For a woman who leaves home for a job in another city, the biggest difficulty is finding safe and suitable accommodation. To solve this, the Government of India started the Working Women Hostel Scheme in 1972-73, now called “Sakhi Niwas” under Mission Shakti. In Haryana, 7 working women hostels are currently running — two in Rohtak and one each in Hisar, Panchkula, Kurukshetra, Jind and Faridabad — and two new Sakhi Niwas hostels have been announced in Faridabad and Gurugram. This guide covers everything — who can stay, how much the rent is, facilities for children, the full list of Haryana’s hostels, and how to apply.
First, one important point to understand: this scheme gives women a place to stay (a hostel), not cash. The rent is fixed as a percentage of your salary — a maximum of 15% for a single room, 10% for a double room and 7.5% for a dormitory. The maximum stay is 3 years. Admission depends on a vacancy in the hostel — it is decided on the basis of availability and eligibility, not first-come-first-served alone.
Scheme at a glance
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scheme name | Working Women Hostel Scheme — now “Sakhi Niwas” (under Mission Shakti) |
| Started | 1972-73 (Government of India); Mission Shakti guidelines 14 July 2022 |
| Department | Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India; in Haryana, the Women and Child Development Department |
| Type | Centrally sponsored, demand-driven scheme — funds released directly to States/UTs |
| Benefit | Safe hostel accommodation for working women + day-care facility for children (wherever possible) |
| Rent (maximum) | Single room: 15% of salary; double room: 10%; dormitory: 7.5%; day care: 5% of mother’s salary or actual expenditure, whichever less |
| Income limit | Gross income up to ₹50,000/month in metropolitan cities; up to ₹35,000/month in other places |
| Period of stay | Maximum 3 years (extension possible up to 5 years in total in exceptional circumstances) |
| Children | Girls up to 18 years and boys up to 5 years can stay with their mothers |
| Hostels in Haryana | 7 hostels running (total sanctioned capacity 471); 2 new Sakhi Niwas announced in Faridabad and Gurugram (admissions not started) |
| How to apply | In person at the hostel concerned / District Women and Child Development office; the department’s website links to the SARAL portal |
| Application fee | No fee verified — no fee is stated in this guide |
| Last date | No fixed last date — admission depends on vacancies |
| Contact | Women and Child Development Department, Haryana — Bays 15-20, Sector 4, Panchkula — 0172-2560349; Women Helpline 181 |
What is Sakhi Niwas?
Sakhi Niwas (Working Women Hostel) means a safe place to stay in the city for working women. When a woman moves away from home for a job or for job training, finding safe rented accommodation is her biggest challenge. This scheme is for exactly that — hostels are run in buildings built or rented with government assistance, where a woman can stay by paying a small percentage of her salary as rent.
Another important part of the scheme is the Day Care Centre — daytime care for the children of working mothers living in the hostel, wherever possible. Children stay with their mothers in the hostel — girls up to the age of 18 years and boys up to the age of 5 years.
Do not be confused by the name — Working Women Hostel and Sakhi Niwas are the same scheme. The old name was “Working Women Hostel”; under Mission Shakti it was renamed “Sakhi Niwas”. The Haryana Government’s February 2025 announcement also called the new hostels “Sakhi Niwas Yojana”.
What facilities are available? How much is the rent?
The rent charged from a woman living in the hostel is fixed as a percentage of her gross salary — it cannot exceed these limits:
| Type of accommodation | Maximum rent | Example (on a ₹35,000 salary) |
|---|---|---|
| Single bed room | Not more than 15% of salary | Up to ₹5,250/month |
| Double bed room | Not more than 10% of salary | Up to ₹3,500/month |
| Dormitory | Not more than 7.5% of salary | Up to ₹2,625/month |
| Day care (for children) | Not more than 5% of mother’s salary or actual expenditure, whichever less | Up to ₹1,750/month |
Note: this rent does NOT include the mess (food) and other facilities — such as washing machines — for which separate user charges are collected. As far as practicable, women with children are given single or double bed rooms instead of dormitories. The rent for women under training for a job also cannot exceed the rent charged from working women — it is charged from the institution sponsoring the training or from the woman herself.
