Unveiling a slew of measures for women’s development, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday said an international centre would be set up at the Mother Teresa Women’s University, Kodaikanal.
To be called ‘Tamil Nadu Commonwealth Mother Teresa Women’s International Centre’, the proposed body would be established with the support of the Association of Commonwealth Universities. The government would set apart Rs. five crore for the purpose.
Credit linkage for Rs. 6,000 crore would be provided to women’s Self-HelpGroups (SHGs) and Panchayat-Level Federations (PLFs). A sum of Rs. 10 lakh would be given to 2,323 village poverty-reduction committees, formed under the State Rural Livelihoods Mission. An incentive of Rs. one lakh each would be given for 4,000 PLFs.
Select representatives of rural local bodies would be provided training on issues concerning violence against women, for which Rs. 1.25 crore had been earmarked.
To promote solar-powered gadgets through women SHGs, 4,000 women would undergo a training programme.
Incentive to girl students
The scheme of providing incentive to girl students belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes would be extended to those in seventh and eighth classes.
The amount of Rs. 1,500 would be given to each student. At present, the scheme covered the students from third standard to sixth standard.
Modern sewing machines would be given to Women Industrial Tailoring Co-operative Societies, which had 8,406 women belonging to SCs. Of the total cost, 70 per cent would be given at four per cent interest through Tamil Nadu Adi-Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (TAHDCO) and the rest through the Special Central Assistance.
Considering growing requirements of working women in 11 districts including Coimbatore, Tiruvallur, Tiruchi, Vellore, Salem, Thanjavur and Tirunelveli, one hostel would be built in each of the districts.
Besides, Chennai would have six hostels and Kancheepuram, three.
Totally, the government would construct 20 hostels for working women, benefitting 1,000 persons. The total cost would be Rs. 25 crore, the Chief Minister added.
