TNI Bureau: While justice for recent Delhi gang-rape case is heating up, the Government intends to implement a new centrally sponsored scheme to provide financial assistance and support to rape victims.
The Planning Commission has given its nod to the proposal of the Women and Child Development Ministry in this regard.
However, WCD Ministry had proposed a scheme in which all rape victims would be provided financial assistance from April this year, but the Planning Commission was of the view that not everyone may need or want to accept this assistance.
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Women and Child Development Secretary, Prem Narain said that the Commission has approved the scheme for providing financial assistance to those victims who belong to economically weaker sections. He said, there is a view in the commission that every family may not accept this assistance as some of them may be well-off while others may not accept it for social reasons.
At present, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is carrying a scheme of financial assistance to rape victims to implement the provisions of Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989.
Meanwhile, there is also a provision under the Prevention of Atrocities on SC/STs Act under which victims of crimes in sexual exploitation are given Rs 1.20 lakh as support. This Act addresses a number of atrocities including modesty of a woman, sexual exploitation of women, rape including gang rape, mass rape etc.
In fine, it is now planned that that the rape victims who belong to BPL families or who are destitute would get financial support from the government from the new financial year.