HYDERABAD: It is a situation of unending apathy for several women victims who face different forms of atrocities in the State. Over 925 requests, seeking relief and rehabilitation funds have not reached them.
The fund, called, ‘Financial Assistance to Victims of Atrocities’ is pending for these cases to the tune of Rs 2.96 crores from across the State. Given to victims of rape, POCSO, dowry death, kidnap, trafficking and acid attacks, it was set up in 2012 under GO MS No 28 and gives a corpus of Rs 5 lakh to every district as and when the need arises.
However, due to paucity of funds, these women and their families have been left in the lurch. It is learnt that districts have been writing to the Department of Women Development and Child Welfare seeking funds to rehabilitate these victims, however, the department has run out of funds. It has now written to the State’s officials seeking for more funds for May 2019, which are yet to be received.
The situation impacts Rangareddy district the most, with over 228 cases pending for relief. A sum worth Rs 53.9 lakh is due to the district to help the victims. In Kamareddy, which is the second worst affected, funds to the tune of Rs 81 lakh are pending for 198 cases.
In Hyderabad, the situation is moderately better with six cases seeking Rs 23 lakhs. In Bhadradri and Khammam, 120 cases of POCSO are awaiting compensation. This along with cases from six other districts has taken the compensation amount due to Rs 2.96 crores. What makes matters worse?
While funds are trickling in meagerly from the government to the WCD department, there is no reduction whatsoever in the increasing cases of atrocities. It is learnt that close to 50 odd new cases have come in even before the pending ones were then cleared.
The department has released Rs 5 lakh for each district to the tune of Rs 1.2 crores, however considering the demand, these are already exhausted.
Sources said that the department is now exploring options to look for funds from some other schemes and reimburse it. “The funds are slow to come.” The situation is still under control as not many know about the scheme yet,” noted officials from the Rangareddy collectorate.