HYDERABAD: Responding to questions about the plight of the two Sakhi centres in Hyderabad, Union minister for women and child welfare Maneka Gandhi said she was unaware that the Sakhi centres were in a state of neglect. The minister assured she would take necessary action and make arrangements to improve their functioning.Express, in February had reported on the plight of two Sakhi centres, also known as Nirbhaya centres in the city. The facility, meant to work for 24 hours functioned only for a mere four hours and was severely understaffed.
“I have allocated `36 lakh for each Sakhi centre across the country. The idea is to get them out of hospitals and nearby them,” said Gandhi. The Union minister was interacting with women members of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCIs) on Friday.The minister suggested appointing women as drivers in school buses and in the non-teaching staff as a part to ensure safety of children.
The women and child development minister was speaking against the backdrop of rising concern over the safety of children in schools after a string of attacks, including the killing of a student at a private school in Gurgaon, Haryana. “For all schools, the drivers and conductors should be women,” she said, speaking at an event here.