The organisation running the hostel also gets assistance for the building — under the scheme, grant-in-aid is given for constructing new hostel buildings, expanding existing ones, and running hostels in rented premises. Some sources also mention a one-time non-recurring amount of ₹7,500 per inmate for furniture and furnishings when a hostel starts — this information could not be verified from the official pages, so do not treat it as final.
Haryana’s 7 working women hostels — full list
The Haryana Women and Child Development Department’s official website (wcdhry.gov.in) lists 7 working women hostels in the state. For admission, contact the hostel concerned directly:
| S.No. | Hostel name and address | Contact | Sanctioned capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Godavri Working Women Hostel No 5, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak | 9416945933 | 60 |
| 2 | Indian Red Cross Society, Gandhi Camp, Rohtak | 9416142042; [email protected] | 36 |
| 3 | Working Women Hostel, Guru Jambheshwar University, Hisar | 01662-263591 | 86 |
| 4 | Working Women Hostel, B.G.M.S, Opp H.No 96, Sector 10, Panchkula | 0172-2569079; [email protected] | 100 |
| 5 | Red Cross Working Women Hostel, Saffidon Road, Jind | 016812-255171 / 9996386510 | 70 |
| 6 | Working Women Hostel, Sector 13 U.F., Kurukshetra | 01744-220335 | 84 |
| 7 | Red Cross Working Women Hostel, Sector 16, Faridabad | 9810232924; [email protected] | 35 |
Total sanctioned capacity: 471 women. One point to note — a February 2025 news report said the department was running 8 hostels, including one in Gurugram, and gave the Faridabad Red Cross hostel’s capacity as 80. But the department’s official website lists 7 hostels and gives Faridabad’s capacity as 35. This difference is unresolved — this guide uses the department’s official list; do confirm the capacity and vacancy with the hostel concerned before applying.
New Sakhi Niwas — Faridabad and Gurugram (admissions NOT started)
In February 2025, the Haryana Government announced two new hostels under the Sakhi Niwas Yojana:
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Faridabad Sector-78 and Gurugram Sector-9 |
| Land | About 1 acre each |
| Capacity | 200 women in each hostel |
| Construction cost | About ₹65.30 crore — funded by the Government of India |
| Agency | Haryana Mahila Vikas Nigam is preparing the action plan |
| Facilities | Safe accommodation + day care for children; children can stay with their mothers |
The most important warning: as of 8 November 2026, NO announcement of the opening of these two new hostels or the start of admissions has been found. The February 2025 reports only said the action plan was being prepared. So before going to Faridabad Sector-78 or Gurugram Sector-9 expecting admission, do check the latest position with the Women and Child Development Department or the Haryana Mahila Vikas Nigam. The news reports also mentioned some different rules for the new hostels — Haryana residence and Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) mandatory; Aadhaar card, police verification report and salary certificate; priority to underprivileged and physically disabled women; boys up to 12 years and girls up to 18 years can stay with their mothers; the hostel must be vacated within 3 months if income exceeds the limit. These rules are based on news reports and have NOT been verified from any official notification — they differ from the old scheme’s rules (see “Eligibility” below), so take the final information from the department itself.
Eligibility — who can stay?
Under the scheme, the following categories of working women and their children can use the hostel facility:
- Working woman — single, widowed, divorced, separated, or married but whose husband or immediate family does not reside in the same city/area.
- Particular preference may be given to women from disadvantaged sections of society.
- Reservation of seats for physically challenged beneficiaries is provided for.
- Women under training for a job — provided the total training period does not exceed one year, and they do not occupy more than 30% of the total capacity. Trainee women get accommodation only when a vacancy is available after accommodating working women.
- Children: girls up to 18 years of age and boys up to 5 years of age can stay with their working mothers. Working mothers can also use the Day Care Centre.
- Income limit: gross income not exceeding ₹50,000/month in metropolitan cities; not exceeding ₹35,000/month in other places.
- No distinction on the basis of caste, religion or marital status — hostels are available to all working women (subject to the scheme’s norms).
- Age: the scheme is for adult working women — procedure pages mention above 18 years of age.
