Bringing focus on women safety and welfare, the Delhi Government allotted Rs 160 crore in the annual Budget for installing CCTV cameras and deploying marshals in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses to ensure security of commuters, especially women.
Emphasising on his Government’s priority on women, Sisodia said that women’s safety and security is high on the Government’s agenda and added, “We propose to install CCTV cameras in all DTC and cluster buses. A pilot scheme for installation of CCTV cameras in 200 DTC buses has already been launched. The Delhi Government has decided to depute marshals in all DTC and cluster buses.”
These marshals will be drawn from the Home Guards and Civil Defence who will be well trained to prevent any untoward incident, particularly against women, in these buses. This will not only check the incidents of eve-teasing and violence against women but also instill confidence among them to use the public transport.
The Delhi Government has also made it mandatory for all public transport vehicles, including taxis and autos, to install GPS for tracking.
“It has been made compulsory for the drivers and conductors of all passenger service vehicles to attend the gender sensitisation programme at the time of annual renewal of their vehicles roadworthiness inspection,” Sisodia said.
The Finance Minister also highlighted the acute shortage of working women hostels in the city.
“The Government is planning to construct six working-women hostels with active participation from the private sector,” he proposed.
In order to empower women through new Education Credit Guarantee Scheme, female students are exempted from furnishing any collateral money for availing education loan and interest rates are lower than the usual interest rates.
The Government also plans to provide creche facilities in slums and JJ clusters with the creation of 300 creches under Integrated Child Development Scheme.
Nearly 1,200 children living in the Government-run homes/institutions are to be provided vocational training for skill upgradation and earning of livelihood in collaboration with National Skill Development Council.
“This Government is committed towards welfare of women and children and will make determined efforts in providing community support and health education to young mothers and supplementary nutrition and preschool education to small children up to the age of six years… We will shift the Anganwadi Centres to more spacious locations so as to provide better operating conditions. The quality of hot-cooked food and pre-cooked food served at Anganwadi Centres will also be enhanced through improved service delivery and strict quality control,” Sisodia said.
The Government also proposes to initiate crèche facilities for children of 0-6 years, whose mothers go to work, by upgrading the existing facilities at selected Anganwadi Centres.
“In the first year we are proposing to develop 300 such Anganwadi Centres with crèche facilities particularly in slums, JJ clusters and rehabilitation colonies. To encourage the Anganwadi workers and helpers in carrying out upgradation of Anganwadi Centres and better management of pre-school education facilities, the Government proposes to enhance the honorarium of Anganwadi Workers,” Sisodia said.