Safe Mumbai: State, Centre to pitch in 252 cr for women’s safety under Nirbhaya scheme
The scheme for Mumbai entails measures like installation of 500 CCTV cameras, launching ‘track & trace’ app with panic buttons, starting all-women patroling teams, tracking social media abusers among others (Representational Image, Courtesy: gorzavel.com)
The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday approved the implementation of the Centre’s ‘Nirbhaya scheme’ for Mumbai, which aims to curb crimes against women by increasing surveillance in public areas, patrolling teams and a slew of other measures.
The fund was started in 2013 by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to implement initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security of women in the country. Its corpus stands at Rs 3,600 crore up to 2018-19.
Per the scheme approved by the Maharashtra cabinet, the centre and state will share the Rs 252 crore project cost on a 60-40 basis, with the centre contributing roughly Rs 150 crore and the state pitching in the rest.
Apart from Mumbai, similar projects are being planned out in seven other major cities under the scheme.
According to Amitabh Gupta, Principal Secretary, state Home department, the project will be implemented in the current financial year itself.
“The Centre will provide financial help for the first three years and later all mechanisms like installation of CCTVs at 500 public places will be maintained by the state,” he said.
“We will come up with a panic button in a mobile-based application that can be downloaded by women for security,” he said, adding that “track me” solution applications would also be developed.
Gupta further said 70 percent funds would be spent on technology, while the remaining would be for creating awareness.
The scheme for Mumbai entails:
* Installation of CCTV cameras at more than 500 ‘sensitive’ public places.
* Building ‘trace & track’ app with panic buttons which women can use to notify authorities.
* Creation of all-woman police patrol teams.
* Tracking of social media abusers.
* Creation of SOS hotspots across the city.
* Developing dedicated forensic & cyber crime cells to tackle cases related to crimes against women.
* Sensitising and increasing awareness among officials.
* Setting up mobile data terminals.
* Starting transit dormitories for women and children.
