Usha Kiran Yojana, a ray of hope

Bhopal, Mar 14: The women, who were, hitherto, forced to suffer in silence under the yoke of violence and repressive acts of powerful and influential people, would now be able to raise their voice against them. This has become possible through Madhya Pradesh government's Usha Kiran Yojana which has brought a new ray of hope in the lives of these hapless women. Under Usha Kiran Yojana, arrangements have been made for extending immediate succour to violence-hit woman and redressal of her problems.

Woman and Child Development Minister Kusum Singh Mehdele said here today that Usha Kiran Yojana is being launched by Woman and Child Development Department with a view to providing help and security to violence-hit women. Under the project, one helpline service would be started in every district. The helpline telephone number would be the same throughout the state. An affected woman would be able to register her complaint and problems anywhere and anytime using this toll-free number and get her problem redressed.

Elaborating, Mehdele said that security officers have been appointed at every Integrated Child Development Project with a view to giving protection to violence-affected women. She said that first of all counselling by experts would be made available to such a woman at development block level so that her problem is redressed at the local level itself. Woman and Child Development Minister Mehdele further said that a protection home would be arranged at the district-level for homeless women where arrangements would be made for her lodging, food, treatment and counselling.

Provision has also been made for free legal advice for the affected woman if the measures to solve the problem through counselling bear no results. Specially, this project would give relief to those women who leave their houses in the wake of domestic violence and fall victim to unfortunate incidents. A committee headed by district collector would be set up in every district for running the project and reviewing its progress. The committee would comprise officers of police, Woman and Child Development Department and Social Justice Department and representatives of social organisations. Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act 2005 would also be widely publicised through this project by launching campaigns. Besides, workshops focusing on this Act are being held at state, district and project levels.