NEW DELHI: Keen to replicate the success of Nari Adalats, the Centre has written to all states to share proposals for setting them up at the local levels.
Nari Adalats provides women with an alternate grievance redressal mechanism for resolving minor disputes, including domestic violence, property rights and harassment in the country.
It has already been set up in a phased manner in states like Assam, and union territories of Jammu and Kashmir in the first phase.
The ministry has already received proposals for setting up more Nari Adalats from Bihar, Karnataka, Assam and J&K.
Now, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has written to all the states to share details about establishing Nari Adalats in their areas at the local level.
In a letter to states and union territories, the Secretary, the Women and Child Development Ministry, Anil Malik, said, “The Nari Adalat scheme represents a major step forward to provide an alternative platform for resolution of minor disputes by leveraging the strength of women within the local communities.”
Requesting the states and UTs to send proposals for establishing Nari Adalats on a pilot basis in at least 10 or 5-gram panchayats, Malik said, it is hoped that it will create a positive impact and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society by avoiding unnecessary and prolonged litigation.
The guidelines of the initiative, a key component under Mission Shakti, was issued on July 14, 2022.
Women and Child Development Minister, Annapurna Devi, said that the initiative of a women-only court forms a critical part of the Mission Shakti, a government program in India that aims to empower women and girls.
Mission Shakti aims to provide services and information to help women feel safe, secure, and self-reliant.
Speaking with the media, the minister said that the Union Budget 2025 reflects a significant increase in gender-focused allocations.
“The gender budget now constitutes 8.86% of the total budget, increasing from 6.8% in Financial Year 2024-25,” she said.
She emphasised that the ministry plays a key role in advancing these efforts, with a considerable share of its budget dedicated to empowering women and girls through various targeted initiatives.
“This reaffirms the government’s unwavering commitment to gender equality and women-led development,” she added.
A record allocation of Rs. 4.49 lakh crore has been designated for women's welfare, reflecting a 37.25 per cent increase from the previous year.
“The ministry remains at the forefront, allocating 81.79 per cent of its budget towards gender-focused programs,” she also added.
Highlighting the government’s vision for economic and social empowerment of women, she said, "Women entrepreneurs are a driving force behind India's economic progress. By providing targeted financial support and skill-building programs, we are fostering an inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem."
She also announced the seventh Poshan Pakhwada, to be observed from March 18 to April 2, with outcome-based activities around four key themes: Focus on the first 1000 days of life, popularization of a beneficiary module, management of malnutrition through implementation of the Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) module and healthy lifestyle to address obesity in children.