Maharashtra releases draft women's policy

Proposes financial incentives to promote women entrepreneurs and self help groups

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Maharashtra today released the draft version of its new women’s policy. Varsha Gaikwad, minister for women and child welfare, presented the draft policy to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in Pune, during a function to observe Women’s Day.

The draft policy promises equal legal status for women and men, especially during property transactions and transfers. It also includes a slew of financial incentives for women-led self help groups and enterprises. It will be mandatory for the inclusion of women, along with men, in all government documents.

Maharashtra’s first policy for empowering women was released in 1994, when Sharad Pawar was the CM. In 1999, the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) government brought out another policy.

The new draft policy not only focuses on empowerment of women, but also achieving gender equality. The new policy comes at a time when women’s security has become a boiling issue with rising instances of crimes against women.

A senior minister told Business Standard: “The policy ensures social status for women who were victims of abuse or rape. Such girls and women will be provided special counselling without their identity being revealed. Besides, girls will be provided free education. The government is committed to curbing atrocities against women and punishing the culprits.”

The draft policy also promises to provide vocational training to wives of prisoners and a monthly compensation to their parents. Women will be able to procure equipment for agriculture at concessional rates. They will also be given 100 per cent subsidy for drip irrigation.

Chandra Iyengar, a retired government official who was associated with the formulation of the 1994 policy, told Business Standard, “Due attention be provided for adequate representation to women in recruitment. More women will lead to gender equality. Regular training is the need of the hour. Those serving women be provided training at least once in a month.”

NCP MP Supriya Sule said, “We are having a third policy in almost two decades. The policy document should have strong monitoring, evaluation and review mechanism. I hope the new policy will address the issues and aspirations of the changing world.”