Page 194 - economic review

SOCIAL SERVICE166

homes, day care centres and mobile medicare units. In 2013-14, only two NGOs in Kerala received
support from GOI as against GOI support to 61 NGOs in Andhra Pradesh and 17 in Karnataka.
Identification of more eligible NGOs and other support agencies in the State are necessary for getting
more financial support from Centre.

Vayomithram Programme

4.121 Kerala Social Security Mission is implementing this programme in 5 Corporations and 27
Municipalities of the State giving welfare services to persons above 65 years. Free medicine,
palliative home care, medical camps and helps desk facilities are the services. During 2013-14, the
programme assisted nearly one lakh older persons.

Welfare of Women

4.122 Women and children, the most disadvantaged sections of society, still face greater
discrimination and lack access to various services. There has been continuous endeavor on the part
of the Government to specially focus on this target group in the existing plan schemes. The present
status of women in Kerala is given in the chapter of gender development. However, the activities of
the statutory bodies for women empowerment and major schemes promoting social and economic
rehabilitation of women are as follows.

Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana

4.123 This centrally sponsored scheme provides financial assistance to pregnant women of 19 years
and above for the first two live births in Palakkad district. The scheme assisted 31161 beneficiaries
in 2013. Delays in cash disbursement and inadequate convergence with health department are the
major implementation gaps.

Snehasparsham

4.124 This scheme implemented by KSSM aims to address the problem of unwed mothers. Monthly
assistance of Rs.1000/- is given to all unwed mothers and has benefited 1692 women in 2013-14.

Kerala Women’s Commission

4.125 The Commission has taken steps to enhance the status of women and to enquire into unfair
practices affecting women by conducting seminars and adalaths. The Commission had conducted 67
seminars/legal workshops, 127 adalaths, 11 premarital counseling and 195 gender awareness camps
in educational institutions during 2013-14. In 2013, the Commission received 7089 complaints and
3395 cases were disposed. The percentage increase of complaints received is 113. The district wise
data shows, Thiruvananthapuram has the highest number of complaints and Kasargode the least.
The nature of complaints shows that domestic violence and family problems is on the increase.
The category wise and district wise details of complaints received as on March, 2014 are given in
Appendix 4.68.

Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation

4.126 Self employment schemes for women, flagship programme on gender awareness and
construction of She- toilets are the major programmes of the Corporation. During 2013-14, the
Corporation benefitted 10747 women directly or indirectly through various programmes.

Kerala State Planning Board