Mumbai: To closely monitor the implementation of schemes for the development of women and children, the State government will be setting up a dedicated Gender Cell to keep a check on the flow of funds for such schemes. State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said on Tuesday that the cell, to be set up by the finance and planning ministries before December, will review the impact of the schemes and renew them if they have not had the desired effect.
Addressing senior government officers during a meeting at the State Guest House Sahyadri, Mr. Mungantiwar said the impact of schemes for women and children isn’t clearly visible on ground. “We have asked every department to assess previous funding for the development of women and children. They must also assess how much of these funds are being used qualitatively, how efficiently they really help in empowering women and children.”
A State government officer who attended the meeting said, “A gender-friendly budget will not just change fund amounts, but will help check if it has really made a positive impact in the lives of women and children. The Minister said we need to check if women have really become empowered.”
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While the government is committed to providing better social security to women and increasing self-reliance, the utilisation of funds in such schemes should be monitored, Mr. Mungantiwar said. He also asked those present to study the functioning of gender budget cells in other States and submit the information at the earliest.
The State government has already committed to international organisations to transform 25 of the 125 blocks with poor development. “In these blocks, where the government is lagging on the human development index, a war against poverty is on with the help of the United Nations. For this, the UN has provided necessary human resources and technical assistance and a provision of ₹100 crore has been made in the State budget for this,” a government officer said.