In a significant push towards women-led development, the Central Government has allocated Rs 500 billion under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) for the construction of new Working Women Hostels (WWH) across 28 States during the 2024–25 fiscal year.

This initiative is separate from the ongoing Sakhi Niwas Scheme — a centrally sponsored programme under Mission Shakti — that supports States/UTs in providing rental-based hostel accommodation for working women and those pursuing higher education or training. While the greenfield construction component has been discontinued under Sakhi Niwas, SASCI has revived that stream with dedicated capital support.

The Department of Expenditure, under the Ministry of Finance, has released the first instalment of funds to all 28 States based on proposals assessing local needs. These hostels will also provide day-care facilities for children and are intended to be built in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas where employment opportunities for women exist.

Additionally, the Empowered Committee under the Nirbhaya Fund has appraised greenfield construction of several more hostels: seven in Uttarakhand, three in Uttar Pradesh, seven in Nagaland, three in Tamil Nadu, one in Punjab, and one for the University of Delhi.

Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Smt. Savitri Thakur, shared these developments in response to a question in the Lok Sabha, reiterating the government’s commitment to safe, secure, and affordable accommodation for working women — a cornerstone for boosting their participation in the workforce.

Notably, the Sakhi Niwas scheme currently does not offer provisions for skill development or marketing support to its beneficiaries.