Chandigarh/ SAS Nagar: In a major initiative aimed at providing safe, secure and affordable accommodation to working women residing away from their homes, the Department of Social Security, Women and Child Development, Punjab, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, is constructing five Working Women Hostels in Mohali, Jalandhar and Amritsar.
This was stated by Punjab’s Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur, while inaugurating the construction of a seven-storey Working Women Hostel at Sector 66, Mohali, in the presence of MLA Kulwant Singh.
Addressing the media, the Minister informed that the hostel is being constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore and the project is being executed by the Public Works Department on a priority basis. She said that upon completion, it will be the largest government-run Working Women Hostel in Punjab, providing modern, secure and comfortable accommodation to 484 women.
Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that the hostel will offer a range of accommodation options, including single rooms, double occupancy rooms and dormitory facilities. Special provisions such as a crèche for children accompanying working women and indoor recreational facilities will also be available, ensuring a safe and supportive living environment for residents.
The Minister further informed that this is the third Working Women Hostel being developed in Mohali. A hostel with a capacity to accommodate 150 women is currently under construction at NIFT Mohali, Phase-I, at a cost of Rs 25.26 crore. Similarly, another hostel with a capacity of 100 women is being constructed in Sector 79, Mohali, at an estimated cost of Rs 12.57 crore.
Besides these three projects in Mohali, the Department is also constructing a Working Women Hostel with accommodation for 100 women at Gandhi Vinita Ashram, Jalandhar, at a cost of Rs 10.11 crore. Another hostel with a capacity of 150 women is under construction in Amritsar at an estimated cost of Rs 27.34 crore. Dr. Baljit Kaur expressed confidence that all these projects would be completed within the stipulated timeframe.
She further stated that accommodation in these hostels would be provided to working women at highly affordable and nominal rental charges, thereby easing the burden on women employed away from their hometowns.
Highlighting the Department’s commitment towards women’s welfare, the Minister informed that a Working Women Hostel with a capacity of 100 women is already operational in Bathinda through arrangements made in a rented Red Cross building. Responding to a media query, she said that wherever there is a demand for such facilities, the Department is prepared to make suitable arrangements, including rented accommodation, to ensure safe housing for working women.
Dr. Baljit Kaur reiterated that the Government’s primary objective is to ensure that women pursuing employment opportunities away from their homes are provided with safe, dignified and affordable accommodation, enabling them to work with confidence and peace of mind.
Speaking on the occasion, MLA Kulwant Singh thanked Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Dr. Baljit Kaur for the initiative. He stated that in a rapidly developing city like Mohali, such facilities would greatly benefit women professionals arriving from different parts of the state and country, while also reflecting the Punjab Government’s commitment to women’s safety, empowerment and social welfare.
Among those present on the occasion were Director, Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Shena Aggarwal; Special Secretary Keshav Hingonia; Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Sonam Chaudhary; District Programme Officer Nikhil Arora; and Executive Engineer, Provincial Division, Public Works Department, Ranjit Singh Sidhu.
