the first child and Rs 6,000 for the second child if it is a girl. Widows and women in distress can also access shelter, food, healthcare and counselling through Shakti Sadan homes, while Krishna Kutir in Vrindavan provides residential facilities for up to 1,000 widows along with health and legal services.
Single mothers and working women, the government said, benefit from relaxed documentation norms and supportive infrastructure. Passport and PAN card rules have been amended to allow children of single mothers to carry only the mother’s name, removing the earlier mandatory requirement of the father’s name or marriage and divorce certificates. Working women are also eligible for safe accommodation under Sakhi Niwas hostels, while Palna crèches provide day-care facilities for children using Anganwadi infrastructure.
On health and nutrition, the government has said women from poor and vulnerable households are covered under Ayushman Bharat, which provides free treatment through more than 1,200 medical packages, including over 140 packages exclusively for women. Screening for diseases such as breast and cervical cancer, tuberculosis, diabetes and hypertension is provided through a nationwide network of Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Affordable medicines are also available through over 16,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras, the minister said.
To reduce vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation, particularly in urban and border areas, the government said it has set up 827 Anti Human Trafficking Units across the country, including units in border guarding forces. More than 14,600 Women Help Desks have been established in police stations, most of them headed by women officers, to ensure a more approachable and supportive first point of contact for women in distress. Emergency Response Support System 112 and the dedicated women’s helpline 181 are operational across all states and Union Territories.
In terms of social security, widows and single mothers are covered under schemes such as the National Social Assistance Programme, Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, which provide pensions and insurance against accidents and death.
The government has also said it is promoting economic empowerment by prioritising women entrepreneurs and workers. Central ministries and public sector enterprises are mandated to procure at least three per cent of their annual purchases from women-owned micro and small enterprises. Women artisans and entrepreneurs receive skill training, credit support and higher guarantee coverage under MSME schemes, while employment and self-employment opportunities are available through programmes such as MUDRA, Stand-Up India, PM SVANidhi, PMEGP and MGNREGS.
Taken together, the government said these measures are intended to ensure that widows, single mothers and marginalised women have access not only to financial assistance and healthcare, but also to legal recognition, personal dignity and long-term economic security.
