May 29, 2015
New horizon in Women, Child Development and Social Welfare under Trinamool
West Bengal Government under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken numerous new and rightful measures to execute developmental works in the proper way.
The erstwhile Women, Child Welfare and Social Welfare Department was separated and two new departments were created during 2013-14 and Women & Social Welfare Department and Child Development Department came into being.
Division of Departments for better administration
While the internationally acclaimed Kanyashree was kept with the Women & Social Welfare Department, Under Child Development Department, projects like Sishu Sathi, Child Nutrition, Prevention of Low Child Sex Ratio, State Plan of Action Children projects and other such schemes were included.
Poor infrastructure in health prior to 2011
During the Left rule, the infrastructure of health facilities in West Bengal reached the lowest mark among all the States. While the neighboring State of Odisa had 1700 hospitals, the number was 400 in West Bengal. Incidentally, the population is West Bengal is twice as much as Odisa. In order to revive the infrastructure, the present Government needs to work seamlessly for at least 10 years.
Huge upliftment of health facilities under Trinamool
Till October 2014, the present Government could start 43 Sick New Born Care Units (SNCU) which numbered to 6 before 2011. 258 Sick New Born Stabilization Units (SNSU) have been set up, which before 2011 numbered to 95. Besides, 561 New Born Care Units are now functioning, majority of these created by the present Government.
During 2014-15, 140 Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care Units, 541 Basic Emergency Obstetric Care Units have started, 12 Mother & Child Hubs are getting ready and 40 Super specialty Hospitals will be ready by 2015-16. 20 out of the 41 Critical Care units are to be soon completed
Focus on Child treatment and Development
The present Government has laid emphasis on treatment and development of children in the State. The State started the landmark Sishu Sathi project for free treatment of heart disease among children. It also started the Nutrition Rehabilitation project for malnourished children which has now has 31 centres and also the much acclaimed Madhur Sneha Human Milk Bank. Prevention of Low Child Sex Ratio, State Plan of Action Children projects and other such schemes are also running successfully.
Women and Social Welfare
Kanyashree, the brainchild of Ms Mamata Banerjee is now internationally acclaimed. Even the Central Government has now copied the project to start a new one. Till January 2015, 22 lakh girls have registered to Kanyashree which gives them allowance to carry on their studies and side by side stops early marriages of girls and lowers the chances of human trafficking.
Besides Kanyashrre, the Anganwadi projects have shown tremendous growth with 35,926 centres set up till January 2015. The West Bengal CM has started a monthly allowance for the Anganwadi workers. 13 lakh women are now enlisted with the Sabala project.
Figures show it all
In the last year of the past Left Government, in 2010-11, the panned expenditure in Women,Child Development and Social Welfare Department was Rs 715.30 crores, while in 2014- 15 the revised budget allocation moved by Trinamool was Rs 3170.07 crores, the amount increased by 4.43 times.
In the 2014-15 Budget (revised), the allotment for Child Development alone was Rs 2520.04 crores.
