Rs 1794 lakh utilized under Nirbhaya Fund in Meghalaya

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 11, 2022

Minister in-charge Social Welfare Kyrmen Shylla on Friday informed a total of Rs 2856.17 lakh was received by the state under the Nirbhaya Fund from 2016-17 to 2020-2021 for implementing projects for women safety and security in the state.

Of this, Rs 1794.27 lakh have been utilized, Shylla said while replying to a zero hour notice moved by AITC legislator from Umroi George B Lyngdoh in the Assembly.

The schemes implemented under the Nirbhaya Fund include National Emergency Response System (NERS) Emergency Support System (ERSS) DIAL 112 in which Rs 318.77 lakh out of Rs 463.39 lakh have been utilized, setting up of Women Help Desk in which Rs 25 lakh out of Rs 50 lakh is lying unspent, setting of anti-human trafficking unit at Ri Bhoi at a cost of Rs 7.58 lakh, cyber forensic lab cum training centre at Rs 1.48 crore, hiring of two jr cyber forensic expert as consultant at Rs 12 lakh and capacity building training towards implementation of project at Rs 2 lakh.

He said the government also received a onetime grant (of Rs 50 lakh of which 49.91 lakh has been utilized) to support the Meghalaya Victim Compensation Scheme.

Under the law department, he said Rs 16.63 lakh of Rs 168.75 lakh was also utilized for fast track special court. The scheme was actually implemented in the financial year 2020-21.

He informed that under the transport department, Rs 549.6 lakh was received for vehicle location tracking device and panic button while Rs 784.11 of Rs 957.73 lakh was utilized for setting up of one stop centres for women in 11 districts and Rs 267.08 of 252.63 lakh for launching of the women helpline “181” by the social welfare department.

After the tragedy of Delhi Gang Rape Case, the government has set up the Nirbhaya Fund and the Ministry of Women and Child Development is the Nodal Authority for appraisal of schemes funded under Nirbhaya.

The fund can be utilized for projects of women safety and security.