Mission Shakti

Mission Shakti is an integrated programme that brings several previously standalone women centric schemes under two operational umbrellas. Sambal, the safety and protection arm, covers the Women Helpline 181, One Stop Centres, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and the new Nari Adalat at the Gram Panchayat level. Samarthya, the empowerment arm, covers Shakti Sadan shelter homes for women in distress, Sakhi Niwas working women hostels, Palna creches, the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana maternity benefit and Hubs for Empowerment of Women.

The umbrella design lets a single nodal Ministry of Women and Child Development coordinate funding, technical guidance and monitoring across these touchpoints, and lets state women and child departments run them through a single state mission rather than separate parallel structures.

The Women Helpline 181 is a 24x7 toll free national number that any woman in India can call for assistance in case of violence, harassment, distress or even general information about her entitlements. The call is received at a state level helpline centre that connects the caller to the nearest service provider, medical, police, legal aid or the local One Stop Centre.

In emergency situations the helpline coordinates a rescue with the police and shifts the woman to the nearest One Stop Centre. The OSC offers emergency medical assistance, police facilitation, legal aid, counselling and short stay shelter of up to five days under one roof, so that the woman does not have to visit multiple offices in the immediate aftermath of an incident.

The One Stop Centre is designed for the first 24 to 72 hours. Women who need longer term shelter because of family violence, trafficking or destitution are referred to Shakti Sadan, the integrated shelter scheme that replaces and combines earlier schemes such as Swadhar Greh, Ujjwala and Widows Home. Shakti Sadan offers safe stay, vocational training, legal support and reintegration plans.

Working women who have migrated for employment can access Sakhi Niwas hostels at concessional rates, with day care facilities for children. The two facilities cover different needs and are not interchangeable. Knowing the right destination at the time of referral helps women avoid being shuttled between facilities.

• 01Any woman in distress can access the 181 helpline and One Stop Centres regardless of marital status, religion or class
• 02Pregnant and lactating mothers eligible for PMMVY for the first living child
• 03Working women in cities and towns eligible for Sakhi Niwas hostels
• 04Women in distress in need of safe shelter eligible for Shakti Sadan
• 05Adolescent girls aged 11 to 18 covered under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao life skills components

• §Aadhaar of the woman accessing services where required
• §Mobile number for follow up
• §Aadhaar and bank details for PMMVY
• §MCP card for maternity benefit installments
• §Identity card for Sakhi Niwas residence allocation

• PMMVY second installment not paid because antenatal check ups not recorded on MCP card
• Sakhi Niwas application without verifiable employment in the city
• Shakti Sadan referral not initiated by the appropriate authority
• One Stop Centre case closed because the woman could not be located for follow up
• Bank account not Aadhaar seeded, blocking PMMVY DBT

• Mission Shakti Operational Guidelines, Ministry of Women and Child Developmentlink ↗
• One Stop Centre Scheme Guidelines, Ministry of Women and Child Development
• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana Guidelines, Ministry of Women and Child Development