KOCHI: The state budget has a basket of goodies for women. Schemes including the proposal to set up skill centres and she work spaces at the panchayat level have come in for special praise.
Swathy Varma P R, assistant professor of economics at St Teresa’s College, Ernakulam, termed the budget pro-women. “The budget has focused on empowering women by developing their skills and also making them self-sufficient either through employment or entrepreneurship.
The fact that allocations have been made for the setting up of skill centres and she work spaces at the panchayat level points towards this fact,” she told TNIE.
“TheRs 20 crore to expand panchayat-level skill centres and she work spaces for home-based income ventures, Rs 10 crore for community kitchens and rural workstations, fostering startups like Toco Chips led by Kudumbashree members, and converting local produce into global brands via private partnerships are some of the highlights that point towards this fact,” Swathy said.
Other highlights include the Chief Minister’s Sthree Suraksha Scheme, which promises to deliver Rs 1,000 monthly to 31 lakh women aged 35-60, including trans women, not covered by existing social-welfare measures. With Rs 3,720 crore allocated, 16.32 lakh have already enrolled.
“It is heartening to see that the monthly wages of Asha-Anganwadi workers have been enhanced by Rs 1,000. Then there is the scheme announced to ensure safe and quality lodging facilities for women working at Technopark in Thiruvananthapuram and Infopark in Kochi,” she said.