The state government has taken various major initiatives for socio-economic welfare of the children and women of the weaker section of the society by providing them security, financial assistance and opportunities to live a respectable life. The Directorate of Women and Child Development set up under the Social Justice and Empowerment Department is implementing several welfare schemes for women empowerment.The one time post birth grant being given under “Beti Hai Anmol Yojna” to girl child at the time of birth in a BPL family has been increased from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,000. The financial assistance to poor women for maintenance of their children under Mother Teresa Asahay Matri Sambal Yojna has also been enhanced from Rs. 4000 to Rs. 5000 per child, per annum. Similarly, additional honorarium, being paid from the state budget to the Anganwadi Workers, Mini Anganwadi Workers and Helpers has been increased by Rs. 300 per month.PM’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment (POSHAN) Abhiyan is being implemented in five districts viz. Chamba, Hamirpur, Solan and Shimla where percentage of stunting, wasting, underweight and anaemic children and women has been found more. Rashtriya Poshan Maah was organized in the month of September, 2018 in all districts and with co-ordination of line departments.Himachal Pradesh has been given awards by the Government of India under five different categories for outstanding work under POSHAN Abhiyan at the level of village, district and state level. It includes leadership award to Deputy Commissioner Hamirpur and state level award for best social media campaign.
The state government has launched a new scheme namely Mahila Shakti Kendra to empower rural women through community participation. It was initialy started in Una, Kangra and Hamirpur districts but now has been extended to six more districts viz. Shimla, Solan, Sirmour, Bilaspur, Mandi and Chamba.Saksham Gudiya Board has been constituted in the state with the broad objectives to make recommendations for the police for empowerment of girl child/adolescent girl. It will also make recommendations on acts, rules, policies and programme related to safety and security of girl child/adolescent girl and protection of crime against girl child.As per the budget announcement of the Chief Minister, a new comprehensive scheme Sashakt Mahila Yojna has been started with a vision to empower the rural women by providing them an interface for organisation and socio-economic development and to make every woman in the state well educated, skilled and self reliant in every respect thereby contributing to the socio-economic development of the state.The scheme will cover all the adolescent girls in the age groups of 11-18 Years and all women in the age group of 19-45 years. Sashakt Mahila Kendras will be set up in every Panchayat of the State which will be governed by women aged between 19 to 45 years who have knowledge/ expertise in social work or women related issue in their local area /village. These Kendras will be set up to create awareness among women and girls about their rights and laws related to women.The state is implementing the centrally sponsored scheme Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojna (PMMVY) for providing partial compensation for the wage loss in terms of cash incentives so that the women can take adequate rest before and after delivery of the first living child. Under PMMVY, a cash incentive of Rs 5,000 is being provided directly in the account of beneficiary pregnant women and lactating mothers for first living child subject to fulfilling specific conditions relating to maternal and child health.Mahila Kalyan Board has been reconstituted under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister to suggest policy initiatives for empowerment and protection of women in the State.