Marking the fifth anniversary of the Nirbhaya gang-rape on the ill-fated night of December 16, 2012, the funds allotted by the Central Government for upgrading safety and security of women across the country still lie only on paper. Even though there is an incessant growth of crimes against women and minor girls lately, the funds have not led to any drastic changes in the present situation though six rape cases are reported daily in the national Capital.
In 2013, the Central Government under then Finance Minister P Chidambaram had sanctioned ‘Nirbhaya fund’ under which numerous proposals — including the setting up of One Stop Centre and universalisation of women helpline across the country were laid down. Since these proposals were allegedly taken up by the Home Ministry and later on passed to the Ministry of Women and Child Development, adequate money was sanctioned for their implementation. According to information provided by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Rs 18.58 crore has been allocated for the establishment of One Stop Center while Rs 69. 49 crore has been allocated for establishing women helpline across the country.
As per the proposals appraised and recommended under the Nirbhaya Fund by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Rs 200 crore is the amount allocated under the Nirbhaya fund to be used for the creation of Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) for supporting States and Union Territories for the implementation of Victim Compensation Scheme. To set up a specialised unit for the investigation of crimes against women, the Home Ministry has sanctioned Rs 324 crore for establishing Investigative Units for Crimes against Women (IUCAW) in all police districts across the country.
In a reply to questions raised in the Rajya Sabha on the use of Nirbhaya funds, the Ministry of Women and Child Development stated that it has released Rs 10.71 crore in respect to the implementation of One Stop Center while Rs 13.92 crore has been sanctioned for Women Helpline.
Meanwhile, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday said the One Stop Centre (OSC) scheme, aimed to support women affected by violence, will now focus on high-level training courses for women across the country. “We are regularly monitoring the working of these centres and for capacity building of the staff managing these centres OSC will evolve high level training courses women,” the Minister added.
Gandhi was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day national workshop on role of Sakhi-OSC in strengthening multi-sectoral response to violence in the national capital.
Around 400 Sakhi-OSC Functionaries and nodal officials from the state department of WCD from 33 states and UTs across the country are participating in the workshop.
“OSC Scheme is a highly critical intervention to protect and help women affected by violence. Keeping in view the importance of the scheme, it has to be ensured that the OSCs are run in a professional and efficient manner and complete empathy has to be shown for the women in distress who are visiting the centres. The purpose of the OSCs is to provide safe and pleasant environment to such women,” the Minister added.
The first One Stop Centre was set up in Raipur, Chattisgarh under the Nirbhaya Fund. Currently there are more than 151 One Stop Centres across the country.