Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Take steps to improve lot of women, says Planning Commission

GULBARGA: The Planning Commission, which conducted a study on the status of women living in urban areas in Karnataka and the problems encountered by the women, has asked the State Government to take steps for the improvement of the general condition of women and ensure their welfare.

Expressing its concern over the continuing incidents of atrocities against women and harassment to women in urban areas, the commission has recommended constitution of neighbourhood watchdog committees to look into the safety of women in slums and squatter colonies.

Official sources told The Hindu here on Sunday that the commission, quoting extensively from the National Crime Records Bureau reports, pointed out that Bangalore ranked ninth among the major cities in the country in incidences of atrocities against women which included rape, kidnapping and abduction, dowry death, cruelty by husband and relatives. Karnataka stands 12th among the States and Union Territories in incidences of atrocities against women.

The commission said that Unorganized Workers Bill should be passed in the State in order to enable the social welfare funds for the unorganised workers and for regulation of their employment conditions. This would ensure standard working hours, minimum wages, overtime wages, maternity benefits insurance, pension and other benefits and end the exploitation of the women at the workplace.

Referring to the housing problems, particularly in the slums, the commission said that the alternative housing for slum-dwellers should be located within the city limits and not on the outskirts to protect their employment opportunities.

On the literacy programmes for women, particularly Dalit women, the Planning Commission said that the targeted population should be actively involved in the formulation of strategies for the literacy programmes.

Sources said that the commission suggested formation of self-help groups of women in the slums to make collective platform and push their demands for proper sanitation, housing, safety, water facility, childcare facilities. The schools in the slums should be located closer to their vicinity to overcome the problem of high dropout rate among the girl children because of the distance factor.

On devising strategies for women in the employment sector, the commission said that in order to encourage women in the organised sector, an all out initiative should be taken up to provide representation of women in all categories of employment with at least 33 per cent reservation government and semi government offices.

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