PUNE: Maharashtra’s Economic Survey 2024-25 released Friday by deputy chief minister and finance minister Ajit Pawar revealed an alarming decline in the number of beneficiaries and financial allocations across women’s welfare schemes.
Shakti Sadan facilities, which provide rehabilitation services to trafficking victims and vulnerable women, recorded a dramatic 57% drop in inmates – from 3,902 in 2023-24 to 1,672 in the current fiscal. Similarly, govt women hostels, shelter homes and protective homes collectively served 4,527 women in 2024-25, 32% down from 6,654 the previous year. The funding for these facilities was slashed by 36%, from Rs 15.31 crore to Rs 9.82 crore.
The report states that women counselling centres experienced one of the biggest funding cuts, with allocations reduced by 69% (from Rs 4.20 crore to just Rs 1.32 crore), while their beneficiary count fell by 29% – from 25,734 to 18,322.
Protection services for domestic violence victims saw a 17% decrease in no. of beneficiaries (from 11,722 to 9,704) & a 20% reduction in funding (from Rs 30.95 cr to Rs 24.63 cr).
Sakhi Nivas accommodations for working women dipped 20%, from 5,483 to 4,411. Govt had recently announced plans for more such homes. Even Manodhairya Yojana, which showed 13% rise in beneficiaries – from 374 to 422 – saw its budget slashed 59%, from Rs 48 cr to Rs 19.48 crore.
The survey provides no explanation for the substantial reductions across most programmes, raising serious questions about govt’s commitment to women’s welfare at a time when many advocacy groups report an increasing demand for such services.