Kerala

Objective

Realizing the need to provide some sort of support of financial support to all victims of sex crimes and highly heinous gender based violence, the State Government have announced the setting up of a corpus fund of Rs. 300 Lakh for providing interim relief to such victims in the state budget of 2018-2019.

A corpus fund Rs.300 Lakh will be created by Government and maintained by the Department of Women & Child Development for release to victims of sex crimes, domestic violence, acid attacks & heinous gender based violence. This amount will be released irrespective of the Victim Compensation Fund or any other compensation given under legal provisions.

Documents Required

1. A brief report from Women Protection officer /District Child Protection Officer of the district concerned.
2. FIR/DIR
3. Bank Pass Book Copy
4. Aadhar Copy
5. Medical Report
6. Legal Report
7. Police Report

 A scheme to prevent trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual exploitation through social mobilization and involvement of local communities, awareness generation programmes, generate public discourse through workshops/ seminars and such events and any other innovative activity.  

Objectives

• To facilitate rescue of victims from the place of their exploitation and place them in safe custody.  
• To provide rehabilitation services both immediate and long term to the victims by providing basic amenities/needs such as shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment including counseling, legal aid and guidance and vocational training.  
• To facilitate reintegration of the victims into the family and society at large. 
• To facilitate repatriation of cross-border victims to their country of origin. 

Target group

Women and children who are vulnerable to trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.  Women and children who are victims of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation. 

Implementing agencies

The implementing agencies can be the Social Welfare/Women and Child Welfare Department of State Government, Women’s Development Corporations, Women’s Development Centers, Urban Local Bodies, reputed Public/ Private Trust or Voluntary Organizations. The organization must have adequate experience in the field of trafficking, social defence, dealing with women and children in need of care and protection, children in conflict with law etc. 

Eligibility

The implementing organizations must fulfill the following eligibility conditions: 

1. The agency should be registered under law and must have a properly constituted Managing Body with its powers, duties and responsibilities clearly defined and laid down in its Constitution; 
2. The organization must not work for the profit of any individual or body or individuals; 
3. It should ordinarily have three years experience after its registration; 
4. Its financial position should be sound; 
5. It should have facilities, resources, experience and personnel to initiate the scheme for which assistance is sought

This programme under the Life Insurance Corporation’s Social group scheme provides insurance coverage to Anganwadi workers and helpers. The scheme which began in April 2004 is optional for the Anganwadi workers and helpers.The total annual premium per member is Rs.280/-. Of which, Rs.200/- is for the Janashree Bima Yojana and Rs.80/- for critical illness benefit.

Protection Officers under Domestic Violence Law – HERE

Swadhar Grehs in the State – HERE

Helpline Numbers – 181, 1091, 9995399953

Loans are granted to economically weaker women of general/ forward communities for self employment. Under this scheme, women belonging to the backward classes are provided with the loan for opening or developing a venture.

New Swarnima Scheme is a special scheme for women belonging to backward classes and who are living below double the poverty line. The objective of the scheme is to develop self reliance amongst women beneficiaries of the target groups by facilitating easy credit facilities for setting up viable economic activities.

Towards the fulfillment of the overall objectives of empowerment and development of Backward Classes in the country, KSBCDC promises financial assistance on loan basis to eligible beneficiaries.

The concept of micro finance for self-employment loans involves financing for small-scale enterprises either individually or in groups. This scheme is carried out through legally registered NGO/SHGs which consist of up to 20 persons. The group should be homogenous with about 75% of the members belonging to minority communities.

The loan shall be granted to women members of scheduled classes as notified by the central government and state government from time to time. The annual family income of the applicant must be below Rs. 98,000 in rural areas and Rs. 1,20,000 in urban areas. KSWDC (The Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation Ltd) is operating for the betterment of women in Kerala. The body came into being in the year 1988 with a mission to address the advancement of women within the state. 

Eligibility criteria

• Combined Annual family income should not exceed Rs 1,00,000
• Applications for Assistance can be submitted for the marriage of 2 daughters. The only condition applicable is that the application for a second child’s marriage can be submitted only after 3 years after the initial grant of allowance.
• While submitting the application for marriage assistance the bride should have completed 18 years of age

Document required

• Attested copy of Ration card
• Disability Identity card
• Birth Certificate (from Corporation/ Municipality/Panchayath) showing that the bride is the daughter of disabled person
•  Applicant’s Family Income certificate from the concerned Village Officer

How to avail

The application forms are to be obtained from District Social Justice Offices and to submit to the same office with required documents

For more information, please visit http://swd.kerala.gov.in/scheme-info.php?scheme_id=MTAzc1Y4dXFSI3Z5# 

This scheme implemented by the Social Justice Department provides a financial assistance of Rs 2,000 to visually impaired mothers for the aid and nurture of the baby after delivery and for the preparation of basic amenities. As per the scheme financial assistance will be provided to the blind mothers until the child turns 2 years. The scheme is implemented as per G.O.(Rt)No.380-2015-SJD dated 17-06-2015

Eligibility criteria:

• Applicant’s Annual family income should not exceed Rs. 1,00,000/-
• Visual impairment must be 40% or more.

