West Bengal considers job reservation, cash incentives for women

After reinstating its position as the state with highest incidence of crime against women for second year in a row, the West Bengal government today came up with a policy for women empowerment.   

 

However, much of the policy—which includes cash incentives and job reservation—is still under consideration. 

 

Under the policy, the state will consider reserving jobs and posts at all level for females according to ratio of female population. 

 

“This may be done in phased manner, as well as, relaxing the age limit for women for all jobs,” according to the new policy. 

 

In addition, if situation demands, the government will consider undertaking individual cash incentive programme for girl child in specific area for specific community or specific group of people, the policy says. 

 

Under the labour department, the government will consider preparing Women Employment Bank, where private enterprises and establishments will also be encouraged to join. 

 

The West Bengal Legislative Assembly has passed the West Bengal Panchayat Election Bill, 2012 which provides 50 per cent  reservation for women, in elections. 

 

The government will consider reservation for women in urban bodies, cooperative societies, different Federation of Weavers' Cooperative Societies, and boards of different government corporations, the policy said. 

 

According to recently released report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB, West Bengal recorded 30,942 crime cases against women in 2012—the highest amont states. They include 2,046 cases of rape, 4,168 of kidnapping, 593 of dowry deaths and 19,865 of domestic cruelty. 

 

In March 2013, the state government had launched a scheme called, special scheme for girls, Kanyasri Prakalpa, under which the state government promised to provide Rs 500 a year as scholarship to girls belonging to families with an annual income of Rs 50,000.