Lok Sabha Question No. 1912 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: Human Trafficking Units
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Bharatiben Dhirubhai Shyal, Shankar Lalwani, Raju Bista, Sunil Kumar Singh, Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangre, Pratima Bhoumik

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1912

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2019

## HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNITS

## DR. BHARATIBEN DHIRUBHAI SHIYAL:

1912. SHRI SHANKAR LALWANI: SHRI RAJU BISTA: SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH:

SHRI SUDHAKAR TUKARAM SHRANGARE:

MS. PRATIMA BHOUMIK:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  announced  to  setup  and  strengthen  Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and Women Help Desks (WHDs) across the country, if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Maharashtra;
- (b) whether the Government has allotted any funds to strengthen AHTUs and WHDs, if  so  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  State-wise  allocation  and  if  not,  then whether Government is planning to use Nirbhaya Fund to strengthen AHTUs and WHDs;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the details of funding pattern;
- (d) the  instances  of  human  (women  and  child)  trafficking  from  the  districts  of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduars, Jalpaiguri and North Dinajpur in the last five years;
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to curb human (women and child) trafficking from this region; and
- (f) the details of financial allocation and other forms of support provided to combat human trafficking in the region?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) to (d) :The Government has initiated the process to setup and strengthen AntiHuman Trafficking Units (AHTUs) in districts and Women Help Desks (WHDs) in Police Stations in States and UTs.The  Empowered  Committeeof  officers (EC)forNirbhaya  Fund  in  the  Ministry  has  appraised  and  recommended  these projects at a cost of Rs. 100.00 crore each.

As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data of crime upto the year 2017 released  so far,the  instances  of  human  trafficking  in  the  State  of  West  Bengal including the districts ofDarjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduars, Jalpaiguri and North Dinajpur in the last five year are as under:

No. of cases

| Years    | 2013   |   2014 |   2015 |   2016 |   2017 |
|----------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
| of cases | -      |   1096 |   1255 |   3579 |    357 |

In the NCRB report for the year 2013, though State-wise data is not available, a total of 3940 incidents of the crime of human trafficking for the entire country are reported. Further, district wise data is not available in the NCRB reports for the year 2014 to 2017.

- (e) & (f) 'Police' is a State subject under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India and as such prevention of the crime of human trafficking and crime against children is the responsibility of State Governments. However, the Government of India has been supplementing the efforts of the State Governments by providing financial assistance to States for setting up Anti Human Trafficking Units, and by providing financial assistance to the States and Judicial Academies in States to hold 'Judicial Colloquiums' and conferences to sensitize police officials, judicial officers  and  prosecutors  about  various  provisions  of  law  relevant  to  trafficking and  their  role  in  curbing  trafficking.  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  (MHA)  has  also issued various advisories to the States and UTs from time to time on preventing and  combating  human  trafficking.  These  advisories  are  available  at  MHA's website www.mha.gov.in. Through the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Act, 2019, the Schedule of NIA Act, 2008 has been amended and National  Investigation  Agency  has  been  empowered  to  investigate  the  cases committed under Sections 370 and 370A of Indian Penal Code relating to Human Trafficking.

*****