A government scheme can exist on paper, have a budget and even reach thousands of beneficiaries. But for a woman sitting in a village, a small town or an urban settlement, the first question is often much simpler: “Mere liye kaunsi scheme hai, aur main uska benefit kaise loon?”
This is the gap that SANKALP: Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW) is designed to address.
SANKALP is a component of the Samarthya sub-scheme of Mission Shakti. It is not a scheme that gives every woman a fixed cash benefit directly. Instead, it works as a single-window support and information mechanism, helping women identify relevant government schemes, understand eligibility and procedures, and connect with the appropriate departments and services. The official Ministry describes it as a mechanism to bridge the information and knowledge gap and guide women towards available benefits and entitlements.
What is SANKALP: HEW?
SANKALP stands for Supportive Action for Nurturing and Knowledge-Based Advancement, Last-Mile Delivery and Potential Realisation of Women.
The Hub for Empowerment of Women operates at the National, State and District levels. Its work includes awareness generation, capacity building, convergence between departments and helping women access information about government schemes, policies, legislation and services. Importantly, the official FAQ states that the SANKALP: HEW facility is open to all women, irrespective of age.
What kind of help can a woman get?
SANKALP can provide information about a wide range of Central and State government schemes, including programmes of the Ministry of Women and Child Development as well as schemes operated by other ministries and departments. It also disseminates information regarding relevant laws, Acts and policies.
For example, depending on her circumstances, a woman may need information related to:
- maternity and maternal support
- skill development and livelihood
- financial inclusion
- childcare
- working women’s accommodation
- support and rehabilitation services
- women’s safety
- legal rights
- education and training
- government welfare programmes
- schemes operated by Central or State departments
SANKALP’s role is to help her identify where she needs to go and which programme or institutional mechanism is relevant.
That distinction is important: SANKALP itself is primarily a facilitation and convergence mechanism; the actual benefit may come from another government scheme
How can a woman take benefit of SANKALP?
There is no single application form through which every woman receives a “SANKALP benefit.” Instead, the process generally works through information, identification, guidance and linkage.
Step 1: Identify what you need
The first step is to understand the problem or requirement. For example:
“Mujhe skill training chahiye.”
“Mujhe maternity benefit ke baare mein information chahiye.”
“Mujhe working women hostel ke baare mein pata karna hai.”
“Mujhe kisi women-centric government scheme ke liye eligibility samajhni hai.”
The clearer the requirement, the easier it becomes to identify the relevant government programme.
Step 2: Approach the SANKALP/Hub mechanism
Women can seek information and guidance through the State or District Hub for Empowerment of Women. The Ministry’s framework provides for District Hubs to function as local coordination and outreach points. The district hub may preferably be located in the DM/DC office for coordination and smooth functioning.
SANKALP also conducts awareness camps, outreach activities, seminars and workshops, so women may receive information through community-level programmes rather than having to begin with a complicated online application.
Step 3: Explain your requirement
At the Hub, a woman can explain what assistance or information she is looking for. For instance, if she wants financial assistance for maternity-related support, the Hub can guide her towards the relevant programme. If she is looking for employment or skill development, she may be directed towards appropriate government schemes or departments.
Step 4: Check eligibility
This is an important stage.
SANKALP does not automatically make a woman eligible for every government scheme.
Each scheme has its own eligibility conditions. These may depend on factors such as:
- age
- income
- employment status
- residence
- pregnancy/maternity status
- marital or family circumstances
- educational qualifications
- category or other scheme-specific criteria
Therefore, women should first understand the eligibility conditions of the specific scheme for which they want to apply.
Step 5: Keep the required documents ready
The documents required will vary from one scheme to another. Depending on the programme, a woman may be asked for documents such as identity proof, bank details, residence-related documents, photographs, income-related documents or other scheme-specific records.
It is therefore better not to assume that one fixed set of documents is required for SANKALP itself.
Instead, ask the Hub or concerned department for the document list applicable to the particular scheme.
Step 6: Apply through the appropriate channel
Once the relevant scheme has been identified, the woman can be guided towards its actual application process.
This may be through:
- a government portal,
- a concerned department,
- a local government office,
- a designated service centre,
- a district-level institution,
- or another authorised mechanism specified under that particular scheme.
SANKALP’s purpose is to facilitate this connection rather than replace every scheme’s individual application system.
Does SANKALP give money directly?
Not as a general SANKALP benefit.
This is one of the most important points to understand.
