Maharashtra Launches Women-Centric App Under 2024 Policy

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde orders unified tech solution for urban women’s schemes

In a major push for gender-responsive governance, the Maharashtra government has initiated the rollout of the Fourth Women’s Policy – 2024, which aims to create an enabling environment for women and girls across the state. During a district-level review meeting in Mumbai, Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde instructed officials to develop a comprehensive app for urban women that consolidates information about various government schemes on a single digital platform.

The directive came during a meeting of the District Implementation Steering Committee, where Shinde emphasized the importance of accessibility, safety, and empowerment for working women, women from marginalized communities, and residents of informal settlements. The app will serve as a centralized access point for schemes like CM Ladki Bahin Yojana, Lakhpati Didi, free higher education for girls, and immediate access to health services.

Also present at the meeting were Principal Secretary to the Deputy CM Navin Sona, Collector Anchal Goyal, Social Welfare Officer Ravikiran Patil, Skill Development Assistant Commissioner Shailesh Bhagat, and officials from the Women and Child Development Department.

Shinde outlined additional initiatives under the 2024 policy:

• Hostels for working women and crèches for children in Mumbai’s urban areas
• Women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in slums, given rotational access to stalls for selling their products
• Support for women in tourism and fisheries sectors
• Priority completion of pending housing projects impacting women
• Fast-track complaint handling and setup of One-Stop Centers for survivors of gender violence
• Expansion of help desks and counselling centers in police stations to ensure a pressure-free environment for filing complaints

The policy also focuses on tribal women by mandating more effective implementation of targeted schemes. Shinde stressed that women’s participation is crucial in Maharashtra’s ambition to become a $1 trillion economy, calling upon all departments to act in synergy.

District officials presented ongoing efforts related to the new policy, with Women and Child Development Officer Shobha Shelar detailing current programs and cross-departmental coordination between health, police, and development bodies.