Documents to be produced

1. Copy of certificate issued by Medical Board showing visual impairment.
2. Discharge certificate.
3. Income certificate (If the applicant belongs to BPL category, copy of Ration card).
4. Bank account details.
5. Copy of bank pass book.

For more information please visit http://swd.kerala.gov.in/scheme-info.php?scheme_id=MTE4c1Y4dXFSI3Z5# 

When a person commits a crime and gets sentenced for imprisonment, his family is vulnerable to financial instability, poverty, debt and potential housing disruption. They often get stigmatized and marginalized in the society following the incarceration of a family member. Due to the poor financial conditions the family members find it difficult to ensure proper education for their children and marry off their daughters. Social Justice Department has been implementing various Probation and Aftercare schemes for the upliftment of such target populations.

Department of Social Justice has implemented a noble initiative which provides financial assistance for the marriage of the daughters of those who have been undergoing imprisonment for more than 2 years. The maximum amount of financial assistance will be Rs. 30,000/- per person, during the first phase of the scheme as many as 20 such families will be given assistance.

Eligibility criteria:

(1) Either the father or the mother should be undergoing imprisonment for more than two years.

(2) The applicant must belong to BPL category.

(3) The assistance can be sought after six months of marriage and within one year.

(4) Copy of the Ration card has to be submitted along with the application form.

(5) Attested copy of Marriage certificate.

(6) Declaration from Ward member/Councillor showing that the couple is residing together in the given place of address.

(7) The assistance will be offered to a maximum of two women from a family.

Financial assistance will be handed over to the father, mother or daughter based on the report submitted by the District Probation Officer. The amount will be transferred to the respective person’s bank account. The duly filled application form along with supporting documents has to be submitted through the concerned Jail Superintendents / Probation Officers.

For more information, please visit: http://swd.kerala.gov.in/scheme-info.php?scheme_id=MTY4c1Y4dXFSI3Z5#

The training is being imparted to inmates of welfare institutions to develop skills in saree designing embroidery, making of carry/Rexene/paper bags, office stationery etc. This job oriented training programme is implemented through STED. This has enabled the women inmates to make productive use of their time as well as to generate an income for their own personal needs.

The Government of Kerala envisages the scheme called Mangalya to  encoverage widow remarriage. The scheme  imparts financial assistance for the widows/divorced women to remarry.

Documents Required

The following particulars should be attached  to the application  form .

1. Proof  of remarriage
2. Death Certificate of first Husband
3. Legal document of divorce (For divorced women )
4. Proof of BPL/Priority Category
5. Proof of age in  the from of school leaving certificate or certificate  issued by competent authority.
6. Proof of remarriage certificate.
7. Certificate from Village officer showing that husband has deserted the women for over 7 years (for such applicant )
8. Copy of bank pass
   Financial/Help Assistance pattern
   Financial Assistance of Rs.  25000 is provided for  eligible widows and divorced women.

Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) supports women startups with a soft loan scheme for an amount limited to Rs.15 Lakhs as working capital for implementing works and projects received from the Govt. departments and Public Sector Undertakings in Kerala. 

Government of Kerala vide G.O (Rt) No. 225/2019/ITD dt 21.11.2019 released an order for the above and accorded sanction to KSUM for implementing the soft loan scheme to women startups based on predefined eligibility. 

The soft loan will have 6% simple interest and must be repaid in 1 year or on completion of the project with full settlement whichever is earlier.

To know more about the scheme, click here Government Order

Eligibility

1. The startup should be approved by DPIIT (Startup India) and having the Unique ID by Kerala Startup Mission
2. The women co-founder should have a majority stake in the startup and should be active in startup development
3. The startup should be registered in Kerala

Fund Disbursements

1. The client should be a Govt. Department or PSU from Kerala and maximum limit if loan is Rs.15 Lakhs
2. The soft loan will be against Purchase Order and it is limited to 80% of the P.O, which will be disbursed as advance against the milestone payment agreed by the client.
3. The successive releases will be released based on the satisfactory completion of milestones certified by the client.

Process

1. Online submission of application
2. Presentation before Seed Expert Committee 
3. Approvals & Disbursements

Documents to be submitted before disbursements

1. Personal Guarantee (Rs.500/- Stamp Paper)
2. Affidavit Certified by CA
3. Proof of authorized signatory
4. Residence Proofs of all directors

For more information on schemes made available by the Kerala government, please visit: 

• https://kerala.gov.in/self-employment-schemes
• https://www.keralawomen.gov.in/sites/default/files/2020-02/Schemes-for-Kerala-Women%281%29.pdf
• http://swd.kerala.gov.in/schemes.php
• https://kerala.gov.in/women
• http://wcd.kerala.gov.in/schemes.php
• https://startupmission.kerala.gov.in/pages/soft-loan-for-women-startups 

The scheme proposes to extend a helping hand to these families by way of providing financial assistance to the education of children by the State government.

More information on this scheme can be found here.