Rs 165 cr sanctioned for working women’s hostels in Rajasthan

In a major push for “women-led development”, the Centre has approved the construction of Working Women’s Hostels (WWHs) in all 41 districts of Rajasthan, including Tonk and Sawai Madhopur, under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) Scheme.

Responding to a question by MP Harish Chandra Meena in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Annapurna Devi, confirmed that Rajasthan had received an allocation of Rs 202 crore under the scheme. It is aimed at providing safe, secure and affordable accommodation for working women and those aspiring to join the workforce.

“Working women hostels are critical components for improving women’s participation in the labour force,” the minister said in a written reply, calling it a “major step towards realising the idea of women-led development”.

Of the Rs 202 crore allocated to Rajasthan, Rs 165.32 crore has been earmarked for hostel construction across all its districts. For Tonk and Sawai Madhopur districts, a 50-bed facility has also been approved at a cost of Rs 3.59 crore, one at Sonwa in Tonk and the other at Alanpur in Sawai Madhopur.

The Department of Expenditure under the Finance Ministry, which is implementing the scheme, has already released the first instalment of Rs 109.11 crore to the Rajasthan Government for the year 2024–25.

Official documents tabled in the Lok Sabha show that both Tonk and Sawai Madhopur districts have received land allotments of 1500 square metres each for the proposed hostels. Administrative and financial sanctions, amounting to Rs 358.80 lakh per district, were issued on May 13, while the notice inviting tender for civil construction work was floated on June 16.