• Approved in November 2017 as a centrally sponsored scheme that aims to provide an interface for rural women to approach the government for availing their entitlements and for empowering them through awareness generation, training and capacity building
• Envisaged to work at multiple levels:
  (a) National Level (domain based knowledge support) – Domain based experts to provide support in implementation of all women centric schemes/programmes of the Government with the aim to strengthen the conceptual and programmatic basis of such schemes through convergence with Ministries and State Government /UTs
  (b) State Level (State Resource Centre for Women) – The Centres to provide technical assistance towards implementing programmes, laws and schemes meant for women through effective coordination at the State/UT level. SRCWs will continue to review and evaluate existing policies, programmes and legislations so that activities, which are cross-cutting and multi-disciplinary in nature, synergise harmoniously to reach women beneficiaries
  (c) District Level – District Level Centre for Women (DLCW) has been envisaged which will collate information on government programmes, schemes and services meant for women empowerment (including Beti Bachao Beti Padao (BBBP), One Stop Centre, Women Helpline, Mahila Police Volunteers, Swadhar, Ujja wala, etc.) to cover 640 districts and will serve as a link between village/block and state level. These centres will also give foothold for BBBP Scheme at the district level.
  (d) Block Level – Activities under Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) will be implemented at the Gram Panchayat level and will be facilitated through Block/Taluk level centres, which will serve as the focal points and will be called MSK- Block Level. The block level centres will be run by a Block Level Committee (BLC) with members as nominated by DC/DM. The block level initiative is meant to promote community participation through involvement of Student Volunteers for empowering rural women and NSS/NCC cadre students can also be associated. These will cover all the GPs/ Anganwadi Centres in the selected block. Services shall be provided at Gram Panchayat level through convergence with frontline workers such as Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), Anganwadi Workers (AWW), Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANMs), Common Service Centres (CSCs), Women SHGs, Bank Correspondents, Shiksha Mitra, Krishi Mitra, Elected Women Representatives (EWRs), Protection Officers (VAW), Mahila Police Volunteers (MPV), Nyaya Mitra etc.
• Women empowerment is multi-dimensional and the services provided under MSK will build upon by leveraging available resources of variety of schemes/programmes of the government at the district/block level
• To be implemented with a cost sharing pattern between the Central Government and the States as 60:40, except in respect of North Eastern and Special Category States where the cost sharing ratio shall be 90:10.