Smriti Irani to Chair Zonal Conference of 8 North-East States

New Delhi: Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani will chair the Zonal Conference of State Govts and Stakeholders of North-East region in Guwahati,tomorrow, i.e., on 10^th April, 2022. States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Nagaland will participate in the meeting. In order to ensure optimum impact of recently launched 3 Missions- POSHAN 2.0, Vatsalya and Shakti, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has initiated a series of Zonal Consultations with State Govts and Stakeholders in each region of the country. Zonal meeting in Guwahati is the third in the series. First such meeting was held in Chandigarh on 2^nd April and second in Bengaluru on 4^th April, 2022.

Empowerment and protection of women and children who constitute 67.7% of India’s population and ensuring their wholesome development in a safe and secure environment is crucial for sustainable and equitable development of the country and for achieving transformational economic and social changes. To achieve this objective, Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has recently approved 3 important Umbrella Schemes of the Ministry to be implemented in mission mode, viz., Mission Poshan 2.0, Mission Shakti and Mission Vatsalya. These 3 Missions will be implemented during the 15^th Finance Commission period,2021-22 to 2025-26. The Schemes under the Umbrella Missions are Centrally Sponsored Schemes which are implemented by the State Governments/UT Administrations on cost-sharing basis as per cost sharing norms. Scheme Guidelines are being shared with the States/UTs.

 The prime objective of the Ministry of Women and Child Development is to address the gaps in State action for women and children and to promote inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral convergence to create gender equitable and child centred legislation, policies and programmes and to provide women and children with an environment which is accessible, affordable, reliable and free from all forms of discrimination and violence. In this direction, the objectives under the schemes of the Ministry are sought to be achieved with the support of State Governments and UT Administrations which are responsible for the administration of the schemes on the ground.

 The objective of the Zonal Conferences is to sensitise State Governments on the 3 Umbrella Missions of the Ministry to facilitate proper implementation of the Schemes over the next 5 years in the true spirit of co-operative federalism to ensure that the transformational social change envisaged under the Missions is accomplished for the benefit of women and children of the country.