5/9/2014 One year later, Nirbhaya Fund lies unused - The Hindu

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Published: January 9, 2014 22:46 IST | Updated: January 10, 2014 20:23 IST

One  year  later,  Nirbhaya  Fund  lies  unused

K. A. ShajiReveals  a  Right  To  Information  reply

Another Union budget is round the corner but the Rs.1,000-crore Nirbhaya Fund announced last year by FinanceMinister P. Chidamabaram, to ensure the safety and security of travelling women, continues to remain a nonstarter, aRight To Information reply has revealed.The brutal gang rape of a Delhi student inside a moving bus on December 16, 2012, and her subsequent death forcedthe government to announce this novel scheme in last year’s annual budget, but the fund has been lying unspent formore than a year.Rs.1,000-­crore  fund

“Parliament has approved the setting up of a Rs.1,000-crore fund titled the Nirbhaya Fund. The funds have not beenused so far as the relevant schemes are yet to be finalised,” said an RTI reply by Amit Bansal, Under Secretary of theEconomic Affairs Department of the Finance Ministry, given on January 1 to Kochi-based lawyer D.B. Binu from thesame department.Project  proposals

Installation of closed circuit television cameras at important public places, GPS and emergency buttons in transportbuses to link them with police stations, toll-free numbers, and self-defence lessons for the needy were included in theproposed project.32  cities

The plan was to implement the project in 32 cities but none of the city authorities have received any guidelines ororders for implementation so far.“During the first anniversary of the gang-rape, the government had claimed that three projects under the NirbhayaScheme were implemented. But the RTI reply exposes their claim,” Mr. Binu said.Clarification

The last paragraph of “One year later, Nirbhaya Fund lies unused” (Jan. 9, 2014, some editions) said: “ … thegovernment had claimed that three projects under the Nirbhaya Scheme were implemented. But the RTI replyexposes their claim.” A letter from the Finance Minister’s office said: “While the report is substantially correct, thelast paragraph to the effect that ‘false claims have been made’ is totally wrong. No false claim has been made by theGovernment. The Cabinet has approved one proposal from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Two otherproposals … have been given in principle approval …”Keywords: Nirbhaya Fund, RTI, Delhi gang rapePrintable version | May 9, 2014 2:47:02 PM | http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/one-year-later-nirbhaya-fund-lies-unused/article5558716.ece© The Hindu