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Women Welfare / Development

City anchor: PMC sets a new yardstick in women empowerment

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The Indian Express                         23.03.2013

City anchor: PMC sets a new yardstick in women empowerment

Impressed by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) model of women empowerment, the state government has urged all civic bodies to follow it.

Chief secretary Jayant Kumar Banthia recently held a meeting of administrative heads of all local civic bodies to review the work done for empowerment of women. After the presentation by each local body, the chief secretary said he was impressed by the work done by PMC and directed other civic bodies to follow it.

"The work of PMC is good and needs to be replicated in other cities. I will personally write to all civic bodies," said Banthia.

The state government started giving special attention to safety and security of women in the state after the Delhi gangrape case that had raised the issue of women empowerment across the country. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and cabinet colleagues had convened a meeting of bureaucrats to work for safety and security of women.

State Home Minister R R Patil too had called a meeting of municipal commissioners, police commissioners and directed them to plan programmes that would ensure safety and security of women.

Municipal Commissioner Mahesh Pathak and Urban Community Development in-charge Hanumant Nazirkar explained the work done by PMC for women. "It was also realised that the budgetary provision made by PMC for women is more than any other civic bodies," said Nazirkar.

However, the most appreciated initiative of PMC has been the network of women self help groups (SHGs).

"There are over 70,000 women SHGs in PMC area and the civic body encourages them in various ways. The mid-day meal scheme is implemented through a women SHG, distribution of property tax bills was also planned through a SHG," said mayor Vaishali Bankar. The PMC also provides skill-based training for women of SHGs, she said adding it has recently started imparting management skills to sell products made by SHGs.

There are various courses in tailoring and jewellery designing being conducted on behalf of the PMC. A free two-wheeler and four-wheeler driving training for women has also been started.

"The PMC has been working to empower women by making them financially independent. The civic body organises fairs for women SHGs to sell their products and soon would start a multi-purpose centre for women SHGs," said Congress leader Sunanda Gadale. She added that the PMC will soon start giving self-defence lessons to women in the city and involve women SHGs for the purpose.

Last Updated on Saturday, 23 March 2013 09:13
 

NMC to appoint deputy commissioner on women & child welfare panel

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The Times of India                      16.03.2013

NMC to appoint deputy commissioner on women & child welfare panel

NASHIK: The NMC on Friday decided to appoint a deputy commissioner-level officer on the Women & Child Welfare Committee (W&CWC) of the civic body to implement the schemes of the committee effectively. The NMC also decided to implement Janani Shishu Suraksha Yojana (mother and child security scheme) and make provisions in the civic budget for the fiscal 2013-14.

A decision to this effect was taken at the general body meeting (GBM) of the NMC on Friday. The civic administration had tabled the proposal to introduce the mother and child safety scheme for pregnant women and newborns in the limits of the NMC at a cost of Rs 1 crore, which was to be spent from the funds of the W&CWC. The W&CWC members at the GBM strongly sought the appointment of a deputy commissioner-level competent officer on the panel.


Mayor Yatin Wagh said, "The mother and child safety scheme will be introduced in the city and provision will be made in the in the civic budget for the fiscal 2013-14." He also directed the civic administration to appoint a deputy commissioner-level officer for effective planning and implementation of the schemes.

Earlier, the W&CWC chairman, Manisha Hekare, said, "The chairperson and the members of the W&CWC are elected for the period of one year and they face lot of difficulties while chalking out various schemes and implementation of the plans. With an aim to help the committee, we had written to the civic administration on November 21, 2012 asking that a deputy commissioner-level competent official be appointed on the committee."

Former deputy mayor and BJP corporator Devyani Pharande said that though the mother and child safety scheme is good, the provision of the funds should be made by the civic administration instead of spending from the funds of the W&CWC.

Gurumeet Bagga from the City Development Front raised the question as to why the NMC should spend on the scheme if the state and the central government are giving 100% grant.

The scheme will provide free health services for delivery. It includes transporting the patient from her home to the hospital, free food for new mothers - three days for women who deliver normally and seven days for women who deliver via caesarean section.
Last Updated on Saturday, 16 March 2013 09:36
 

Civic seats fail to empower

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The Times of India                      16.03.2013

Civic seats fail to empower

NEW DELHI: The three municipal corporations in Delhi now have half of the seats reserved for women. The move to empower women got 156 councillors into the Houses in the 2012 elections against 90 women councillors in 2007. However, it turns out that increasing the number doesn't mean their male counterparts would accept them as equals.

During a heated discussion on the inauguration of a road under-bridge on January 21, a male councillor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation had threatened and thrown empty water bottles at women councillors in the front row to hush them. The women councillors complained to lieutenant governor Tejendra Khanna and it was decided that 10 marshals would be deployed during meetings for their safety. However, nothing has been done so far.

The same corporations also have less than 20% women staff at the senior level while it has close to 60 such posts. Around 10-12 women head various departments, but there is only one woman additional commissioner in all three corporations. They comprise 35-40 % of the total workforce .

The erstwhile MCD was never headed by a woman. Now, all three mayors are women. But this is due to reservation.

New Delhi Municipal Council has a woman, Archna Arora, as its chairperson but there aren't many women directors. Of the 20 departments, women are heading just three while women comprise around 30% of the total workforce. 
Last Updated on Saturday, 16 March 2013 08:02
 


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