Swadhar Greh

Benefits and Features of Swadhar Greh

The official guidelines of Swadhar Greh state that the scheme aims to assist women in extremely difficult circumstances by:

While Swadhar Greh (now Shakti Sadan) provides immediate shelter, counselling, medical care, and rehabilitation support, rebuilding financial stability is equally important. As women become financially independent, understanding Life Insurance can help them plan for their family's long-term financial security and future responsibilities.

As per PIB Delhi, the scheme also caters to the needs of women and girl victims of family conflicts, crime, violence, mental disorders, social exclusion, kidnapping, prostitution and moral danger. It is focused on restoring their socio-economic well-being.

"Krishna Kutir" Home for Widows at Vrindavan, Mathura operates under Shakti Sadan and is fully sponsored by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. As visualised by MWCD, it also provides vocational and bank account opening guidance to widows as envisaged by other departments.

Swadhar Greh Policy Framework and Guidelines

As per the erstwhile Swadhar Greh Guidelines, a Swadhar Greh with 30 beds was to be established in each district. However, if there is a greater need for facilities, or the population of a city/district is over 40 lakhs, then it becomes necessary to establish two or more Swadhar Grehs, and their capacity could even go up to 50 or 100 as per the need.

As per PIB Delhi, the erstwhile Swadhar Greh Scheme was a Centrally Sponsored Scheme wherein the cost sharing between the Central Government and States would be in a 60:40 ratio. In case of North Eastern and Himalayan States, it is 90:10, and for the Union Territory, it is 100% borne by the Central Government.

Shakti Sadan, a combined scheme from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, permits women to stay for up to 3 years, with extension possible at the discretion of the District Magistrate. One Stop Centre (OSC) and police stations recommend women to Shakti Sadan.

Eligibility Criteria

As per official Swadhar Greh Guidelines, women over the age of 18 who belong to any of the following groups can get the benefit.

• Women who have been left alone and do not have any social or financial help.

• Women who have been through natural disasters, lost their homes and cannot get social or financial help.

• Women who are released from jail and have no family, social, or economic support.

• Women affected by domestic violence, family tension, or discord, who have had to leave their homes without means of subsistence.

• Women who are forced to leave their homes due to abuse and violence, family row or conflicts, and eventually are left without any option to earn for themselves.

• Women and girls who have been trafficked and have been resettled, or have escaped from brothels or other exploitative places where they are being abused.

• Women with HIV/AIDS who have no social and financial support.

Application Process

The Ministry of Women and Child Development states that Swadhar Greh is an institutional support scheme and does not involve an online application process. Women can access support directly or through referrals.

• Approach Directly or Through Referral: A woman can come to the Swadhar Greh/Shakti Sadan nearby either by herself or by referral of a One Stop Centre, police station, hospital or other such authority.

• Initial Interview and Case File: When the counsellor arrives, an interview is conducted with the woman to understand the background and reasons for the distress, and the case file is prepared accordingly.

• Registration: The name, address, and age of the woman and any other information related to accompanying children are recorded in the admission book.

• Police Intimation: Information about each admission is sent to the local police station within 24 hours of the admission.

• Medical Check-up: A medical check-up is done at the nearest government-run hospital or dispensary within three days of admission.

• Rehabilitation Plan: The case file is prepared with a rehabilitation plan, and various services such as counselling, legal aid, and job training, among others, are provided accordingly.

Conclusion

At present, Swadhar Greh comes under Mission Shakti as Shakti Sadan. It provides shelter to women in difficult circumstances and supports their rehabilitation and reintegration through housing facilities, food, medical treatment, counselling services, legal support, and vocational training. Citizens can find the latest information regarding schemes on the official websites of the Ministry of Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti.

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