Lok Sabha Question No. 23 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-02
Subject: Review of Nirbhaya Fund
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA, SHOBHA KARANDLAJE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 23

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.02.2018

## REVIEW OF NIRBHAYA FUND

- 23 SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA: KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  set  up  a  dedicated  fund  called  Nirbhaya  Fund  for enhancing the safety and security of women in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Nirbhaya Fund is regularly reviewed and monitored by the Government and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the  coordination  process  among the Ministries of Home  Affairs,  Finance and Women and Child Development in implementation of the said fund;
- (d) whether it is a fact that States/UTs release the funds to victims on their own and are not required to furnish their proposals to the Union Government for approval and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the measures taken by the Government for speedy justice to the victim or dependents who have suffered loss or injury as a result of the crime and who require rehabilitation?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR)

- (a) Yes Madam, Government of India has set up a dedicated fund called Nirbhaya Fund in 2013, for implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security for women in the country. It is a non-lapsable corpus fund. The details of funds allocated under Nirbhaya Fund for the last 5 years is as under:
- (b) Nirbhaya Fund is being monitored by the Government. The Empowered Committee of Officers under Nirbhaya Fund from time to time reviews and monitors the implementation of schemes/ projects already appraised by it.
- (c) Ministry of Women and Child Development is the nodal authority for appraisal of the schemes/  proposals  received  under  Nirbhaya  Fund.  The  Empowered  Committee  (EC) which is an inter-ministerial committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Secretary, WCD (Nodal Ministry) for appraising and recommending schemes/ proposals of Ministries/ Departments and State Governments under Nirbhaya Fund. The Secretary, MHA;  Secretary,  MoRTH;  Chairman,  Railway  Board  ;  Secretary,  Department  of Electronic & IT; Joint Secretary, DEA; Secretary of the Project Sponsoring Department;

| Years                             | 2013-14   | 2014-15   | 2015-16   | 2016-17   | 2017-18   | Total    |
|-----------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|----------|
| Funds Allocated (Rupees in Crore) | 1000 Cr.  | 1000 Cr.  | Nil       | 550 Cr.   | 550 Cr.   | 3100 Cr. |

Secretary of the concerned State Government  Department;  and  Secretary, State Department of WCD  are the members of the Empowered Committee. After recommendation/  appraisal  by  the  Empowered  Committee,  the  concerned  Ministry/ Department takes the approval of Competent Authority.

- (d) to (e) :  As per Section 357A of Cr.P.C., every State Government in Co-ordination with the  Central  Government  is  required  to  prepare  a  Victim  Compensation  Scheme  for providing funds for the purpose of compensation to the victim or his dependents who have suffered loss or injury as a result of the crime and who require rehabilitation. All the State/Union Territories have notified  Victim  Compensation  Scheme  in  their respective  State/UT.  In  view  of  the  disparity  in  quantum  of  compensation  notified  by different States/UTs for victims of similar crimes, the Government of India has set up a Central Victim Compensation Fund (CVCF) with an initial corpus fund of Rs 200 crore from  the  Nirbhaya  Fund  for  supporting  States/UTs  towards  the  implementation  of Victim  Compensation  Scheme  framed  under  section  357A  Cr.PC.  Under  the  CVCF scheme, financial assistance of Rs. 200 Crores as one time grant has been released to all the  States/UTs  in  2016-17  to  support  their  respective  State  Victim  Compensation Scheme.

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