Sakhi Niwas - Working Women's Hostel

What is Sakhi Niwas - Working Women's Hostel?

Sakhi Niwas - Working Women's Hostel is a component of Mission Shakti, the umbrella women's safety and empowerment programme of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. It is a demand-driven, centrally sponsored scheme under which funds are released to states and union territories to run hostels for working women. In Uttarakhand it is implemented by the Department of Women Empowerment and Child Development.

According to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the scheme's aim is to promote the availability of safe and conveniently located accommodation for working women in urban, semi-urban and even rural areas where women are employed. Financial assistance is provided for running Sakhi Niwas hostels: often in rented premises, for working women who may be single, widowed, divorced, separated, or married but whose husband or immediate family does not live in the same city, as well as women who are under training for a job. A key feature is a day-care centre for the children of the resident women, so mothers can work knowing their children are looked after.

Sakhi Niwas replaced and modernised the earlier Working Women Hostel scheme. It is not a cash benefit, the benefit is affordable, secure accommodation with support facilities.

Who is eligible for Sakhi Niwas?

You can stay if:

• You are a working woman whose husband or immediate family does not reside in the same city, including women who are single, widowed, divorced or separated.
• You are a woman under training for a job.
• Your gross monthly income does not exceed Rs 50,000 in metropolitan cities or Rs 35,000 in other places.
• You need accommodation in a place where a Sakhi Niwas hostel operates and rooms are available.

Children of resident women can use the day-care centre attached to the hostel.

You cannot stay if:

• You are not employed and not under training for a job.
• Your gross income exceeds the Rs 50,000 (metro) or Rs 35,000 (other) monthly ceiling.
• You are male. The hostel is for women only.

A resident whose income later rises above the ceiling is expected to vacate so that another eligible woman can be accommodated. Under the scheme guidelines, a resident must vacate the hostel within six months of her gross income crossing the ceiling. The income ceiling is not rigid everywhere: the guidelines allow the District Magistrate or another authorised officer to relax the income limit based on local requirement and subject to the availability of accommodation, so a woman marginally above the ceiling can still ask the district office to be considered.

Sakhi Niwas is meant for women whose own family does not live in the same area, which is why single, widowed, divorced and separated women, and married women living away from their husbands, are the priority. There is no caste or community bar, the tests are employment status, income and the availability of a room.

What facilities does Sakhi Niwas offer?

• Safe, affordable accommodation for working women in a secure, supervised hostel.
• A day-care centre for the children of resident women.
• Location in or near areas of women's employment, reducing unsafe long commutes.
• Basic hostel amenities funded through the scheme so that the rent stays subsidised.

Because Sakhi Niwas is demand-driven, the number and location of hostels depend on where states set them up. Uttarakhand's Women Empowerment and Child Development Department operates the scheme through its district network.

Under the national guidelines, a Sakhi Niwas can house working women along with their children — girls up to 18 years and boys up to 5 years may stay with their mothers, and the attached day-care centre covers younger children so that mothers can work through the day. The scheme funds construction of new hostel buildings, extension of existing ones, or, most commonly, the running of hostels in rented premises in towns where women are employed. This rented-premises model is what lets the scheme reach smaller Uttarakhand towns rather than only Dehradun or Haldwani.

How much does a room cost, and what is covered?

Sakhi Niwas is not a cash benefit and it is not fully free. Residents pay a modest, subsidised rent set locally by the hostel, and the scheme's financial assistance keeps that rent affordable by covering part of the running cost. Because rents, deposits and mess charges are set at the hostel and district level rather than by a single statewide rate, the only reliable figure is the one the hostel quotes you at admission. Ask specifically about the monthly rent, any security deposit, mess or food charges, and whether the day-care centre carries a separate fee before you move in, so there are no surprises.

What documents are required?

How to apply for a Sakhi Niwas seat

1. Find a Sakhi Niwas hostel near your place of work or training, through the district Women Empowerment and Child Development office.
2. Collect the admission form from the hostel management or the district office.
3. Fill the form and attach your employment proof, income proof and identity document (and training proof if applicable).
4. Submit the application to the hostel management or the district office.
5. Admission is granted subject to availability of rooms and your meeting the income and category conditions.

Because seats are limited and allotment is on availability, apply early and keep in touch with the hostel about vacancies.

How do I find and check on a hostel?

Sakhi Niwas is run at the district level, so the best way to find a hostel and check on a room is to contact the District Women Empowerment and Child Development office or the Mission Shakti district cell in Uttarakhand. The national Mission Shakti portal (missionshakti.wcd.gov.in) lists the scheme framework, while the actual hostels and their vacancies are managed locally. Confirm the current rent, room availability and day-care facility directly with the hostel before moving in.

Common issues and how to avoid them

• Income above the ceiling: keep a recent salary slip; income above Rs 50,000 (metro) or Rs 35,000 (other) makes you ineligible.
• No employment proof; carry an employer letter or appointment letter; women in job training should carry a letter from the training institute.
• Assuming it is free, a modest subsidised rent applies; ask the hostel about the exact charges.
• No vacancy: hostels have limited seats; enquire in advance and be ready to join a waitlist.

Grievance and contact route

For information, admission or complaints, contact the Sakhi Niwas hostel management or the District Women Empowerment and Child Development office in Uttarakhand. The scheme sits under Mission Shakti, and the parent state department is the Department of Women Empowerment and Child Development, Government of Uttarakhand. The national scheme is administered by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Because Sakhi Niwas is implemented locally, exact hostel addresses, rents and contact numbers are best confirmed with the district office rather than assumed; no single statewide toll-free number is published specifically for this hostel scheme.