Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government lived up to its image of a woman-friendly dispensation with a slew of announcements including exclusive lodges for working women and homes for survivors of sexual assaults. The state’s initiative stands out in contrast to the central government budget which lacked any mention of women’s safety.
State finance minister T M Thomas Isaac unequivocally declared on Friday that women welfare was one of the focus areas of the Left Democratic Front government. He backed up the claim by setting aside 13.6 per cent of the budgetary allocation for woman-oriented programs.
The most important of the announcements was the setting up of She Lodges to cater to working women who are required to travel out of their hometown.
The She Lodges to come up in Kochi and the surrounding areas are expected to benefit thousands of women who travel to the commercial center on work. The finance minister has allotted Rs 4 core for setting up the lodges. If the model is successfully implemented in other districts as well, it could be a boost to the upwardly mobile women professionals.
Isaac’s project is worth being copied in the other metros of India, where traveling women find it hard to find safe and comfortable accommodation.
The Kerala Budget also includes a proposal to start homes for survivors of sexual offenses. The homes will be named after Nirbhaya.
Isaac has earmarked Rs 50 crore to ensure protection for women. He admitted that the state could not boast of being literate in gender justice and assured that the government was all for women’s empowerment.
He also allotted Rs 1,267 for women welfare. Women will also benefit from the government’s grant of Rs 200 crore for the Kudumbasree self-help movement and the decision to dedicate the next financial year to the self-help groups.
The budget has a share of Rs 12 crore for a gender park. The monthly benefit for unwed mothers has been increased to Rs 2,000.
Isaac placed more stress on inclusive governance when he announced a proposal to start homes for transgenders in every district headquarters.
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