Lok Sabha Question No. 300 (STARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: Victims of Human Trafficking
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 300*

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2021

## VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

- *300   SHRI GAURAV GOGOI

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

- (a) the number of victims compensated and the quantum of funds disbursed by the Government from the Central Victim Compensation Scheme and Nirbhaya Fund to the victims/survivors  of  human  trafficking  separately  during  the  last five-years, State-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has undertaken any study to assess the impact of pandemic on the potential increase in trafficking cases and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has identified the States/districts in the country that need immediate attention to address the same and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether  there  is  any  provision  for  the  inclusion  of  survivors  of  human trafficking  on  various  committees  that  oversee  trafficking,  if  so,  the  details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d). A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  300*  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  17.12.2021 REGARDING 'VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING '

(a) The  State  Governments/Union  Territories  (UTs)  have  notified  their victim compensation  schemes  in  terms  of  Section  357A  of  the  Code  for  Criminal Procedure(Cr.PC). Further, in order to support and supplement the State Compensation Schemes,  Ministry of Home Affairs had released Rs 200 crores as a one-time grant  to State  Governments/UTs under the Central Victim Compensation Fund  from  Nirbhaya  Fund.  States/  UTs  use  the  fund  to  compensate  victims  of various  crimes,  including  human  trafficking.  Details  are  not  maintained  at  Central level.

(b)  &  (c).   Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  issued  an  'Advisory'  on  06.07.2020  to  all States/UTs  on  preventing  and  combating  human  trafficking  especially  during  the period  of  COVID-19  pandemic.  The  Advisory  is  also  available  on  the  website  of Ministry of Home Affairs (www.mha.gov.in).  A copy of the document is attached as Annexure-I . Ministry of Women and Child Development has also issued an Advisory on 23.10.2020 to all States/UTs on curbing and tackling human trafficking during the period of COVID-19 pandemic and also for the purpose of awareness generation. A copy of the document is attached as Annexure-II.

'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the  Seventh  Schedule  to  the Constitution of India. The responsibility to maintain law and order, protection of life and property of the citizens including investigation and prosecution of crime against women  and  children  rests  primarily  with  the  respective  State  Governments.  The State  Governments  are  competent  to  deal  with  such  offences  under  the  extant provisions of laws.

(d).    The  Government  has  formulated  a  scheme  namely  "NALSA  (Victims  of Trafficking  and  Commercial  Sexual  Exploitation)  Scheme,  2015  to  provide  legal services to address the concerns of victims of trafficking including women of all age groups and at every stage: i.e. prevention, rescue and rehabilitation.

The  thrust  of  the  scheme  is  to  provide  economic  and  social  pathways  for  these marginalised  groups  so  that  they  are  socially  included  and  thus  get  all  social protections available to an ordinary citizen.  The interventions of the legal services authorities should be to ensure the protection of the dignity of the victims which is as much  their  fundamental  right  to  a  life  as  of  any  other  citizen.  Legal  services authorities include women  survivors  of  human  trafficking  for  the  purpose  of commercial sexual exploitation in the purview of the assistance rendered by them.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing 'Ujjawala' scheme for prevention of trafficking and rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration and repatriation of victims of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation across the country. State Governments are responsible for identifying districts that need immediate attention to address the issue of trafficking, as well as for furnishing proposals to the Central Government for seeking its support for that purpose, including under the Ujjawala scheme.The objectives  of this  scheme  inter  alia  include  (i)  providing  rehabilitation services, both immediate and long-term, to the victims by providing basic amenities/needs such as shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment including counseling,  legal  aid  and  guidance  and  vocational  training,  and  (ii)  facilitating reintegration of the victims into the family and society at large. Under 'Rehabilitation' component of the scheme, grant is provided for setting up of Ujjawala Homes on rent,  staff,  food,  medical  care,  legal  aid,  education  and  vocational  training.  Under 'Reintegration'  component,  grant  is  provided  for  setting  up  half-way  homes,  seed money and follow-up visits.

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