Source: Press Information Bureau
The scheme was implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It targets the women victims of difficult circumstances who are in need of institutional support for rehabilitation so that they could lead their life with dignity. The Scheme envisages providing shelter, food, clothing and health as well as economic and social security for these women.
Objectives of the scheme
Under the Scheme, Swadhar Greh will be set up in every district with capacity of 30 women with the following objectives:
- To cater to the primary need of shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment and care of the women in distress and who are without any social and economic support.
- To enable them to regain their emotional strength that gets hampered due to their encounter with unfortunate circumstances.
- To provide them with legal aid and guidance to enable them to take steps for their readjustment in family/society.
- To rehabilitate them economically and emotionally.
- To act as a support system that understands and meets various requirements of women in distress.
- To enable them to start their life afresh with dignity and conviction
Components of the scheme
- Construction grant for construction of the building will be admissible to State Governments, Municipal Corporations, Cantonment Boards and Panchayati Raj Institutions only. Land for this purpose is to be provided by the implementing agency free of cost.
- Rent for Swadhar Greh, if run in a rented building.
- Assistance for recurring and non-recurring expenditure for management of Swadhar Greh
- Provision for food, shelter, clothing, medical care, pocket expense for residents and children
- Provision of counselling, legal aid, vocational training and guidance.
Beneficiaries under the scheme
The benefit of the component could be availed by women above 18 years of age of the following categories:
- Women who are deserted and are without any social and economic support
- Women survivors of natural disasters who have been rendered homeless and are without any social and economic support
- Women prisoners released from jail and are without family, social and economic support
- Women victims of domestic violence, family tension or discord, who are made to leave their homes without any means of subsistence and have no special protection from exploitation and/ or facing litigation on account of marital disputes; and
- Trafficked women/girls rescued or runaway from brothels or other places where they face exploitation and Women affected by HIV/AIDS who do not have any social or economic support. However such women/ girls should first seek assistance under UJJAWALA Scheme in areas where it is in operation.
Women affected by domestic violence could stay up to one year. For other categories of women, the maximum period of stay could be up to 3 years. The older women above 55 years of age may be accommodated for maximum period of 5 years after which they will have to shift to old age homes or similar institutions.
Swadhar Greh facilities could also be availed by the children accompanying women in the above categories. Girls up to the age of 18 years and boys up to the age of 8 years would be allowed to stay in the Swadhar Greh with their mothers.
Implementing agencies
- State Government agencies including the Women Development Corporations established by the State Governments
- Central or State autonomous bodies
- Municipal Bodies
- Cantonment Boards
- Panchayati Raj Institutions and Co-operative institutions
- Departments of Women and Child Development/Social Welfare of the State Governments which may construct Swadhar Greh and run them on their own or lease them to organization(s) having requisite experience for such period as deemed fit, for managing the operations under this scheme
- Public Trusts registered under any law for the time being in force
- Civil Society Organizations such as NGOs etc. having proven track record of working in the fields of women’s welfare/social welfare/ women’s education subject to the condition that such organization is registered under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860 or any relevant State Act
