Policy Update
Tanushree Bora
India’s journey towards inclusive development has consistently recognized the vital role women play in the social, economic, and cultural fabric of the nation. As part of this broader commitment, the Government of India launched Mission Shakti, a comprehensive initiative under the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD). Operational since the 2022–23 financial year, Mission Shakti is not merely a policy scheme—it is a convergence-based mission-mode framework designed to holistically empower women and ensure their safety, security, and dignity. It stands as a testament to India’s commitment to fostering gender justice and promoting women’s leadership in all spheres of life.
Objectives
Mission Shakti is rooted in the constitutional guarantee of equality and the fundamental right to live with dignity. It envisions a society where women are not only protected from violence and discrimination but also equipped with the tools and opportunities to lead. The initiative operates through a life-cycle approach, focusing on women at different stages of life—from childhood to old age—and is aligned with the broader goals of gender equality, sustainable development, and women-led governance. It also embodies the spirit of the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision by integrating women into economic, social, and political processes.
Structural Components: Sambal and Samarthya
At the core of Mission Shakti lie its two sub-schemes—Sambal and Samarthya—which together address both protective and promotive dimensions of women’s development.
Sambal: Safety and Security of Women
The Sambal component focuses on safeguarding women’s rights and ensuring timely intervention in cases of violence or abuse. This includes strengthening institutional mechanisms for support, justice, and rehabilitation. Under Sambal, the One Stop Centres (OSCs) provide integrated services such as legal aid, medical assistance, psychological counseling, and temporary shelter to women affected by violence. These centers act as crucial support systems at the district level and are accessible to all women in distress.
The Women Helpline (181) operates round the clock, providing immediate response services and linking women to the appropriate authorities for further assistance. The helpline is an essential pillar in the crisis management and referral mechanism of the scheme. Additionally, Nari Adalats, set up at the Gram Panchayat level, function as informal and alternate dispute redressal forums. These women-led platforms help resolve cases of domestic violence, dowry harassment, and inheritance disputes through mediation, negotiation, and community participation.
The sub-scheme also incorporates the well-known Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiative, which works toward changing social attitudes toward the girl child and enhancing access to education and opportunities. While initially focused on addressing declining child sex ratios, the scheme has now expanded to cover adolescent girls’ health, education, and vocational skill development.
Samarthya: Empowerment and Development
Samarthya addresses the economic and social empowerment of women by offering them financial support, shelter, employment opportunities, and capacity-building initiatives. Among its key components, the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) stands out for providing maternity benefits to pregnant and lactating mothers. This monetary incentive helps ensure proper nutrition, healthcare, and recovery time for mothers, thereby promoting maternal and child well-being.
The Palna Crèche Scheme supports working mothers by offering safe and affordable childcare facilities. It also provides employment opportunities for women as caregivers, thereby creating a ripple effect of empowerment. Housing and shelter are tackled through the Sakhi Niwas and Shakti Sadan programs. While the former provides safe residential facilities to working women, the latter offers care and rehabilitation for women who are survivors of trafficking, abandonment, or domestic violence.
One of the most innovative aspects of Samarthya is the SANKALP Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW). It acts as a knowledge and convergence hub, disseminating information about women-centric schemes, coordinating implementation efforts, and serving as a Project Management Unit (PMU). These hubs operate at the national, state, and district levels and are central to Mission Shakti’s decentralized governance model.
Implementation
The implementation of Mission Shakti relies on multi-level coordination between the Centre, State governments, and local bodies. State Resource Centres for Women (SRCWs) and District Hubs for Empowerment of Women (DHEWs) act as institutional arms to monitor progress and ensure ground-level outreach.
The mission emphasizes convergence with other flagship schemes such as Skill India, Make in India, National Health Mission, and Digital India. This integrated approach ensures that women are not only protected from harm but also empowered with the necessary resources and knowledge to participate fully in national development.
To ensure accountability and impact, Mission Shakti is guided by a robust Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework. Regular reviews, digital dashboards, and feedback systems have been put in place to track the implementation and efficacy of each component.
Performance and Budget
Mission Shakti has witnessed increased financial commitment from the Union Government. In the Union Budget 2023–24, the MWCD was allocated ₹3,144 crore, with significant portions earmarked for Samarthya and Sambal components. While this indicates a growing recognition of the importance of gender-inclusive policies, challenges remain. Several independent evaluations and parliamentary reports have noted gaps in fund disbursal, under-utilization of resources in certain states, and capacity constraints at the district level.
The Union Budget 2025–26 marks a decisive step toward advancing gender equity through targeted fiscal interventions. One of the most significant announcements is the enhanced Gender Budget allocation, which witnessed a remarkable 37% rise from the previous year, reaching ₹4.49 lakh crore. This now constitutes nearly 8.86% of the total Union Budget, signaling the government’s growing focus on women-centric development initiatives (Change in Content, 2025).
