Lok Sabha Question No. 3678 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-16
Subject: National Commission for Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: B. SREERAMULU, ANJU BALA, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3678 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2018

## NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR WOMEN

3678.    SHRI B. SRIRAMULU: SHRIMATI ANJU BALA: SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

Will the Ministry of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the National Commission for Women (NCW) has completed 25 years of its establishment  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  achievements  made  and challenges faced along with the steps taken to improve its working;
- (b) whether the Government has set up Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK) to provide credit to women, if so, the details of schemes and their performances during the last three years;
- (c) whether large amount of funds remain unutilised under the RMK and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  reviewed  the  functioning  of  various  autonomous bodies/subordinate offices under the Ministry and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the other steps taken by the Government for improving their working?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Yes Madam. During the period the Commission has taken a series of steps to improve the socio-economic status of women and also for their empowerment. The details are at Annexure-I.
- (b) The   Government of India has set up 'Rashtriya Mahila Kosh' (National Credit Fund for  Women)  during  1993  to  provide  micro-credit  to  Intermediary  Micro-financing

Organisation  (IMOs)  like  NGOs  for     on-lending  to  poor  women  beneficiaries  at concessional rate of interest. The details of loan disbursed by RMK during last three years is placed at Annexure-II.

- (c) RMK has received a corpus of Rs.100 crores from Government of India and the same was  used  for  its  loaning  activities  and  operational  surplus  funds  are  invested. RMK utilised the corpus and cumulatively it has disbursed Rs.303.75 crore till date. Surplus funds  of  Rs.210.43  crore  as  on  31.03.2017  available  with  RMK  were  invested  in nationalised banks for future loaning and other activities.
- (d) & (e)  The functioning of various autonomous bodies/ subordinate offices under the Ministry are reviewed from time to time. In respect of RMK, the loan guidelines has been  revised  for  improving  its  working  and  ensuring  transparency  in  its  lending activities. An Outreach Committee has been constituted for expanding the network of RMK along with its Capacity Building as on 22nd Dec, 2017. RMK has been brought under DBT for ensuring its funds reaches the genuine women beneficiaries.

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## The  details  of  steps  taken  by  the  Commission  to  improve  the  socio-economic  status  of women and empowering them are as below:

- (i) Investigated and examined  matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the Constitution and other laws.
- (ii) Undertaken  Research  Studies  and  conducted  seminars/  workshops/conferences  both  in house and through various Universities/Colleges/NGOs on women related issues,  so that the underutilized potential of the women force could be nurtured for fostering sustainable development.
- (iii) NCW has been organizing national level competitions for students of colleges and universities and others on women related laws and Legal Awareness Programme.
- (iv) NCW has  been  coordinating  activities  relating  to  combating  acid  attacks.    NCW  has developed an online platform for monitoring the progress  of  investigation,  payment  of interim or regular compensation, present status of court cases, etc.
- (v) The Commission has undertaken an extensive revision of the proforma for inspection of jails  in  the  country.    The  revised  proforma  has  been  shared  with  all  DGs  of  Prisons, Incharge of Prisons and also placed in public domain.  The Proforma includes details of all  facilities  including  the  physical  infrastructure,  human  resources,  medical  facilities, provision for safety/security of inmates, availability of power, availability of open space, sleeping  arrangements,  conditions  of  sanitation  and  hygiene,  availability  of  kitchen garden/kitchen facilities, toilets, provision for imparting skill development training, yoga, meditation, availability of library and recreation rooms as also indoor sports facilities. It also  provides  for  collecting  information  in  respect  of  the  cases  for  which  women  have been kept in the custodial homes, their status as under-trials or convicts and the nature of offence, their educational profile, medical conditions, if any, and engagement with civil society  organisations/NGOs,  etc..  The  Commission  inspects  various  prisons  in  which representatives of the State Legal Services Authority/District Legal Services Authority, NGOs, State Commission for Women also participate. The findings of the inspection are shared with the concerned authorities and are utilised for improving the condition of Jails as also facilities available in Jails housing women inmates.
- (vi) As large number of complaints received by the Commission concerning  harassment of women due to marriages with the Non-Resident Indians are addressed by liaisoning with the  Ministry of External Affairs, High Commission of India abroad,  etc.
- (vii) A large number of complaints received regarding deprivation of women and nonenforcement of women's rights and entitlements are processed and relief provided to the affected women.

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## Annexure-II

## The details of loan disbursed by RMK during last three years - State/UT-wise

## 2014-15

## (Amount  Rs. In lakh)

| State       |   Amount Released |
|-------------|-------------------|
| Bihar       |              25   |
| J & K       |              35   |
| Jharkhand   |              49.5 |
| Karnataka   |               7.5 |
| Rajasthan   |              10   |
| Tamil Nadu  |             142   |
| West Bengal |              65   |
| TOTAL       |             334   |

## 2015-16*-  Nil

## 2016-17*

(Amount Rs. In lakh)

| State       | Amount Released   |
|-------------|-------------------|
| West Bengal | 55.00             |
|             | -                 |
| TOTAL       | 55.00             |