Organization : Social Welfare Assam
Service Name : Working Women Hostel Scheme
Applicable State : Assam
Country: India
Website : https://socialwelfare.assam.gov.in/information-services/woman-welfare-schemes
Guidelines : https://www.statusin.in/uploads/35969-WorkingWomen.pdf
Social Welfare Assam Scheme For Working Women Hostel
** The following act and rule has been enclosed for further information on Women related acts and rules.
Related / Similar Service :
Assam Universalisation Of Women Helpline Scheme
Introduction
** With the progressive change in the socio-economic fabric of the country more and more women are leaving their homes in search of employment in big cities as well as urban and rural industrial clusters. One of the main difficulties faced by such women is lack of safe and conveniently located accommodation.
** The Government of India being concerned about the difficulties faced by such working women, introduced a scheme in 1972-73 of grant-in- aid for construction of new/ expansion of existing buildings for providing hostel facilities to working women in cities, smaller towns and also in rural areas where employment opportunities for women exist. Based on an evaluation, the existing scheme has been revised to promote availability of safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women who need to live away from their families due to professional commitments.
Objectives
** The objective of the scheme is to promote availability of safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women, with day care facility for their children, wherever possible, in urban, semi urban, or even rural areas where employment opportunity for women exist.
** To achieve this objective, the scheme will assistprojects for construction of new hostel buildings, expansion of existing hostel buildings and hostel buildings in rented premises. The working women’s hostel projects being assisted under this scheme shall be made available to all working women without any distinction with respect to caste, religion, marital status etc., subject to norms prescribed under the scheme.
** While the projects assisted under this scheme are meant for working women, women under training for job may also be accommodated in such hostels subject to the condition that taken together, such trainees should not occupy more than 30% of the total capacity the hostel and they may be accommodated in the hostels only when adequate numbers of working women are not available. Children of working women, up to the age of 18 years for girls and up to the age of 5 years for boys may be accommodated in such hostel with their mothers.
Beneficiaries
Following categories of working women and their children will be covered under this Scheme :
(i) Working women, who may be single, widowed, divorced, separated, married but whose husband or immediate family does not reside in the same city/area. Particular preference may be given to women from disadvantaged sections of the society. There should be also provision for reservation of seats for physically challenged beneficiaries.
(ii) Women who are under training for job provided the total training period does not exceed one year. This is only on the condition that there is vacancy available after accommodating working women. The number of women under training for job should not exceed 30% of the total capacity.
(iii) Girls up to the age of 18 years and boys up to the age of 5 years, accompanying working mothers will be provided accommodation, with their mothers. Working mothers may also avail of the services of the Day Care Centre, as provided under the scheme.
Income Limit, Rent & Period of Stay
** Working Women will be entitled to hostel facilities provided their gross income does not exceed Rs. 50,000/- consolidated (gross) per month in metropolitan cities, or Rs 35,000/-consolidated (gross) per month, in any other place. When the income of any working woman already residing in a hostel exceeds the prescribed limits, she will be required to vacate the hostel within a period of six months of crossing the income ceiling.
Financial Assistance Components
(a) 75% of the cost of construction of the building of working women hostel only on public land.
(b) Financial assistance for hostels to be run in rented premises. Amount of rent shall be as assessed by the State PWD/ District Collector. The rent received from the inmates shall be utilized for maintenance, house-keeping, security service, office establishment, expenditure towards water and electricity charges and any other support services other than mess.
(c) One-time non-recurring grant at the rate of Rs.7500/- per inmate at the time of commencement of the hostel for purchase of furniture (including bed, table, chair, almirah etc.) and furnishings. Cost of Washing Machine and Geysers/ Solar Water Heating System as approved by the Project Sanctioning Committee (PSC) will bereimbursed to the Implementing Agency along with final instalment on submission of receipts.
Additional grant on account in construction cost
** No request for additional fund over and above the estimate provided in the application will be entertained. However, during execution of the construction work, if the structure under construction or a part thereof gets damaged due to natural calamity which has been declared so by the National Disaster Management Authority or concerned State Disaster Management Authority, additional grant for undertaking repair/ restoration work can be allowed by the Project Sanctioning Committee on an application made for such assistance.
Eligibility Criteria
Agencies/ Organizations which can apply for assistance under the Scheme and their Eligibility Criteria :
The following agencies/ organisations can apply assistance under the scheme :
(i) State Government agencies including Women Development Corporations, Women Finance Corporations etc.
(ii) Urban Municipal Bodies including Cantonment Boards
(iii) Panchayati Raj Institutions
(iv) SHGs (Self Help Groups)
(v) Recognized Colleges/ Universities
(vii) Corporate or associations like CII, ASSOCHAM, FICCI etc., subject to the condition that the other working women are also provided accommodation in the hostel under this scheme in addition to their female employees.
(viii) Ministry of Women and Child Development and the State Governments may construct hostels on their own, and lease them to organization(s) having experience for such period(s) as deemed sufficient, for managing its operations as per norms of the scheme. State Govt. may seek assistance as per the prescribed norms of the scheme.