BMC plans affordable homes, rental housing facilities, women and child care centres in the city
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in a major departure from gender blindness proposes to focus on gender mainstreaming to radically enhance women's participation in the city's economy, and improve their lives.
The civic body in the Development Plan (DP) 2014-2034 has proposed a number of steps that would be more equitable, more receptive and full of greater opportunities for women.
BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta told DNA "The civic body hopes to provide opportunities for women to enhance their happy experience of working and living in Mumbai. The objective is also to make women a much larger proportion of Mumbai's workforce. Some of the proposals include multipurpose housing for working women on rental basis, neighbourhood care centre, Aadhaar Kendra, vending areas for women, shelters for homeless and housing for women.''
This is necessary especially when the workforce in Greater Mumbai has shown rise in the participation of women, up from 8.81 per cent in 1961 to 16.38 per cent in 2011 census, but it is much lower than men at 56.38 per cent in 2011. The low participation of women is attributed to the lack of housing for single women, cost of housing, limited care facilities for children of married women and single mothers, lack of skills, market/vending space and training facilities for informal sector women workers, lack of public conveniences and adequate transport.
During the implementation of affordable housing, BMC plans to earmark some homes for single women and families were women are the sole breadwinners. Similarly, some homes under the rental housing scheme will be earmarked only for women. Besides, some old age homes will also be constructed for senior citizens.
In addition to this, the residential provision through multi-purpose housing for working women (MHWW) will be done on a rental basis and not on ownership basis. This will be a combination of working women's hostel comprising single and double rooms, dormitories, studio apartments, and will be available on rent. It will also have a guest house for women who travel to the city for work.
Plot sizes of 1000 sq m have been proposed in the DP to be located in areas where commercial, office establishments and/or institutions of higher learning exist or are proposed. At least one such MHWW is being planned in each administrative ward.
BMC plans to provide at least 10 per cent shelters for homeless women.
Further, BMC plans to provide about 1400 sq m of built-up space for a population of 10,000 for one neighbourhood care centre of 500 sq m in every electoral ward. It will include child care facilities with common work area for women, and reading room facilities for girls.
Empowering Plans
An Aadhaar Kendra would be designed to stock products made by women from Self Help Groups (SHG), and to also provide skilled workers for various services. The BMC will provide plots of approximately 500 sq m in size at each administrative ward level for this purpose.
BMC plans to carve out spaces within markets or hawking zones which could serve as outlets for goods produced by the SHGs.
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