Who is NOT eligible?
- A woman who neither works nor is under training for a job — this hostel is NOT for regular girl students.
- A woman whose gross monthly income exceeds the limit — above ₹50,000/month in a metro city or above ₹35,000/month in other places.
- A woman under training whose training period exceeds one year.
- Trainee women, if they would exceed 30% of the total capacity — admission will not be given in that case.
- A woman who has already completed the maximum stay in a hostel (3 years, 5 years with extensions).
- Children above the age limit cannot stay with their mothers (boys above 5 years, girls above 18 years).
Children and day care — what is the facility?
The scheme makes special arrangements for the children of working mothers living in the hostel:
| Point | Rule |
|---|---|
| Girls | Can stay with their mothers up to 18 years of age |
| Boys | Can stay with their mothers up to 5 years of age |
| Day Care Centre | Day-care facility for children in the hostel, wherever possible |
| Day-care fee | Maximum 5% of the mother’s salary or actual expenditure, whichever less |
| Room | Women with children are given single/double bed rooms instead of dormitories as far as practicable |
Note: for the new Sakhi Niwas hostels (Faridabad/Gurugram), news reports mentioned the boys’ age limit as 12 years — this differs from the old scheme’s 5-year rule. This difference is not yet verified; ask the department for the correct rule when the new hostels open.
How to apply — step by step
Admission under this scheme is hostel-wise — there is no single central online form that gives admission to all hostels. The process is as follows:
- Choose a hostel: from the list above, choose the hostel where you want to stay (the one nearest your workplace). Call the hostel’s contact number and ask about vacancies and the admission position — without a vacancy, admission is not possible.
- Prepare the documents: keep all the documents in the list below ready — Aadhaar card, salary/income certificate, police verification report, Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) and children’s documents (if children will stay with you).
- Submit the application: submit the application form at the office of the hostel concerned or at the office of the District Women and Child Development Officer (District Programme Officer). The Haryana Women and Child Development Department’s website has a “Click here to apply” link that goes to the SARAL portal (saralharyana.gov.in) — but no specific service name for this scheme on SARAL could be verified, so no step-by-step SARAL process is given in this guide. Before applying, ask the hostel or the district office for the correct method.
- Verification and selection: the hostel management/department will verify your documents and eligibility — income limit, proof of employment and vacancy. Admission is given when eligibility is complete.
- Rent and entry: on admission, the rent is fixed according to the type of room (as a percentage of salary). On the day of occupation, the rent for the current month has to be deposited.
Application fee: no application fee for this scheme could be verified — no fee is stated in this guide. If anyone asks for money in the name of admission, be careful and contact the department.
Documents required
On the basis of the scheme’s rules and the procedure announced for Haryana, these documents are usually asked for — confirm the final list with the hostel concerned:
| Document | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
| Aadhaar card | Proof of identity |
| Salary certificate / income certificate | To confirm employment and the income limit (₹50,000/₹35,000) |
| Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) | Proof of Haryana residence (stated as mandatory for the new Sakhi Niwas hostels) |
| Police verification report | For security verification (stated as required for the new hostels) |
| Appointment letter / proof of employment | To prove that you are a working woman |
| Children’s birth certificate (if children will stay) | To confirm the children’s ages (girls up to 18 years, boys up to 5 years) |
| Passport-size photograph | For the application form |
| Proof of training (if under training) | To confirm the training period does not exceed one year |
| Disability certificate (if applicable) | For a reserved seat / priority |
Note: this document list is prepared from the scheme’s rules and the procedure reported in the news — the hostel concerned may ask for fewer or more documents. Do take the correct list from the hostel before applying.
