Govt. draws Flak, as Nirbhaya Fund remains Unutilised

A report of Standing Committee on Finance pulled up the government for not spending the money allocated in Nirbhaya Fund for Safety of Women, which was set up in September 2013 with an initial allocation of Rs 1,000 crore.

An allocation of Rs 1,000 made in 2013-14 and another Rs 1,000 was added in 2014-15 budget. However, there has been not utilisation and the funds remain unutilised because of lack of will power or red-tapism.

The panel also observed that the title of the Fund did not include ‘Girl Children’, which was a mistake. On the second anniversary of December 16 Delhi gangrape, which shocked the nation, the issue came up in the Parliament. The braveheart, who was raped and killed by six men despite fighting hard, was named ‘Nirbhaya’.

The Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti, the students wing of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) used the report to slam Narendra Modi government at the centre and held a human chain at Mandi House to highlight the issue of women’s security.