Muktir Alo Scheme West Bengal

Muktir Alo scheme aims for the rehabilitation of sex workers and victims of sex trafficking in West Bengal.

Objectives of Muktir Alo Scheme

1. To provide opportunities of life with dignity to the girls and women who have drawn into the profession of sex work by force or otherwise

2. To provide alternative career opportunities for sex workers and victims of sex trafficking who wish to leave the profession through appropriate job training and vocational training for skill up gradation to enable them to start their life afresh through alternative livelihood option;

3. To provide ‘Entrepreneurship Development Training’ for making them capable for taking up bankable projects after the training; 

4. Influencing small & cottage entrepreneurship with a motive to create viable markets in the domestic as well as overseas.

Beneficiaries of Muktir Alo Scheme

1. A female who is a resident of West Bengal and is a sex worker at her prime age and have the willingness to voluntarily abandon her vocation for a dignified social life

2. A female who has been rescued by Police and released in the care of family members on Personal Release Bond or by order of the competent court

3. A rescued victim of sex trafficking sheltered at a protective Home or released in the care of family and booked as victim girl under ITP Act;

   Facilities under the scheme may also be availed by the children accompanying women n the above categories. However, girls above 10 and less than18 years and boys above 7 years and less than 18 years would be shifted to the Children Homes being run under JJ Act.

Implementing Agency of Muktir Alo Scheme

1. State Government agencies /Corporations set up by the State Government;

2. Urban Municipal Bodies / Panchayati Raj Institutions, Public Trust registered under any law for the time being in force;

3. Civil Society Organizations such as NGOs, Trust, Voluntary Organisation etc. having proven satisfactory track record of working in the fields of women’s welfare / social welfare subject to the condition that such organization is registered under the Indian Society Registration Act,1860 or any relevant State Act at least three year before the date of application and continually renewed the registration till the date of application :

   1. Civil Society Organisations should have prior experience of working with or for the welfare of sex workers and trafficked victims under different government departments like Department of Health & Family Welfare, Technical Education, Mass Education, and Home (Police), WD & SW for minimum of 3 years without any gap.

   2. Civil Society Organisations will ensure a set of link agencies which would facilitate the implementation of the project through their expertise, resources and experience. The CSO should have adequate infrastructure and technical expertise in the sector, financial soundness with facilities, resource experience and administrative capabilities for undertaking the project.

   3. The CSO should have expertise in market linkage for placement of trainees for wage employment or sale of products prepared by the beneficiaries during their entrepreneurship.

   4. The applicant CSO should have undertaken any project of matching financial outlay under any government department or MNGO or foreign agency.