Rules of stay — how long can you stay?
| Point | Rule |
|---|---|
| Maximum period | 3 years — no working woman can stay for more than three years |
| Extension | In exceptional circumstances, the District Administration may allow an extension of up to six months at one time, for reasons recorded in writing; total stay cannot exceed five years |
| If income rises | If income exceeds the limit while residing, the hostel must be vacated within 6 months under the scheme (news reports mentioned 3 months for the new Sakhi Niwas — difference not verified) |
| Rent | Every month as per the room type — single 15%, double 10%, dormitory 7.5% (of salary); mess and other facilities charged separately |
| Trainee women | Not more than 30% of total capacity; training period maximum 1 year |
| Girl students | Regular girl students are NOT eligible |
Fee, timeline and status check
| Topic | Status |
|---|---|
| Application fee | No fee verified — no fee is stated in this guide |
| Rent | As a percentage of salary (single 15%, double 10%, dormitory 7.5%); day care maximum 5% |
| Last date for admission | No fixed last date — admission depends on vacancies |
| Admission time | No official timeline published — ask the hostel |
| Status check (online) | No online status portal verified — contact the hostel/district office |
| Status check (offline) | The hostel concerned (contacts in the list above) or the District Women and Child Development Officer office |
| Department contact | Women and Child Development Department, Haryana — Bays 15-20, Sector 4, Panchkula — 0172-2560349 |
| Women Helpline | 181 |
Know the difference — old scheme vs Sakhi Niwas
The scheme has changed in some ways along with its name — but the basic facility remains the same:
| Point | Old Working Women Hostel scheme | Sakhi Niwas (Mission Shakti) |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 1972-73 — grant-in-aid for building construction | New name and framework under Mission Shakti (2022) |
| Form of assistance | Mainly grant for building construction | Financial assistance also for running Sakhi Niwas in rented premises |
| Flow of funds | Grant to institutions | Funds released directly to States/UTs |
| Income limit | ₹50,000 (metro) / ₹35,000 (other) | Same — ₹50,000 / ₹35,000 |
| Rent | Single 15%, double 10%, dormitory 7.5% | Same rent caps |
| Period of stay | Maximum 3 years | Same — maximum 3 years (5 years with extensions) |
| New in Haryana | 7 hostels already running | 2 new hostels announced in Faridabad and Gurugram (Feb 2025) — admissions not started |
One more difference to note — this scheme is different from a girls’ hostel for students. Regular girl students studying in a college/university cannot take admission under this scheme; it is only for working women and women under training for a job. In some states, like Tamil Nadu, a similar state scheme charges very low rent (₹200–300/month) — that is Tamil Nadu’s separate state scheme; Haryana’s rules are different, with rent fixed as a percentage of salary.
Before applying — preparation checklist
- Ask about vacancies first: do not apply without knowing whether the hostel has a vacancy — admission depends entirely on availability.
- Check the income limit: your gross monthly income must not exceed ₹50,000 in a metro city and ₹35,000 in other places.
- Keep documents complete: Aadhaar card, salary certificate, PPP, police verification report — if even one is incomplete, admission can get stuck.
- Mind the children’s ages: a boy above 5 years of age cannot stay with his mother (12 years has been mentioned for the new hostels — confirm).
- Work out the rent in advance: calculate in advance what the maximum rent for a single/double/dormitory room will be on your salary — the hostel cannot ask for more than that.
- Do not wait for the new hostels: the Sakhi Niwas hostels in Faridabad Sector-78 and Gurugram Sector-9 are not built yet — if you need accommodation now, contact one of the 7 hostels in the list above.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. What is the Working Women Hostel (Sakhi Niwas) scheme?
It is a Government of India scheme under which working women are given safe and affordable hostel accommodation in the city. The scheme has been running since 1972-73 and is now called “Sakhi Niwas” under Mission Shakti. In Haryana, 7 hostels are running and 2 new hostels (Faridabad, Gurugram) have been announced.
2. How much is the rent for staying in the hostel?
The rent is fixed as a percentage of salary — a single room costs a maximum of 15%, a double room 10% and a dormitory 7.5%. For example, on a salary of ₹35,000, a single room’s rent will be at most ₹5,250/month. The day-care fee is a maximum of 5% of the mother’s salary. Mess and other facilities are charged separately.
3. Which women can stay?
Any working woman — single, widowed, divorced, separated, or married (husband not living in the same city). Preference/reservation is given to disadvantaged and physically disabled women. Women under training for a job can also stay (training up to 1 year, up to 30% of capacity).
