Centre Clears Rs 4,000 Crore Under Nirbhaya Fund; Rape, Acid Attack Victims To Get Financial Aid

In a move aimed at making Indian cities safer for women, the Government of India has sanctioned nearly Rs 4,000 crore for women safety projects under the Nirbhaya Fund which includes financial assistance to rape and acid attack victims and setting up of special police units for women and children, reports The Economic Times.

A sizeable amount of Rs 2,919.55 crore has been sanctioned under the 'Safe City Project' which is being implemented in eight major cities of the country, namely Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. The said project is aimed at strengthening safety in public places.

An amount of Rs 321.69 crore has been sanctioned for the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS), aimed at providing a pan-India single emergency response number - 112.

The project has already been operationalised in 20 States and Union Territories. Further, an amount of Rs 200 crore has been released for the Central Victim Compensation Fund which is aimed at supporting the victims of rape, acid attacks, crime against children, human trafficking, etc.

A total of Rs 23.53 crore has been sanctioned for setting up of the Special Unit for Women And Children (SPUWAC) and the Special Unit for North East Region (SPUNER) at Nanakpura in Delhi. Both the bodies have already become operational.

Also, a state-of-the-art DNA laboratory is being set up at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Chandigarh at a cost of Rs 99.76, while related projects have been sanctioned for setting up or strengthening of the DNA facilities in Forensic Science Laboratories in 12 states at a cost of Rs 131.09 crore.

Rs 7.09 crore for training of investigation, prosecution and medical officers and Rs 5.07 crore for providing facility of social workers and counsellors at the district and sub-divisional police station level in Delhi.

The said Nirbhaya Fund had been created by the Centre after the infamous 2012 Delhi gang rape case, whose victim ‘Nirbhaya’ became a rallying point for public demonstrators demanding more safety for women.