Funds for women’s empowerment scheme remain unused

By IANS

New Delhi : An amount of Rs.1.16 billion allocated by the government in 2000-01 for self-help groups and other NGOs working for empowerment of women has not been fully utilized even after six years, leading to yet another extension of the scheme.


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"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has granted an extension for the current financial year ending March 31, 2008 to the centrally sponsored Swayamsidha scheme," Finance Minister P. Chidambram told reporters Thursday.

He explained that the scheme, originally named Indira Mahila Yojana, was later re-christened as Swayamsidha (self-attainment) scheme in 2000-01 by the then National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

An amount of Rs.1.16 billion was set aside in the union budget of that year for Swayamsidha, applicable in all states and union territories of India.

"A substantial amount was lying under the scheme which came up for review last year, so the government granted an extension of one year for utilising the allocated funds. However, even now an amount of Rs.278 million is lying unused. That is why the CCEA has granted another extension for the current financial year," he said.

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