NEW DELHI: Calling it complete irony that on the one hand, crime against women have been rising and on the other, funds allocated to enhance the safety and security of women have remained underutilised, a parliamentary panel asked the Centre for effective implementation of the schemes.
The department related parliamentary standing committee on Human Resource Development in its report on Demand for Grants of the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) said that inspite of all interventions, the crime against women have been rising.
The WCD ministry has submitted to the committee that of Rs 75 crores allotted in 2016-17 for setting up One Stop Centre, only 18.32 crore could be used while in case of Women Helpline of the Rs 25 crore only 0.17 crore has been till January 2017.
“It cannot be denied that women have been at the receiving end most of the times, be it gender based violence and discrimination or sexual assault, rape, honour killing and trafficking,” observed the committee in its report tables in Rajya Sabha.
Highlighting that increasing crime against women is violating their right to life and other freedoms guaranteed under the constitution as equal citizen, the committee recommended that proper structure should be put i place not only to curtail crime against women but also to provide justice and help the victims on time.
Underutilisation of funds was seen in several government schemes and the committee expressed serious concerns over the issue.
In almost all majority schemes except three, the allocated funds have largely remained underutilized.
“The committee feels that there should be optimum utilization of funds under each of the schemes of the ministry if the desired goals of various schemes were to be achieved. Since all the schemes are meant for the development and welfare of children and women, it is of utmost importance that allocated funds are underutilised optimally,” the committee added.