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Illusion of women11
1. ILLUSION OF WOMEN 'S EMPOWERMENT
The concept of women lib gained widespread attention in recent
times. Empowerment of women is closely linked to the opportunities they
have in education, health & economic and political participation.
"Government has operationalising this approach through legislative and
programmatic interventions as well as by mainstreaming gender into the
development planning process". The government has started several
schemes and initiated many new policy initiatives for the welfare and
development of women which also include initiatives for economic and
social empowerment. The scope for development have been expanding
under various plans. The major schemes are as follows -
1- Women and education - India which had a bottom – heavy
population is now graduating to an economy with middle – heavy
population. Government has exercised well to teach the girl child.
Free education for all children between 6 and 14 years has been
made a fundamental rights under the RTE Act 2009. The SSA has
had positive outcomes for girl child education leading to an increase
in the gender parity index (GPI) in primary (0.94) as well as upper
primary (0.92) education. Enrolment of girls in schools in the age
group of 5-14 years has increased from 79.6 percent 2004-05 to 87.7
percent in 2009-10. Similarly, the number of girls in the educational
system in the 15-19 years age groups increased from 40.3 percent
to54.6percent and in the age group 20-24 years 7.6 percent to 12.8
percent over the same period. According to Indian Human
development Report 2011, despite attaining high enrollment rates,
the net attendance rates (NAR) remained low. The National
attendance rates (NAR) remained low. The National literacy mission
or Saakshar Bhart Targeted female literacy as a critical instrument of
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2. women's empowerment. This has led to an increase in literacy
amongst women from 53.67 percent (census2001) to 65.46 percent
(census2011). For the first time, out of the total of 217.70 million
literates added during the decade, women (110.07) out numbered
men.
2- Women and Health – The National health policy 2002 and the
priorities set in the implementation of policies and programmes for
health care. Implementation of the NHRM has resulted in an
improvement in many development indicators for women. As per
the India Human development Report, fertility rates have come
down and have reached replacement levels in a number of a states.
MMR (Mother Mortality Rates) has come down to 212 per 1,00,000
live births in 2009 from 301 in 2003. Infant Mortality Rates (IMR),
through still high, has fallen to 50 per 1000 in 2009.
3- Rajiv Gandhi scheme for empowerment of adolescent girls
(RGSEAG) – This scheme was launched on 19 November 2010
with the objective of empowering adolescent girls in the age group
11-18 years by bringing improvement in their nutritional and health
status and upgrading various skills. It is implemented in 200 selected
districts across the country on a pilot basis. The RGSEAG is being
implemented through state government / UT administrations with
100 percent financial assistance from the central government for all
inputs other than nutrition provision for which 50 percent assistance
is provided. Nearly 100 lakhs adolescent girls in 200 districts are
expected to be benefited per annum under the scheme. In these 200
districts, the Kishori Shakti Yojna (KSY) and Nutrition Programme
for Adolescent Girls (NPAG) have been merged in RGSEAG. For
this scheme Rs. 750 crore has been allocated.
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3. 4- The Rajiv Gandhi National Crèche scheme for Children of
Working Mothers- This scheme provides for a day- care facilities
to 0-6 years old children of working mothers by opening crèches and
development services, i.e. supplementary nutrition, health – care
inputs like immunization, polio-drops, basic health monitoring and
recreation. The combined monthly income of both the parents
should not exceed Rs. 12,000 for availing of the facilities. The
number of crèches functional at present are 23,785 and beneficiary
children are beneficiary children are 594,625.The approved outlay
for 2011-12 for the scheme was Rs. 85 crore.
5- Support of Training and Employment Programm for women
(STEP) scheme- This scheme seeks to provide updated skills and
new knowledge to poor and new knowledge to poor women in 10
traditional sectors of agriculture, animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries,
handicrafts, khadi and village industries, sericulture, social forestry
and waste land development so as to enhance their productivity and
income generation. For expanding the reach of the programme and
further strengthening it, implementation of the scheme was revised
in November 2009. The scheme aims at introduction of locally
appropriate sectors. The number of beneficiaries in each project.
may now vary from 200to 10,000 with the funding celing at
Rs16,000 per beneficiary upto a period of five years. Since
inception, around 250 projects have been provided financial
assistance under this scheme. Since January 2011, 12 new projects
have been sanctioned upto January 2012, covering 14,225
beneficiaries and a sum Rs 11.50 crore has been allocated in
financial year 2011-12 under the STEP scheme.
6- Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) – The RMK (National credit fund
for Women) was created in 1993 with a corpus fund of Rs 31 crore .
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4. The initial corpus has now grown to over Rs 180 crore including
reserves and surplus due to credit investment and recovery
management an additional budgetary allocation of Rs 69 crore.
Since its creation, the RMK has established itself as a principal
organization for the development of micro finance in the
unorganized sector for poor women. The RMK has taken a number
of promotional measures through micro- financing, thrift and credit
formation of SHGs, and also enterprise development for poor
women. From its inception till 15 December 2011, the RMK has
sanctioned loans worth Rs 315,32 crore and released Rs 260.23
crore, covering over 6.94 lakh women beneficiaries.
7- Women and the economy- The participation of women in the
workforce the quality of work allotted to them and their contribution
to the GDP are indicators of the extent of their being mainstreamed
into the economy. The National Skill Development Programme
(NSDP) has identified 231 modular courses for women. It is critical
that the training has relevance to the changing labour markets.
Efforts are needed to link skill development programmes to the
NSDP to ensure relvance and enhance employability. An important
strategy for financial inclusion of women, which is crucial for their
integration into the economy, has been micro – finance. The model
encourages access of SHGs to both as a means of saving and as
providers of loan services. By March 2010, 69.53 lakh SHGs
including those formed under the SGSY had been covered under the
National bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD)
SHGs – bank linkage programme of these 76 percent of exclusively
women SHGs accounting for 72.5 percent of savings and 82 percent
of outstanding loans.
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5. 8- GENDER Budgeting for Women- Women constituting 48 percent
of India's population, lag behind men due to sickness education and
economic opportunities and many other problems, the government
has started gender budgeting in 2005. In this regard the first step in
this direction was to establish Gender Budgeting Cells in 56
ministries / departments at union level. A significant break through
was the introduction of the GB statement in 2005-06, which is
placed in parliament with the Union Budget documents every year.
It serves as a reporting mechanism and provides on indication of the
funds flowing to women. The magnitude of GB allocation as a
percentage of the total budget has also gone up from 2.79 percent in
2005-06 to 6.22 percent in 2011-12.
9- National Mission for Empowerment of women(NMEW) – It is an
umbrella mission to strengthen inter- sectoral convergence and
facilitate the process of co-ordination of all the women's welfare and
socioeconomic development programmes across ministries and
departments, was launched on 8 march 2010 to ensure economic and
social empowerment of women. The NHEW is piloting the
convergence model across the country in 32 selected districts with
the aim of bridging the gap between demand and supply of women-
related services by undertaking realistic estimates of the demand for
various services/schemes for and connecting them service providers.
The first such pilot convergence projects. The first such pilot
convergence project was launched in Pali district in Rajasthan on 16
September 2011 with the opening of 150 village level centers.
10- Other schemes - Some other schemes related to women are as
follows – (1) Ujjwala It is started from 4 December 2007 aims at
prevention of trafficking with five specific components –
prevention, rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration and repatriation of
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6. victims. The total number of rehabilitation centre under this scheme
is 86 creating capacity for and rehabilitation centre under these
scheme is 86, creating capacity for and rehabilitation of more than
4000 victims of trafficking.
11- Swadhar Greh Scheme :- Two existing schemes, i.e swadhar and
short stay home, being implemented with the similar objective as
above. In Swadhar Greh scheme shelter are provided for those
women who are victims of unfortunates circumstances and are in
need of institutional support for rehabilitation, so that they lead their
lives with dignity. Under the new scheme, women are provided
emotional support and counseling to enable them to become self-
reliant and get rehabilitated economically through education, skill
upgradation and personality development.
Though government has sponsored so many programmes for the
security and empowerment of women and girls in particular find
themselves excluded from several opportunities. Women workers are
exploited everywhere at several levels. They are always fighting against
low wages, lack of social security, poor working conditions and sexual
exploitation. In rural areas many of them are unable to get basic necessities
for their livelihood. Women's work is denied recognition for proper pay.
They face enormous obstacles in having their voices heard and in claiming
rights and freedoms that are enshrined in our constitution and laws but
denied in practice. In rural areas generally girl denied the chance to fulfill
her potential and any women exploited and repressed by unscrupulous
money lenders, land lords, traders or even their families is a loss to our
country."
By nature inequality between the sexes occurs everywhere. In their
daily lives girls and women face many barriers which is not for men.
