Care for women and children and improving their status in society is a critical responsibility of the State. New initiatives have been conceived and new programmes implemented to address the issues of health care challenges, reproductive and child health, nutrition, and financial independence and sustainable empowerment of women.

Self Help Groups (SHGs)
Economic empowerment has been the thrust area for the Government-run women development programs. Self Help Group (SHG) program has been taken as the key technique for economic empowerment of women in Rajasthan. About 1.3 lakh women SHGs have already been formed covering more than 18 lakh women. 81,180 groups have received loans to the tune of Rs.160 crore. The groups have advanced money to various women members too for starting small businesses. A State-level SHG Institute has been established for networking with SHGs and financial institutions, capacity building of SHGs and for providing facilities for marketing.

Mother & Child Health
The Government has placed maternal and child health-care high on its agenda. Infant mortality rate has reduced from 80 (NFHS II-1998-99) per one thousand live births to 65 (NFHS III provisional data - 2005-06). Mother mortality rate (per lakh) too has reduced from 670 (NFHS II) to 445 (SRS 2005).

The key initiatives include:

• A 'Sahayogini' is appointed at every Anganwadi centre under the ASHA (Accredited Social Health Worker) scheme to address the health and nutrition issues of pregnant women and of children under three years of age.
  
• In the community health centres and the primary health centres, emergency obstetric care centres have been set up to arrest maternal mortality and deal with pregnancy-related complications. Nearly 360 such institutions provide 24-hour services; the aim is to have at least one such hospital in every panchayat.
  
• 10,000 midwives or dais were trained in safe delivery practices in 2005-06.
  
• The auxiliary nurse midwife ensures that children get immunized. She also provides antenatal care and performs tests on pregnant women. A Jacha Bacha Raksha card is also issued.
  
• Arresting child malnutrition is a major challenge. The Government provides nutrition to children under three of age and to pregnant women in the form of a take-home ration at weekly intervals. In the form of "nuggets", this food is fortified with essential micronutrients.

Palanhar Yojna
It is a novel scheme to provide care to destitute children through close relatives who are called their Palanhar. An amount of Rs.500 per month is provided to the Palanhar for children upto 5 years of age. After admission in school, the amount is raised to Rs.675 per month. Apart from this, an amount of Rs.2000 per year is given for clothes, shoes, etc. In the last three years, nearly 5000 children have benefited from this scheme.


Swabalambi Yojana (incentive to disabled pensioner to take up self employment)
In case a disabled pensioner takes up self employment, the State Government gives an incentive of Rs.15000 to such pensioners.


Tenancy Rights
Rajasthan is one of the few states in India where tenancy is inheritable by women; issues relating to property are dealt with in accordance to appropriate personal laws.

Rajasthan Social Sector Viability Gap Funding Scheme
Many social sector projects may not be financially viable and some support of the State Government might be required to make such projects viable. State Government is shortly coming out with a scheme of viability gap funding in social sector to support capital expenditure for providing social infrastructure facilities such as hospitals, health centres, anganbadi, community halls, and colleges, schools and hostels.
A provision of Rs.100 crore has been made for this scheme in the current year.