Following the announcement from the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in June this year on the proposal to set up Nirbhaya Centres across the country, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy announced the setting up of such centres in Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam in the Budget for 2014-15.
The four regions of the Union Territory were listed among the 640 districts and 20 metro locations announced by the Union Ministry in an effort to tackle gender based violence.
The concept note on the centres describes it as being “dedicated one-stop location having necessary and relevant human resource to facilitate effective hand-holding of women affected by violence.”
The centres will provide medical and police assistance (in filing FIR report) and have video conferencing facility.
The centres will also provide psycho-social support and counselling, legal aid and short term shelter. Incidentally, the Puducherry Police, on Wednesday, had announced the establishment of a special ward at the Rajiv Gandhi Government Women and Children Hospital which would function as a one-stop rape crisis intervention centre.
Women and Child Development Department has been allocated Rs. 177.05 crore in the budget.
The Chief Minister said his government had proposed to the Centre the opening of 69 new Anganwadis to expand the reach of the Integrated Child Development Services.
A State Nutrition Policy would be evolved to collect data and study the nutritional status.
More cheers for Karaikal
The Chief Minister announced the construction of a new building for the General Nursing and Midwifery School in Karaikal at a cost of Rs. 10 crore.
Karaikal residents have more to cheer as the government is also preparing a detailed project report for the construction of a multi-speciality hospital. Besides these, programmes for the elderly and AIDS patients were also announced under the allocation of Rs. 237 crore for healthcare.
A CT scan machine, a dialysis unit and a ward for the terminally ill will also be set up at the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Research Institute. Two blood banks are also expected to be set up at the IGMCRI and the Rajiv Gandhi Government Women and Children Hospital.