Tradition, culture and religion are often the underlying justification for this
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7. discrimination. This is unfair for our future. There is a labour union for
women is established in informal sector. Its name is SEWA (Self –
Employed women's Association). There are millions of women earn their
incomes by producing goods in their homes, picking and recycling,
rubbish, working as agricultural laboures, street wenders and hawkers.
They work incredibly hard for their survival but the impact of financial
independence goes for beyond getting more food or securing shelter at
night. This is the reason they are safe from domestic violence, their
decision are shared in the families.
A survey conducted by Thomas Reuter's Trust Law Women, a hub
of legal information and legal support for women's rights, India ranks with
Afghanistan, Congo and Somalia as one of the most dangerous place for
women. In a country where women and girls are accepted as Mother and
the Goddess, but at present many cases have been registered of their
molestation. A society that is unable to respect, protect and nurture its
women, loses its mortality. This problem can not be solved by the
government alone but by a national awakening involving the entire country
and civil society.
Generally women in the country face numerous disadvantages –
poor health indicators, lower literacy rates, lower income levels, poor
female to male ratio due to sex- selective abortions and female infanticide
acts of violence against women etc. For example Prevention of Witches
Practices Act was passed in undivided Bihar in 1999, yet witch killings are
reported at present. This social malaise needs to be treated as a national
security issue at the highest level of government, both at Centre and in
States.
There are so many acts for the protection of women but they are
toothless.
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8. ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT
Physical Area of the Research Project - Block Development office,
Baragaon Varanasi, U.P is situated on the road of Babatpur to Anaei. Its
distance is 6 kilometer from Lal Bahadur shastri Inter-national Airport,
Bahtpur Varanasi. The geographical area of the block is 174.33 square
Kilometer in 2001. It is 25 kilometer away from Varanasi city headquarter.
There are 8 Block development Office in Varanasi district. The Bargaon
Block is highest in area comparative to other Blocks. In the Block area,
there are 13 Nyay Panchayats and 78 Village Panchayats. Total revenue
villages are 139. The population of the Block is 1,95,972 in which 98,758
male and 97214 female. The male literacy rate is 80.87 percent and female
is 47.04 percent. After farming, weaving of carpet and saree is main
handicraft work. Fisheries are also running by some families. Fifteen local
markets are established in the block region. The density of population is
1124 person per square kilometer in 2001. The percentage of farmers is
58.1 and 18 percent population are engaged in family cottage industries.
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9. Methodology of the Research Project
In Baragaa Block working force of the population is divided in five
sectors (i) Farmers (ii) Agricultural workers (iii) Family workers (iv) Other
workers (v) Marginal workers. These workers belong to BPL population.
Census 2001 express the numbers of category of workers in the following
Table.
Sectoral working Force Distribution in Baragaon Block (2001 cencus)
Sectors Population
(i) Farmers 22543
(ii) Agricultural Workers 4477
(iii) Family workers 8388
(iv) Other workers 11080
(v) Marginal workers 16310
(vi) Total Workers 62798
Source: Statistical Magazine Varanasi District 2009
The above table shows that 8388 family workers are registered
according to the census 2001, in the Block and majority of family workers
belongs to women in rural families. They are working very hard in every
season. The number of registered revenue villagers are 135 .Women
workers are counted in every village in the following category (Annexure
Attached).
1- Women as farmer.
2- Agricultural Women Labour
3- Women Labour in family cottage industry
4- Other women workers.
The above four categories of women are targeted for the minor
research project. The method of research is divided in two parts –
(i) Survey and collection of data
(ii) Empirical and Tabulation work.
A questionnaire is prepared for the survey of working women in the
targeted village. The questionnaire is divided in various types of question,
9
10. i.e. Name, Age, Marital position, Children, education, type of work, Time
of work, Payment of wok etc. The format of questionnaire is attached.
The random survey has been conducted in random families of
registered villages. The survey is divided in four categories, i.e. General,
Other Backward classes, Schedule caste/ Scheduled Tribes and Minorities.
The questionnaire paper is filled by attaining the answer of female
workers. The questionnaire is duly filled by face to face conversation give
their family background, earning of her family members and time of work,
work load, work- facilities, her qualification and her dependents. The
samples paper of questionnaire is attached. After survey tabulation work
has been done. To get fruitful results 100 families are selected by lottery
method for micro studies. During tabulation the job work load and
earnings of female workers have been presented in 8 tables comprises the
categories-general, other backward classes scheduled castes/scheduled
tribes and minorities. Table 1 to 4 shows the working hours of husbands
and wives and their mean value of every categories. In the same way table
5to 8 the average income of husband and wives in every categories.
