Lok Sabha Question No. 1962 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-02
Subject: Safety and Empowerment of Women in Punjab
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dr. Dharamvira Gandhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1962

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2024

## SAFETY AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IN PUNJAB

## 1962. DR. DHARAMVIRA GANDHI

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

- (a) the steps taken to improve the safety and security of women in Punjab in light of the National  Crime  Records  Bureau  (NCRB)  data  indicating  a  rise  in  crimes  against women;
- b) the details of the initiatives taken to empower women and support their development in Punjab along with the funds allocated and the outcome thereof;
- (c) whether any new policies or measures are being introduced to enhance women's safety and empowerment in the State, including legal and social support mechanisms, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details of funds allocated for women's safety and empowerment programs in Punjab under central schemes like the Nirbhaya Fund and State initiatives?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI)

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

The  Constitution  of  India  guarantees  the  right  to  equality  and  also  provides  for  positive interventions by the State to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and to ensure their  holistic  empowerment.  Keeping  in  mind  the  vision  articulated  in  Constitutional provisions, there has been enactment of various legislations such as the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) ,Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 and  the  Prohibition  of  Child  Marriage  Act,  2006  etc.  which  addresses  the  issue  of  gender based  discrimination and violence faced by women.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development implements schemes and projects including components of One Stop Centres (OSCs) for women affected by any form of violence& distress including domestic violence and dowry harassment, Women Helplines (WHL) running on toll free telephonic short code 181 under Nirbhaya Fund under Mission Shakti. The Government has provided financial support, as per scheme norms, to the State Government of Punjab for setting  up  of  One  Stop  Centres  and  Women  Helpline.  Besides,  Beti  Bachao  Beti  Padhao (BBBP) for raising awareness about saving the girl child and improving sex ratio at birth and their  holistic  development,  Shakti  Sadan  component  for  assisting  women  facing  difficult circumstances or destitution etc. are implemented under Mission Shakti.

Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  established  Inter-Operable  Criminal  Justice  System  (ICJS) through the use of new age technology to make the justice delivery system more effective. Further a 'National Database of Sexual Offenders' (NDSO) has also been launched for use by Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to identify repeat offenders, receive alerts on sex offenders etc. Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO), an online analytical tool, has been launched to monitor and track police investigations in two months in sexual offences as per Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2018 (now BNSS). Under Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS), all States and UTs are providing citizen centric services for the benefit  of  the  general  public.  The  National  Automated  Fingerprint  Identification  System (NAFIS) has an objective  to  expedite  the  process  of  capture,  quality  check,  matching  and identification of fingerprints and to maintain a national searchable data of fingerprints.

In  addition,  several  projects/  schemes  are  implemented  by  Central  Government  through various  Ministries / Departments /Implementing Agencies under Nirbhaya Fund which include Emergency  Response  Support  System  (ERSS)  which  is  a  pan-India  single  number  (112)/ mobile app based system for emergencies; a cyber-crime reporting portal to report obscene content; Safe City Projects in 8 cities (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai), training and skill development programs for Investigation Officers, Prosecution Officers and Medical Officers; distribution of Sexual Assault Evidence Collection (SAEC) Kits to States/ UTs; establishment of State of Art DNA Laboratory at CFSL, Chandigarh; assistance to 30 States/ UTs to strengthen Forensic Science Laboratories; setting up  Fast  Track  Special  Courts  (FTSCs)  including  exclusive  POCSO  (e-POCSO)  Courts  for speedy disposal of cases of rape and cases under POCSO Act; setting up/ strengthening of Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) in all districts of the country; setting up/ strengthening of Women Help Desks (WHDs) at Police Stations etc.

Further, the National Commission for Women (NCW), also handles complaints to help women in distress.NCW also takes cognizance of the grievances relating to domestic violence reported in social media. The complaints received by NCW are acted upon by coordinating with victims, police and other authorities to provide immediate assistance.

Under  Nirbhaya  Fund,  Bureau  of  Police  Research  and  Development  (BPR&D)  has  also undertaken several initiatives for safety and security of women. BPR&D has prepared Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for  'Women Help  Desk at Police Stations' to  ensure  smooth functioning of Women Help Desks by focusing on four critical components viz., infrastructure, training,  human  resource  development  and  response  mechanism.  A  book  titled  'Women's Safety and Security- a Handbook for First Responders and Investigators in the Police' has also been prepared for the purpose of prevention and investigation of crime against women with specific  reference  to  the  crime  of  sexual  assault,  which  includes  investigation,  victim compensation and rehabilitation. Emphasis has been laid upon appropriate behavioural and attitudinal skills of the police in course of prevention and detection of crime against women and children and interaction with victims of crime. Webinars on women safety with sensitivity, gender sensitization of police personnel etc. have also been organized by BPR&D.

Ministry of Women and Child Development through National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro  Sciences  (NIMHANS)  had  provided  basic  and  advanced  training  under  the  project named 'Stree Manoraksha' to the staff of One Stop Centres (OSCs) across the country on handling psycho-social and mental health care needs to support the women facing violence and women in distress.

- (d)         The projects/ initiatives funded through Nirbhaya Fund in the State of Punjab are as under:

| S.No.   | Name of the Projects                                                                                                                                                                  |
|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| i.      | Cyber Crime Prevention against Women &Children (CCPWC)                                                                                                                                |
| ii.     | Strengthening of DNAAnalysis and cyber forensic related facilities in State Forensic Science Labs                                                                                     |
| iii.    | Women Help Desks in police Stations (WHDs)                                                                                                                                            |
| iv.     | Training of Investigating Officers (IOs)/Prosecution Officers (POs)/Medical Officers (MOs) in Forensic Evidence Collection and Procurement of forensic kits for sexual assault cases. |
| v.      | Integrated Emergency Response Management System at 983 A1, A, B &Ccategory stations (IERMS)                                                                                           |
| vi.     | Procurement of tabs for security of women in the Railway in the country including Punjab.                                                                                             |
| vii.    | Fast Track Special Courts to dispose of cases pending trial under rape and POCSO Act.                                                                                                 |
| viii.   | One Stop Centres (OSC) 785 OSCs are functional.                                                                                                                                       |
| ix.     | Universalisation of Women Helpline (WHL)                                                                                                                                              |
| x.      | Emergency Response Support System (ERSS)                                                                                                                                              |
| xi.     | Central Victim Compensation Fund                                                                                                                                                      |
| xii.    | Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs)                                                                                                                                                  |
| xiii.   | Scheme for Care &Support to Victims under Section 4 and 6 of POCSO Act,2012                                                                                                           |

For ensuring that women and girls are socially and economically empowered, the  Central Government  implements  various  schemes/  policies  /programmes  such  as  Pradhan  Mantri Aawas  Yojna(PMAY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  (PMKVY),  Deendayal Antyodaya  Yojana  -  National  Rural  Livelihoods  Mission  (  DAY-NRLM),  National  Urban Livelihoods Mission(NULM), Swachh Bharat Mission, Jal Jeevan Mission, Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Stand-up India, Startup  India,  PM  Svanidhi  etc.,  under  which  financial  support  is  provided  to  the  State/UTs including Punjab and individuals as per the respective scheme norms.

*****