Nirbhaya Fund lies unspent, data shows Centre failed to boost scheme for past 2 yrs

NEW DELHI: Even after a 90 percent increase in the allocation of Nirbhaya Safety Funds of Women in the national Capital during the Union Budget 201718, there is data to show that the Centre has failed to boost the scheme in the past two years.

During the meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Home Affairs on Monday, MHA top officials and Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Pathak were asked to submit the report on Nirbhaya Safety Fund’s expenditure — which highlights that zero amount has been spent so far out of the allocated Rs 236 crore.

However, according to sources, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi assured the chairman of Rajya Sabha and other members of the Standing Committee that Rs 136 crore will be spent next month.

Nirbhaya Fund is a National Emergency Response System. After the gruesome 2012 Delhi gang-rape incident, the government contributed Rs 1,000 crore for empowerment, safety and security of women and girl children and the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram announced the scheme in his 2013 Budget speech.

The fund is administered by the Department of Economic Affairs of the Finance ministry.

There are three sections under the safety funds — Central Victimisation Compensation Fund, Central Investigative Fund and Fund for Modern Policing.

According to government sources, under the Central Victimisation Compensation Fund already Rs 200 crore has been sanctioned to the states, but the latter are yet to submit their reports.

The Central Investigative Fund, which is monitored by the National Investigative Agency (NIA), had been given Rs 83 crore but the government data shows that zero amount has been spent so far.

The government data also shows that the Intelligence Unit of Crime against Women of Delhi Police also spent zero amount in the past one year (2016-17) and this year the Delhi Police have been allocated Rs 6, 378.18 crore. The Union Budget of this year also gave Rs 5,910.28 crore for Delhi Police (maintaining and enforcing law and order in the city), Rs 439 crore for the police infrastructure (office building and residential building projects).

But the administration clarified that though the amount has been allocated but it is yet to be sanctioned by the Finance Ministry.