Category Gender Impact Studies Center

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Girl Child Promotion & Welfare Schemes: A State wise Analysis

India has introduced a wide range of schemes to support the education, safety, health and economic development of girls across different states and union territories. Despite significant progress in female education and social development, girls in India continue to face structural barriers linked to poverty, early marriage, school dropout, inadequate healthcare and limited economic opportunities. These challenges are not uniform across the country and often vary by state, region, caste, income and rural or urban location. Government schemes for girls have therefore evolved as targeted policy responses to address different dimensions of disadvantage, from educational access and financial support to health, protection and skill development. A state wise comparison is therefore important to assess whether differences in programme design, coverage and delivery are reflected in measurable outcomes such as school retention, delayed marriage, financial autonomy and gender related indicators.

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From Incentives to Outcomes: Evaluating Kanya Sumangala Yojana(2019)

Historically, Uttar Pradesh has faced persistent gender disparities, including low female literacy, child marriage and gender discrimination affecting girls. Census 2011 recorded a child sex ratio of only 902 girls per 1,000 boys. NFHS 4 (National Family Health Survey, 2014-15) also reported that 21.1 percent of women aged 20 to 24 were married before the age of 18, while only 32.9 percent had completed ten or more years of schooling. 

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Tamil Nadu’s Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thoga (2023): A State-Level Women’s Cash-Transfer Programme 

Tamil Nadu has a long tradition of universal welfare measures, from subsidised food and health care to free electricity and education support. Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai Thittam extends this legacy by placing a regular cash income directly in women’s hands. Announced as part of the DMK’s “seven guarantees” (Business Standard, 2024) before the 2021 Assembly elections and formally launched on 15 September 2023 (the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai), the scheme promises ₹1,000 per month to eligible women heads of households (Government of Tamil Nadu Official portal. https://kmut.tn.gov.in/; The Hindu, 2023). 

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Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana (2026): Brief Overview of Punjab’s Monthly Cash Transfer for Women 

Punjab's female demographic profile presents a mixed picture of progress and persistent challenges. The state's sex ratio stands at 895 females per 1,000 males, below the national average of 940, while female literacy has improved to approximately 75% (Census 2011; recent NFHS-5 estimates). More critically, female labour force participation remains low at around 22–24%, reflecting limited economic opportunities and strong social norms restricting women's work outside the home (Periodic Labour Force Survey, 2024–25). 

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Odisha’s Subhadra Yojana (2024): A State-Level Women’s Cash-Transfer Programme

Women in many Indian households perform a substantial amount of unpaid domestic work, while their control over household finances may remain limited . To address this, several state governments have started schemes that send cash directly into women’s bank accounts and Odisha’s Subhadra Yojana is one such example.

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Madhya Pradesh’s Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana (2023)

BACKGROUND

Women’s economic insecurity is shaped not only by low household income but also by unpaid care work, limited control over resources and unequal access to employment. State governments have increasingly responded through direct cash-transfer programmes that place money in women’s bank accounts. Madhya Pradesh’s Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana is one of the most significant examples of this shift.

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Gender, Informality, and Precarity in the Construction Sector: A Sociological Analysis of Women Workers

India has witnessed a gradual increase in women's Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), particularly following the introduction of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in 2017–18. However, this increase has not been accompanied by a corresponding expansion of secure and formal employment opportunities. Instead, a significant proportion of women remain concentrated in informal and low-paid occupations characterized by irregular employment, unstable incomes, and inadequate social protection.  According to the International Labour Organization (ILO, 2018), more than 61 per cent of the world's employed population, representing nearly 2 billion workers, are engaged in informal employment. While globally 58 per cent of employed women and 63 per cent of employed men work in the informal economy, the prevalence of informal employment is considerably higher in developing countries, where 92 per cent of employed women and 87 per cent of employed men are employed informally. These statistics demonstrate that women are disproportionately employed in informal jobs in developing nations, which leaves them more susceptible to low pay, precarious work, insufficient labour rights, and restricted social security benefits.

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