Nirbhaya Fund: NDA sets aside Rs 200 crore for victim compensation, share it with States
The move comes after the Home Ministry learnt that none of the States are adhering to the national guidelines and in many cases victims of crime including acid attack are running from pillar to post.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is learnt to have given nod to create a national corpus of Rs 200 crore towards victim compensation fund, out of Rs 1000 crore Nirbhaya fund. In the proposal mooted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), State government will be required to contribute 50 percent of the compensation awarded while the balance 50 percent will be given by the Central government. Nirbhaya Fund was announced by UPA Finance Minister P Chidambaram in 2013 towards contribution for empowerment, safety and security of women and girl children.
The move comes after the Home Ministry learnt that none of the States are adhering to the national guidelines and in many cases victims of crime including acid attack are running from pillar to post. Based on the Supreme Court direction, we had sent direction to the State government to create victim compensation fund in 2010. All the States except, Andhra Pradesh, Telanaga and Madhya Pradesh agreed to create a fund,?? said a senior home ministry official.
However, when Home Ministry recently asked the State government to provide the details of compensation awarded to victims, they learnt that the scheme has merely remained on papers, despite direction from the apex court. It was after this that we decided to set aside a sum of Rs 200 crore out of the Rs 1,000 crore Nirbhaya Fund for the victim compensation. This will also help to run the scheme smoothly where we will share the burden,?? explained the official adding that only cases where trial has been concluded will qualify for the compensation which will be given to the victim or his dependant
According to MHA, the proposal after being cleared by the Home Minister has been taken to Standing Finance Committee (SFC) where they plan to share the burden with States on a 50:50 basis and the scheme is likely to be operational by March this year. We have also in the process of the finalizing guidelines where the compensation for the victims will be approved by an empowered committee which will be headed by the officials from Central and State government,?? added another official.
In its earlier communication to the State, the Centre has also directed, the State government and Union Territories, depending upon the sufferings of the victim, may also order for immediate first aid facility or medical benefits to be made available free of cost on the certificate of police officer of not below the rank of the officer in charge of the police station or Magistrate of the area concerned, or any other interim relief as the appropriate authority deems fit.??