(Annexure Attached).
From the above mentioned tables the mean value of work load can
expressed by the following table -
Mean Distribution of work load in various categories
Category of society
Mean distribution of work load in hours
Husband Wives
(i) General 8.14 9.54
(ii) O.B.C 9.68 9.38
(iii) S.C/S.T 9.68 9.51
(iv) Minorities 10.01 9.4
The above table shows the per day per workers work load in hours.
The mean hours of work load of wives more or less are equal in every
categories while it express some difference in male workers. There is a
10
11. minor difference of work load of male and female workers of O.B.C and
S.C/S.T categories.
After showing the work load of female workers it is necessary to
explain their earning. After tabulation the average monthly family income
of various categories of society in Baragaon Block has been expressed by
the following table.
Average Monthly Family Income of various Categories of the
society in Baragaon Block (in Rs 000)
Category of Society
Average Monthly Income (Rs.000)
Husband Wives
1. General 7.1 3.3
2. O.B.C. 5.17 3.11
3. S.C./S.T. 3.25 3.11
4. Minorities 5.58 4.20
After calculations of the table (shows in annexure) the average
monthly family incomes in every categories of the society shows a big
difference between the earnings of husband and wives in general
categories and a marginal difference in the family incomes of O.B.C., S.C./
S.T. and minorities.
Findings-
i. The work load, work hour and work facilities of women workers
more or less equal to male workers.
ii. The nature of work for women is too much hard.
iii. Educational qualifications of women workers are less, as
comparative to male.
iv. Average dependants of women workers are about equal except
minorities of the society.
v. It is amazing that the work-hours, work-load of male and female
workers are equal in every categories but the earnings of women
are too much less as compared male workers.
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12. vi. The average earnings of women in every category more or less
equal.
Thus, female work force are facing various type of problems and
discrimination in the country. This is the reason the percentage of female
work force dipped by 7 percent between 1983 to 2009-10. As per result of
various round of surveys conducted during 1983 to 2009-10, female labour
force participation rate on usual status basis has varied from around 30
percent to 23.3 percent in 2009-10. These figures have been taken from the
last National Sample Survey of 2009-10, conducted once every five years.
The reason for the decline in the rate of growth of labour force
during 2004-05 to 2009-10 is being attributed to drastic deceleration rate,
in labour force participation rate, particularly among women. There has
been a reduction in subsidiary employment, thereby leading to lesser
women participating in labour force. Not only this, an increase in level of
income in rural areas due to increase in real wages and higher level of
participation in education are also responsible for the decline in numbers.
Subject – Economics
Final Report
of
Minor Research Project
On
12
13. Economic Participation of Women in Rural
Family with special Reference to
Baragaon Block, Varanasi, U.P.
at
Sri Baldeo Post- Graduate College
Baragaon Varanasi, Uttar-Pradesh
Presented by
Dr. PH.K. Srivastava
Head
Department of Economics
Sri Baldeo P.G College
Baragaon Varanasi
13
14. iz'ukoyh@vuqlwph (Questionnaire / Schedule)
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vkfFkZd Hkkxhnkjh
(Economics Participation of Women in the Rural Families)
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2- lwpd dk uke % dksM la0
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4- ikfjokfjd fooj.k&
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LukrdksÙkj&6] rduhdh&7] nh{kk&8
14
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in the 21st
century
New century Publication, New Delhi
2005
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Sudaram
- India economy,
S. chand Publication New Delhi
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Publications, Bombay 1957
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The Hindu 29th
December 2012
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Hindu, Sunday 1 December 2011
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March
2012
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Women Employment .
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Feb 2011
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Singh Kuldip Bandh
- Women and child health Profile in Uttar
Pradesh Kurukshetra Feb 2010
33
34. 14 - Independence to Decide, The Hindu, 7
August 2011
15 K.P. Kannan - "Estimating and Identifying the Poor in
India."
India Journal of Human Development
January, June 2010.
Reports and News Papers
1. Govt. of India - Economic Survey
2. Govt. of India - N.S.S.O Reports
3. Govt. of India - India -2010
4. News Paper - The Hindu
5. lekpkj i= & nSfud tkxj.k
34