Lok Sabha Question No. 422 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-25
Subject: Safety and Security of Women and Girls
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Nalin Kumar Kateel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 422

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  JUNE, 2019/ ASHADHA 4, 1941 (SAKA )

SAFETY AND SECURITY OF WOMEN AND GIRLS

422. SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  the  details  of  schemes  and  programmes introduced for safety and security of women and girls in the society including at the work places and academic institutions;

(b) whether the functioning of the said programmes are reviewed by the Government on regular basis and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has received any suggestions/observations from any agency related to safety and security of women and girls in the society and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether the Government has earmarked any funds for the safety and security of women and girls in the society and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY   )

(a)  to  (d):  'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the

Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. State Governments are thus responsible for safety and security of the citizens including women and girls.

However,  safety  and  security  of  women  and  children  in  the country is utmost  priority  for  the  Government. The Ministry of Women

## L.S.US.Q.NO.422 FOR 25.06.2019

and  Child  Development  has  been  administering  various  special  laws relating  to  women  such  as  the  Protection  of  Women  from  Domestic Violence Act, 2005; Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961; Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986; the Sexual Harassment  of  Women  at  Workplace  (Prevention,  Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. The said Ministry is also administering the Juvenile Justice (care and protection  of  children)  Act,  2015,  the  Commissions  for  Protection  of Child  Rights  Act,  2005  and  the  Protection  of  Children  from  Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

The Criminal Law (Amendments), Act 2013 was enacted for effective legal  deterrence  against  sexual  offences.  Further,  the  Criminal  Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 was enacted to prescribe even more stringent penal provisions including death penalty for rape of a girl below the age of 12 years. The Act also inter-alia mandates completion of investigation and trials within 2 months each.

The Government has also taken a number of initiatives for safety of women and girls, which are given below:

(a) The Government has set up Nirbhaya Fund for projects for safety and  security  of  women, for  which  Ministry  of  Women and Child

## L.S.US.Q.NO.422 FOR 25.06.2019

- Development is the nodal authority for appraising/ recommending the proposals / schemes to be funded under Nirbhaya Fund.
- (b) In  order  to  facilitate  States/UTs,  MHA  has  launched  an  online analytic tool for police on 19 th  February 2019 called 'Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences' to monitor and track timebound  investigation  in  sexual  assault  cases  in  accordance  with Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2018.
- (c) MHA has launched the 'National Database on Sexual Offenders' (NDSO)  on  20 th   September  2018  to  facilitate  investigation  and tracking of sexual offenders across the country by law enforcement  agencies.  NDSO  has  data  of  over  5  lakh  sexual offenders.
- (d) Emergency  Response  Support  System,  which  provides  a  single emergency number (112) based computer aided dispatch of field resources to the location of distress has been operationalized in 20 States/ UTs in 2018-19.
- (e) MHA has launched a cyber-crime portal on 20 th   September  2018 for  citizens  to  report  obscene  content.  Further,  Cyber  Crime Forensic Labs have been set up in several States, and training of over 3,664 personnel, including  410 Public Prosecutors  and Judicial  Officers  in  identifying,  detecting  and  resolving  cybercrimes against women and children has been imparted.

## L.S.US.Q.NO.422 FOR 25.06.2019

- (f) Using  technology  to  aid  smart  policing  and  safety  management, Safe  City  Projects  have  been  sanctioned  in  phase  I  in  8  cities (Ahmedabad,  Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai).
- (g) In  order  to  improve  investigation,  MHA  has  taken  steps  to strengthen  DNA  analysis  units  in  Central  and  State  Forensic Science  Laboratories.  This  includes  setting  up  of  a  State-of-theArt DNA Analysis Unit in Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Chandigarh. MHA has also sanctioned setting-up and upgrading  of DNA  Analysis  units in State Forensic  Science Laboratories in 13 States/ UTs.
- (h) MHA 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. 2,575 Officers have already been trained by Bureau of  Police  Research  and  Development  (BPR&D)  and  Lok  Narayan Jayaprakash Narayan National Institute of Criminology and Forensic  Science  in  collection,  handling  and  transportation  of

## L.S.US.Q.NO.422 FOR 25.06.2019

- forensic  evidence.  BPR&D  has  distributed  3,120  Sexual  Assault Evidence Collection Kits to States/ UTs as orientation kit as part of training.
- (i) In  order to coordinate various initiatives for women safety, MHA has set up a Women Safety Division.
- (j) Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  has  also  introduced the scheme of One Stop Centres to provide integrated support and assistance  to  women  affected  by  violence  and  a  Scheme  for Universalisation of Women Helpline to provide 24 hours emergency  and  non-emergency  response  to  women  affected  by violence.  Apart  from  above,  the  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child Development  in  collaboration  with  the  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs has envisaged engagement of Mahila Police Volunteers in States/UTs who will act as a link between police and community and facilitate women in distress.
- (k) Further, Government of India conducts awareness generation programmes and publicity campaigns on various laws relating to women and their rights through workshops, cultural programmes, seminars, training programmes, advertisements in print and electronic media etc.

## L.S.US.Q.NO.422 FOR 25.06.2019

- (l) MHA has issued advisories to all State Governments/UTs, advising  them  to  ensure  thorough  investigation,  conducting  of medical  examination  of rape victims without delay  and for increasing  gender  sensitivity  in  Police.  These  advisories  are available at www.mha.gov.in.

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