Lok Sabha Question No. 1301 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-11
Subject: Women Safety
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Smt. Sanjna Jatav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1301

TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  THE  11 TH   FEBRUARY,  2025/  MAGHA  22,  1946 (SAKA)

WOMEN SAFETY

†1301.     SMT. SANJNA JATAV:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken any steps for the safety of women in the country;

(b) if so, the steps taken to stop widespread issues of rape and abuse that are affecting hundreds of women and girls every day; and

(c)  if  so,  the  details  of  steps  taken  by  the  Government  prevalent  in  the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI BANDI SANJAY KUMAR)

(a) to (c): '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 rests with the respective State Governments/UT  Administrations.  The  State  Governments/UT  Administrations are competent to deal with such offences under the extant provisions of laws. Government  of  India supports and supplements  the  efforts of the State Governments  and  UT  Administrations  to  effectively  tackle  the  crime  against women and girls.  In  this  regards  steps/initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  of India are as follows:-

i.    The  Criminal  Law  (Amendment)  Act,  2013  was  enacted  for  effective 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 girls below the age of 12 years. The Act also inter-alia mandates completion of investigation and filing of charge sheet in rape cases in 2 months and trials to also be completed in 2 months.

ii.    With  the  introduction  of  three  new  Criminal  Laws,  for  the  first  time  the provisions  relating  to  the  crimes  against  women  have  been  rearranged  and placed under one Chapter in Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. A new offence for having sexual intercourse on false promise of marriage, employment, promotion or  by  concealing  identity  etc.  has  been  incorporated.  This  provision  acts  as  a deterrent and provides protection to women. Besides, punishment for gang rape of a woman below the age of 18 years, will be life imprisonment till remainder of the  convict's  natural  life  or  death.  Earlier,  the  age-limit  for  such  mode  of Punishment was 12 years.

iii. Emergency Response Support System provides a pan-India, single internationally recognized number (112) based system for all emergencies with a location-based  service/global  positioning  service  for  identifying  location  of distressed  caller  and  facilitating  dispatch  of  field  resources  to  the  location  of distress.

iv.  Using  technology  to  aid  smart  policing  and  safety  management,  Safe  City Projects have been sanctioned in first Phase in 8 cities (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai).

v.  The  Government  has  launched  the  National  Cyber  Crime  Reporting  Portal (www.cybercrime.gov.in) to enable the public to report all types of cyber crimes, with  special  focus  on  cyber  crimes  against  women  and  children.  Ministry  of Home  Affairs  (MHA)  provides  financial  assistance  under  the  'Cyber  Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC) Scheme, to the States/UTs for their capacity building.

vi.  MHA has launched the 'National Database on Sexual Offenders' (NDSO) on 20th September 2018 to facilitate investigation and tracking of sexual offenders across the country by law enforcement agencies.

vii. MHA has launched an online analytic tool 'Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences' for Police on 19th February 2019 to facilitate them to monitor and track time-bound investigation in sexual assault cases in accordance with Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018.

viii.  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  State-of-the-Art  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.

ix.  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 have been undertaken for Investigation Officers, Prosecution Officers  and  Medical  Officers.  Bureau  of  Police  Research  &  Development  has distributed  18,020  Sexual  Assault  Evidence  Collection  Kits  to  States/  UTs  as orientation kit as part of training.

x.  MHA  has  implemented  projects  for  setting  up  and  strengthening  of  Women Help Desks in Police Stations and Anti-Human Trafficking Units in all districts of the country.

xi.  In addition to the above-mentioned measures, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued advisories from time to time with a view to help the States/UTs to effectively deal with crimes against women, which are available at www.mha.gov.in.

xii. Ministry of Women & Child Development is implementing One Stop Centre (OSC)  Scheme  across  the  country.  The  objectives  of  the  One  Stop  Centre Scheme are to provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence,  both  in  private   and   public  spaces   under  one  roof   and  facilitate

immediate,  emergency  and  non-emergency  access  to  a  range  of  services including police, medical, legal aid, temporary shelter, counselling and psychological support to fight against any form of violence against women.

xiii. The Universalisation of Women Helpline (WHL) Scheme is being implemented  by  Ministry  of  Women  &  Child  Development  since  1 st   April,  2015 with  the  aim  to  provide  an  immediate  and  24-hour  emergency  and  nonemergency  response  to  women  affected  by  violence  across  the  country  by referral service. Under the Scheme, a toll-free round the clock telecom service through short code 181 is provided to women seeking support and information. Women  Helpline  has  been  integrated  with  the  Emergency  Response  Support System  112  (ERSS-112)  in  34  States/UTs  and  Child  Helpline  (1098)  in  32 States/UTs. Presently, Women Helpline-181 is functional in 35 States/UTs.

xiv. Further, Department of Justice has implemented a scheme since 2019 to establish Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) including exclusive POCSO Courts for expeditious disposal of rape and Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO)  Act  cases.  As  per  available  information,  as  of  31.12.2024,  total  747 FTSCs including  406  exclusive  POCSO  Courts  are  functional  in  30  States/UTs. Since  the  inception  of  scheme,  these  Courts  have  disposed  of  more  than 2,99,000 cases.

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