A major beneficiary of this renewed financial commitment is Mission Shakti, the Government of India’s flagship program aimed at ensuring women’s safety, security, and empowerment. In the 2025–26 Union budget, the overall allocation for Mission Shakti has been increased to ₹3,150 crore—up from ₹2,181 crore the previous year (Business Standard, 2025).
This funding will further consolidate the scheme’s two primary subcomponents: the Sambal and Samarthya schemes. Under Sambal, which covers schemes such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, One Stop Centres, Women’s Helpline, and Mahila Police Volunteers, a total of ₹629 crore has been earmarked. In parallel, the Samarthya component—responsible for initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Swadhar Greh, Working Women’s Hostels, and National Creche Scheme—has received an allocation of ₹2,521 crore.
The budget also introduced fresh economic empowerment measures designed to enhance women’s participation in the workforce. For instance, a new initiative under the Entrepreneurship Development framework now provides term loans of up to ₹2 crore for first-time women entrepreneurs, including those from marginalized communities. This aligns with the Viksit Bharat Vision, which aspires for 70% female representation in various economic sectors by 2047 (Narendra Modi, 2025). Further, the government has fortified support for women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the revamped National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), recognizing SHGs as engines of grassroots economic transformation.
In addition to financial empowerment, the 2025–26 budget also expanded health and education services that directly impact women. Notably, 200 new Day Care Cancer Centres will be established in district hospitals to improve access to cancer care for women. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) has also been extended to include gig and platform workers, many of whom are women, thereby broadening health insurance coverage (Narendra Modi, 2025). On the education front, ₹12,375 crore has been allocated to the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, with an additional ₹2,250 crore dedicated to PM SHRI Schools—strengthening foundational education and digital learning infrastructures (Observer Research Foundation, 2025).
Together, these budgetary commitments underscore a strategic pivot toward long-term, structural empowerment of women in India. By combining safety and welfare provisions with economic and social opportunities, Budget 2025–26 reinforces Mission Shakti’s vision of building an inclusive and resilient society where women are equal stakeholders in national progress.
Another key challenge is awareness and accessibility. Many eligible beneficiaries, particularly in remote or underserved areas, remain unaware of the available schemes or find the application processes daunting. Language barriers, digital literacy gaps, and patriarchal norms often hinder access to support.
Challenges
Despite its ambitious scope and increased funding under Budget 2025–26, Mission Shakti faces several persistent challenges that hamper its full potential. One of the key issues is the fragmented delivery of services, often caused by poor inter-departmental coordination between state-level and central agencies. While schemes like One Stop Centres and Women’s Helplines are conceptually strong, their ground-level impact varies significantly across states due to uneven infrastructure and personnel shortages. In rural areas, especially, the lack of trained staff and digital access continues to limit awareness and outreach.
Another challenge lies in monitoring and data transparency. Independent evaluations, including those by NITI Aayog, have pointed out that real-time data on the implementation status of several components, particularly under the Samarthya track, remains sporadic or outdated. This makes impact assessment difficult and weakens policy feedback loops. Moreover, social stigma and patriarchal norms continue to impede the scheme’s effectiveness—many women, especially from marginalized communities, remain hesitant to approach legal or institutional mechanisms due to fear of reprisal or social isolation.
Furthermore, urban-rural disparities in scheme access are still pronounced. While urban centers have witnessed better implementation of Working Women Hostels and crèche facilities, rural areas continue to lag, highlighting the need for more localized strategies. The absence of a robust mechanism for private sector partnership also limits innovation, particularly in skill-building and entrepreneurship promotion. To overcome these obstacles, Mission Shakti must adopt a more integrated and data-driven approach, backed by capacity building at the grassroots level and active civil society engagement.
Conclusion
Mission Shakti is a bold and timely intervention in India’s pursuit of gender equality and inclusive growth. By bringing together various schemes under one umbrella, it simplifies access, promotes institutional synergy, and offers a continuum of care and support for women. It is not just a policy initiative but a socio-cultural shift that reaffirms the rights, roles, and potential of women in shaping India’s future.
As India progresses toward becoming a $5 trillion economy and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the full realization of Mission Shakti’s vision will be essential. With better inter-sectoral coordination, stronger monitoring, and deeper grassroots engagement, Mission Shakti holds the promise to not only empower women but to transform India into a more equitable and resilient society.
References
Contributor: Tanushree Bora is a Research Intern at IMPRI and a student from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi. She is passionate about International Relations, Conflict Transformation, and Gender Studies. She aims to contribute to meaningful dialogue and policy frameworks that promote sustainable and inclusive peace.
Acknowledgment: The author extends sincere gratitude to Dr. Arjun Kumar and Aasthaba Jadeja for their invaluable guidance and support.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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