The Hindu 25.02.2016
Government may double DCW budget
181 helpline plan to be expanded, integrated with mahila panchayat, mobile helpline programmes
he Delhi government is likely to double the budget allocation for the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW). Sources said the government is expected to allocate around Rs.15 crore to strengthen the DCW.
Last year’s budget allocation for the DCW was Rs.7 crore. In its maiden budget, the Aam Aadmi Party-led government had increased allocation for the Commission to Rs.7 crore from Rs.3.75 crore. The decision to increase the budget comes in the wake of expanding the women’s helpline plan and integrating it with mahila panchayat and mobile helpline programmes.
At present, there are 30 mahila panchayats functioning in Delhi. This number is being increased to 70 to ensure there is a mahila panchayat in each constituency. The DCW has invited non-government organisations to collaborate with them to form 40 new mahila panchayats.
Moreover, the 181 helpline will be linked to the DCW mobile helpline programme. At present, there are just five vans under the programme and their number is now being increased to two vans in each police district.
The Delhi government had last month handed over the 181 helpline to the DCW. Inaugurated with much fanfare by the then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit soon after December 16, 2012, gang-rape, the helpline will undergo major changes.
“Till now, the 181 helpline worked merely as referral helpline. It did not have a grassroots presence and the staff would forward the complaints to the police as they had no alternate means of providing support,” said DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal.
Explaining that the functioning of the helpline so far, Ms. Maliwal said if a woman in distress called 181 to report that the police was not registering an FIR, the helpline staff, having no other option, would tell her to continue dealing with the police.
“But this is going to change now,” she added.
To take the helpline to the grassroots, the DCW mahila panchayats and mobile helpline programmes will be linked. The mahila panchayats offer crisis intervention and legal aid at the community level, and help tackle marital disputes and domestic violence cases. Through the mobile helpline, counsellors either counsel the people involved in the incident or provide help in registering an FIR. Even medical assistance for women in distress is provided. If required, the victim is rescued and often provided temporary shelter.
Under the mahila panchayat programmes, an NGO in each Assembly constituency will be linked with the Commission, which will have three to four personnel working at the grass-root level on issues like domestic violence and police inaction. Complaints received by the helpline will be forwarded to the mahila panchayats whenever need arises.
From now on, the mobile helpline van will act as first responders if a 181 caller requires immediate assistance. The Commission has invited NGOs working at the grass-root level to be a part of the mobile helpline programme.
“There is no existing mechanism to ensure the accountability of callers and subsequently monitoring them. Furthermore, there is need for immediate upgrading of software. Once the 181 helpline is effectively functional and linked with the grassroots expansion, it will be widely advertised as a part of a large scale awareness campaign,” said Ms. Maliwal.
In its maiden budget, the AAP govt had increased allocation to the DCW to Rs.7 crore from Rs.3.75 crore
