New Delhi, Feb 22: The Centre has taken a decisive step to address the alarming rise in crimes against women by extending its flagship scheme dedicated to women’s safety. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a budget allocation of Rs 1,179.72 crore until 2025-26, reflecting the government’s commitment to curbing violence against women across the country.
The decision, announced on Wednesday night, underscores the government’s determination to combat incidents of crime targeting women, which have been a cause of concern. According to recent data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a staggering total of 4,45,256 cases of crimes against women were registered in 2022 alone – almost equating to 51 FIRs every hour on average. This figure marks a worrying increase compared to previous years, with 4,28,278 cases reported in 2021 and 3,71,503 in 2020.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will allocate Rs 885.49 crore from its own budget, while an additional Rs 294.23 crore will be drawn from the Nirbhaya Fund, totaling the approved budget for the scheme. The initiative aims to address various facets of women’s safety, including stringent deterrence through legislative amendments, effective delivery of justice, and establishing accessible support structures for victims.
Several projects have been launched in collaboration with states and Union territories to enhance mechanisms for timely intervention and investigation of crimes against women. These projects encompass upgrading forensic laboratories, strengthening DNA analysis and cyber-forensic capacities, cybercrime prevention initiatives, capacity building for investigators and prosecutors handling sexual assault cases, and the establishment of women help desks and anti-human trafficking units.
The NCRB data further underscores the urgency of these efforts, with the rate of crime against women per one-lakh population at 66.4. Notably, a significant portion of cases reported under IPC sections include instances of cruelty by husbands or relatives, kidnapping, abduction, assault with intent to outrage modesty, and rape.
Moreover, the data reveals a disturbing trend of missing young girls and women, with over 13.13 lakh reported cases between 2019 and 2021. Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal reported the highest numbers of such incidents, highlighting the need for robust intervention strategies to address these issues nationwide.
In light of these challenges, the extension of the women safety scheme underscores the government’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of women across the country.