4. Can children stay with their mothers?
Yes — girls up to 18 years and boys up to 5 years can stay with their mothers. The hostel also has a day-care facility for children wherever possible. For the new Sakhi Niwas hostels, the boys’ age limit has been mentioned as 12 years — this is not yet verified.
5. What is the income limit?
Gross income up to ₹50,000/month in metropolitan cities and up to ₹35,000/month in other places. If income exceeds this limit while residing, the hostel must be vacated within 6 months under the scheme.
6. How long can one stay in the hostel?
A maximum of 3 years. In exceptional circumstances, the District Administration can give extensions of 6 months at a time, but the total stay cannot exceed 5 years.
7. How to apply — is there an online application?
Admission is hostel-wise — first ask the hostel concerned about vacancies, then submit the application at the hostel or the District Women and Child Development office. The department’s website links to the SARAL portal, but no specific service name for this scheme on SARAL could be verified — so no step-by-step SARAL process is given in this guide.
8. Can girl students also stay in this hostel?
No — regular girl students are NOT eligible under this scheme. This hostel is only for working women and women under training for a job.
9. When will admissions start in the new Sakhi Niwas hostels in Faridabad and Gurugram?
As of 8 November 2026, no announcement of their opening or admissions has been found. In February 2025, only the construction was announced and the action plan was being prepared. For the latest position, contact the Women and Child Development Department, Haryana (0172-2560349).
10. Which documents are needed to apply?
Aadhaar card, salary/income certificate, Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP), police verification report, appointment letter/proof of employment, children’s birth certificate (if children will stay) and passport-size photographs. Confirm the final list with the hostel concerned.
Official links and contacts
| Task | Link / Contact |
|---|---|
| Haryana Women and Child Development Dept — Working Women Hostel page | wcdhry.gov.in/schemes-for-women/working-women-hostel/ (opened on direct check on 8 November 2026, including the hostel list) |
| Ministry of Women and Child Development — Sakhi Niwas page | wcd.gov.in/offerings/sakhi–niwas—working–women–hostel (opened on direct check on 8 November 2026) |
| Savitribai Phule National Institute of WCD — Sakhi Niwas brief | spniwcd.wcd.gov.in/sakhi-niwas-working-women-hostel/brief (opened on direct check on 8 November 2026) |
| SARAL portal, Haryana | saralharyana.gov.in (the department website’s “Click here to apply” link goes here; the site did not open on direct check on 8 November 2026 — link given with a note) |
| myScheme — Haryana schemes (list) | myscheme.gov.in/search/state/Haryana (detail page is client-rendered and could not be read directly; see also the list page) |
| Women and Child Development Dept, Haryana (office) | Bays 15-20, Sector 4, Panchkula – 134112 |
| Phone | 0172-2560349 (Director, Women and Child Development Department, Haryana) |
| Women Helpline | 181 |
| SARAL helpline | 0172-3968400 | Email: [email protected] (for general SARAL portal queries only) |
Related guides — also read: Mahila Adhikarita Yojana (NSKFDC): Loan up to ₹2 lakh for Safai Karamchari women | Self-Marriage Assistance for Women Workers: ₹50,000 one-time | Haryana Old Age Samman Allowance 2026: ₹3,200 per month | Saksham Yuva Yojana: Allowance for unemployed youth
Disclaimer
This guide was prepared on 8 November 2026 on the basis of available official sources — the Haryana Women and Child Development Department’s website (wcdhry.gov.in), the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s Sakhi Niwas information (wcd.gov.in), the Mission Shakti guidelines (14 July 2022) and the February 2025 government announcements. The hostel list, rent, eligibility and admission process may change over time — before taking admission, do confirm the current information with the hostel concerned or the Women and Child Development Department, Haryana (Bays 15-20, Sector 4, Panchkula — 0172-2560349). Wherever sources differ or information is unconfirmed, this guide says so clearly. Viksit Haryana is not an official portal of any government department.
[…] guides — also read: Working Women Hostel (Sakhi Niwas): Rent, Eligibility and Application Process | Mahila Adhikarita Yojana (NSKFDC): Loan up to ₹2 lakh for Safai Karamchari women | […]