Bengaluru : Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa announced special packages that are focused on empowering women in the state. As much as Rs 4,531 crore has been granted for women-oriented projects in the budget of 2021-22, dedicating 1% of the total budget towards these projects. Programmes to assist working women, encourage entrepreneurship among them and programmes pertaining to women’s safety was announced.

The CM announced that the Anganwadis in all the metropolitan regions including Bengaluru will be upgraded to Child Care centres for the benefit of urban working women and that all government offices, even in villages, will have one centre each. Moreover, the Chief Minister announced Establishment of an additional 100 Kittur Rani Chennamma child care centres for the protection of children of registered construction labourers.

Apart from these, to promote entrepreneurship among women, the CM announced that women setting up service sector businesses can receive Rs 2 crores on loan at four per cent from Women’s Development Corporation or Karnataka State Finance Corporation. A market for products of women entrepreneurs in major cities of the state which will be exhibited for a week in cities; technical assistance to small businesses has also been proposed. Annual Fair Organization and E-Market Facilitation at the Divisional level to provide marketing for products made by Women Self Help Associations and Women Entrepreneurs has been mentioned in the budget. Sanjeevani Range Rural Women Self Help Groups across the state will support six thousand small business establishments through Panchayat Raj Organizations which is expected to benefit 60 thousand women.

The Safe City project, CM said, will be speeded up and already 7,500 CCTV cameras have been installed under the Nirbhaya Project in Bengaluru. Tech-based e-beat or patrolling system will be used during night hours to ensure women’s safety.

Meanwhile, in healthcare, the CM has made announcements like establishment of a Centre of Excellence in collaboration with NIMHANS and the National Law School to provide appropriate assistance and guidance to women who faced abuse.

The budget allocated for women’s welfare, however, saw a dip in the current fiscal budget. In 2020-21 budget, the funds allocated were Rs 4,650 crores which amounted to two percent of total budget, whereas, in 2021-22, the CM has allocated Rs 4531 crores which amounts to one percent of the total budget.