Lok Sabha Question No. 1037 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-22
Subject: Financial Support to Women
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Meenakashi Lekhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO.1037

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.11.2019

## FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO WOMEN

## 1037. SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:

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

- (a) the details of the steps taken by the Ministry to address low conviction rates for crimes against women; and
- (b) the details of the steps taken by the Government to provide financial support to pregnant and lactating single women and children in prisons?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) : 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The responsibilities to maintain law and order, protection of  life  and  property  of  the  citizens  including  children  rest  with  the  respective State Governments. The State Governments are competent to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of laws.

However,  Government  has  taken  a  number  of  initiatives  for  increasing  the conviction rate, which are given below:

- i. In  order  to  facilitate  States/UTs,  Government  of  India  on  19 th February  2019 launched  an  online  analytical  tool  for  police  called  'Investigation  Tracking System for Sexual Offences' to monitor and track time-bound investigation in sexual  assault  cases  in  accordance  with  the  Criminal  Law  (Amendment)  Act 2018.
- ii. In  order  to  improve  investigation,  Government  of  India  has  taken  steps  to strengthen DNA  analysis units in Central and State Forensic Science Laboratories. This includes setting up of a State-of-the-Art DNA Analysis Unit in Central  Forensic  Science  Laboratory,  Chandigarh.  Government  of  India  has also  sanctioned  setting-up  and  upgrading  of  DNA  Analysis  units  in  State Forensic Science Laboratories in 13 States/ UT.
- iii. Government of India has notified guidelines for collection of forensic evidence in sexual  assault  cases  and  the  standard  composition  in  a  Sexual  Assault Evidence Collection Kit. To facilitate  adequate  capacity  in  manpower,  training and skill building programs for Investigation Officers, Prosecution Officers and Medical  Officers  has  commenced  and  total  number  of  6023  Officers  have already  been  trained  by  the  Bureau  of  Police  Research  and  Development (BPR&D) and Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science in collection, handling and transportation of forensic  evidence.  BPR&D  has  distributed  3,120  Sexual  Assault  Evidence Collection Kits to States/ UTs as orientation kit as part of training.
- iv. In addition to the above-mentioned measures, the Ministry of Home Affairs have issued advisories from time to time with a view to help the States/UTs to deal with crimes against women.
5. (b) : The Ministry of Women & Child Development (WCD) had prepared a report on women in prisons which was circulated by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to all States and UTs on 02.11.2018 requesting them to take note of the recommendations made in the report and ensure that the recommendations are fully utilized for providing better living condition to women prisoners.

In  addition  to  the  above,  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  had  issued  an  advisory  to States/UTs which provided guidelines on facilities to be provided to the women prisoners during pregnancy and child birth etc.

Government of India has also circulated a Model Prison Manual to all States and  UTs  in  2016,  which  has  a  chapter  on  'Women  Prisoners'.  This  chapter provides guidance on the point of pregnancy of women inmates in prisons, child birth in prison and children of women prisoners. It provides for proper pre-natal and ante-natal care to be provided to women inmates and provision of adequate and  timely  supplemental  nutrients  to  pregnant  women,  babies  and  breast feeding mothers.

Prisons  and  persons  detained  therein  are  State  subjects  and  the  State Governments are competent to take suitable measures to address the issues of women prisoners and their children in jails.

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