WOMEN AND Child Welfare Department Principal Secretary Prashant Mehta on Saturday said the proposal for setting up women special education zones (WSEZs) forwarded by him to the State Planning Board has been appreciated. Sompal Shastri, vice-chairman of Board, has expressed favourable response to the idea still in conceptual stage.
Once approved by the Union Government, the WSEZs will be included in the 11th Five-Year Plan commencing from April next, said Mehta.
Talking to the HT here, Mehta said the proposal to set up special education zones for women at divisional headquarter-level has been suggested. Spread over an area of 1000 hectare, the campus will offer professional and vocational study courses including engineering, medical, IT and biotechnology.
Besides, the department has embarked on massive restructuring and strengthening of its activities. Mehta said the Aaganwadi centres (nearly 60,000) in the State would be strengthened with a new ‘menu card’ in place of dalia alone as food nourishment. A variety of food consisting folic acid and iron etc as mid-day food supplement in place of age-old dalia will be introduced at Aaganwadis.
Besides increasing the number of Aaganwadi centres to 70,000, the State Government also plans to provide them with better health facilities, primary education and empowerment of women etc.
{{/usCountry}}Besides increasing the number of Aaganwadi centres to 70,000, the State Government also plans to provide them with better health facilities, primary education and empowerment of women etc.
{{/usCountry}}Mehta said that in the backdrop of widening gap of male and female population ratio, an ambitious “Laadli Laxmi Yojana” to discourage female foeticide was on the anvil.
Under the scheme, the government will deposit Rs 30,000 in NSC account at post office against newborn female child regardless of economic status. On maturity at the age of 21 year, the beneficiary girl will get Rs 1 lakh besides recurring interest benefit to support primary, high and college education at regular intervals, he added.
Mehta said the restructuring of schemes included blending of women-centric festive activities on auspicious day of Tuesday every week. He informed nearly 1000 villages in the State have been identified as cluster of under-nourished despite measures to improve scenario. Under renewed plans, the Aaganwadi workers would provide food and other services thrice in a day.
He lauded the efforts of Morena district administration of introducing ‘Sanjha Chulha’ concept at panchayat level of community feast.