About Nirbhaya Fund Framework

• • Nirbhaya Fund is a dedicated fund set up by the Government of India in 2013 which can be utilized for projects specifically designed to improve the safety and security of women.
  • It is a non-lapsable corpus fund administered by the Department of Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Finance.
  • As per this framework, the Ministry of Finance through the Department of Economic Affairs is the nodal Ministry for any accretion into and withdrawal from the corpus, and the Ministry of Women & Child Development (WCD) is the nodal authority for appraisal of the schemes/proposals received under Nirbhaya Fund. 

• Funding to Non-Governmental Organisations is not envisaged under the framework.

• The proposed projects under the Nirbhaya Fund should have the following features:
  • Direct impact on safety and security concerns of women
  • Optimum use of existing infrastructure
  • Innovative use of technology
  • No duplication of existing government schemes/programmes
  • Provision for real time intervention as far as possible.

Why in News?

• Recognising the trauma faced by minor rape victims, the government has decided to provide medical, financial and infrastructural support to victims in cases where the sexual assault results in pregnancies.
• The special scheme, announced by the Women and Child Development Ministry, would operate under the aegis of the Nirbhaya Fund and an amount of ₹74.1 crore has been allocated for the same.
• The new scheme aims to provide integrated support and assistance to girl child victims under one roof, facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of services, including access to education, police assistance, and health care, including maternity, neo-natal and infant care, psychological and legal support.
• It will also provide insurance cover for the minor girl victim and her new-born under one roof to enable access to justice and rehabilitation.
• Any girl who is below 18 years of age and is a victim of rape as per the provisions of the POCSO Act and has become pregnant due to such assault or rape would be covered under the scheme. Such a victim should either be an orphan or have been abandoned by the family.
• As per the rules, it is not mandatory for the victim to have a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) for availing the benefits under the scheme.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-announces-scheme-for-minor-rape-victims/article67037854.ece