NEW DELHI: The UPA government will call a meeting of all state women's commissions and review the working of NGOs to ensure empowerment of women and improvement in their status as envisaged in its common minimum program, union minister Kanti Singh said.
The meeting would hopefully be held during the coming session of parliament, the minister of state for human resource development told UNI.
Representatives of non-governmental organizations working towards women's empowerment would be invited to the meeting.
''Although we will seek assistance from NGOs, their working will be constantly reviewed and those that do not perform will be blacklisted,'' Ms Singh said.
Criticizing the implementation of the national policy for women's empowerment, formulated during the previous NDA regime, she said she had received complaints in the regard from the National Women's Commission, which is peeved at the inadequate representation of women in governance.
Ms Singh said her ministry was also considering a proposal to establish 'Charvaha vidyalayas' across the country, along the lines of those in Bihar.
She defended the much-criticized proposal saying the schools offered an opportunity for child laborers and dropouts from normal schools to get education.
'Central schools and Navodaya vidyalayas are normally inaccessible to students in remote areas. The Charvaha schools would enable such children to learn as they earn since they provide training in handicraft, tailoring and embroidery.'' These vidyalayas can, in initial stages, be linked to primary schools. Details would be worked out after discussions with union HRD minister Arjun Singh, she said.
The department of women and child welfare has also launched a self-employment scheme for widows and destitutes but more needs to be done in that direction, ms Singh said.
A children's commission for dealing with issues of child rights would also be established soon. A bill on this will be presented in the next session of parliament, the minister added.
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