Women in R'than now family heads

Govt scheme empowers them on I-Day

 Rajasthan’s orthodox society will see a transformation of sorts at one level. With the launch of the ambitious Bhamashah scheme on August 15, as many as 1.5 crore women in the state will begin to be treated as the head of their families.

Under the scheme, women will be issued a smart card and a separate bank account will be opened in their names.All the financial benefits from government schemes will be directly transferred to these accounts.

Moreover, various social welfare schemes already running have also been brought under the fold of Bhamashah scheme.

“The Bhamashah scheme will be launched by Chief Minister on the occasion of Independence Day in Udaipur. The idea behind the scheme is to ensure that benefits reach those who need them and wastage is reduced to minimum levels,” said a senior official.

 Officials said that smart card issued to the women will be similar to ATM cards, containing all information about their families.

Through this card, the government will provide several benefits ranging from health insurance and scholarships to children in the family.

Monetary benefits under programmes like Janani Suraksha Yojna, Food Security Scheme, Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme, National Health Insurance Scheme, Rajasthan Social Security Scheme and government scholarship schemes will be transferred directly to the account of head of the family – now a woman.

Benefit under health insurance, rural employment guarantee scheme and  Food Security Act will also be given through this Bhamashah scheme.

The decision of state government to bring free medicine and Food Security Scheme under Bhamashah will reduce the number of beneficiaries significantly.

The benefit under the two schemes will be given only to those families who are covered under Bhamashah scheme.

“We have already started the process of identification and enrolment of the beneficiaries.  The process is likely to be completed by October,” said a senior official.
All district collectors will be the nodal agencies for this scheme, he added.

The Bhamashah scheme was initially launched in the tenure of the previous BJP government. In 2009 when the  Congress government took over the reins, the scheme was closed.The scheme serves similar functions as UPA’s Aadhar and Direct Benefits Transfer schemes except that its emphasis is on families rather than individuals.