SANKALP: HEW is fundamentally a hub for information, guidance, convergence, awareness and hand-holding. The financial or other benefit comes from the specific government programme for which the woman is eligible. The official Ministry describes the Hub as a single-window system for guiding, linking and hand-holding women towards institutional and schematic arrangements.
For example, if a woman is eligible for a particular maternity-benefit programme, SANKALP can help her understand and access that programme. The monetary benefit, where applicable, would be provided under that programme not by SANKALP as a separate universal payment.
What if a woman does not know which scheme she needs?
This is actually where SANKALP can be especially useful.
A woman does not necessarily need to arrive with the name of a scheme already in mind. She can begin with her requirement. For example: “I want to learn a skill and find employment.”
The appropriate officials can help identify relevant government programmes.
Or:
“I am a working woman and need information about accommodation.”
She may be guided towards relevant services such as Sakhi Niwas, subject to its eligibility and availability. Similarly, women requiring other forms of assistance can be directed towards the relevant component of Mission Shakti or another Central/State government programme. This is the essence of the single-window approach: the woman starts with her need rather than having to understand the entire government system beforehand.
What happens after a woman approaches SANKALP?
The process is not necessarily limited to handing someone a brochure. According to the Ministry’s official FAQ, District Hubs are expected to monitor women-centric schemes, identify challenges at the district level, organise women camps, disseminate information at the grassroots and facilitate last-mile outreach.
The official SANKALP framework also assigns district-level teams responsibilities relating to community mobilisation, awareness, convergence, coordination, delivery of government programmes and training/capacity building. So, depending on the woman’s requirement, the process can involve:
Need identified → Scheme/service identified → Eligibility understood → Appropriate department/service identified → Application or referral → Follow-up/access
This is what makes SANKALP different from a simple awareness campaign.
Can women access SANKALP online?
SANKALP is supported by government information systems and digital mechanisms, but it is important to distinguish between finding information and applying for a specific scheme.
The Mission Shakti framework envisages a unified digital interface containing information on women-related laws, policies, schemes and programmes, along with links for applications and grievance-related services. However, the actual application method depends on the particular government scheme.
Therefore, women should use official government portals and authorised offices rather than relying on unofficial websites or social-media posts claiming to provide SANKALP registration.
What if a woman faces difficulty in accessing a scheme?
This is another area where the Hub’s convergence role becomes important. If a woman knows she is entitled to a government service but is facing difficulty understanding the process, she can seek guidance through the relevant district/state mechanism.
The objective of SANKALP includes identifying implementation gaps, improving coordination between departments and strengthening last-mile delivery.
For issues involving violence, immediate safety, legal assistance or crisis support, women should approach the appropriate specialised mechanism under Mission Shakti rather than treating SANKALP as an emergency service. Mission Shakti includes One Stop Centres and Women Helplines under its Sambal component, while SANKALP is part of Samarthya.
Why is SANKALP important?
The real challenge in welfare delivery is often not simply creating a scheme. It is ensuring that the intended beneficiary can actually reach it. Consider a woman who is eligible for a government programme but has never heard of it. Another woman may know about the programme but not understand the eligibility criteria. A third may have started the process but become confused about where to submit documents.
In each case, information becomes a form of access. SANKALP attempts to address this gap by bringing together awareness, guidance, outreach and coordination.
Its official objective is therefore broader than simply “giving benefits.” It is about helping women become informed rights and entitlement holders who can navigate government systems more effectively.
A simple example
Imagine a 24-year-old woman who wants to improve her employment prospects but does not know what government support is available. She approaches a District Hub and explains her requirement.
The Hub can help her identify relevant government programmes, understand their eligibility requirements and connect her with the concerned department or service.
If she qualifies for a particular skill-development or livelihood programme, that programme provides the relevant benefit. In this example, SANKALP has performed its role as a bridge:
Woman’s need → Information → Appropriate scheme → Guidance → Application → Access to benefit
That bridge is the central idea behind SANKALP.
What women should remember
Before approaching any government scheme, women should keep a few things in mind:
1. SANKALP is not a universal cash-benefit scheme.
It primarily provides information, guidance, convergence and hand-holding.
2. Every government scheme has separate eligibility criteria.
Being able to approach SANKALP does not automatically mean eligibility for every programme.
3. Ask for the official process.
Do not pay an unofficial agent simply because someone claims that registration requires a fee.
4. Keep documents organised.
The exact documents depend on the scheme being accessed.
5. Use official government sources.
Scheme rules, application procedures and eligibility conditions can change.
6. Ask questions.
Women should not hesitate to ask where an application has to be submitted, what documents are required and what the next step is.
