The state government on Friday said the construction of the one stop centre (OSC) planned in Pune under the Nirbhaya Fund will be completed within six months. Officials said the grant under the Nirbhaya Fund that had lapsed has been revalidated, and “no hitch is left” for the OSC’s completion.
Sakhi, an OSC for medical, legal and counselling services at Mundhwa, Pune, for women who have faced violence, was scheduled to be operational by June. The Hindu reported on Friday that though Rs. 67 lakh for the OSC had been granted under the Nirbhaya Fund in 2015-16, it had to returned to the Centre for revalidation due to delays by the State government.
Vinita Ved, commissioner, Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), said, “Because the financial year had lapsed, the funds had to be sent to the Centre for revalidation. Now, the amount has been revalidated. It is a standalone fund for the Pune centre, and won’t merge with other funds that will come in from the Centre for the 11 new OSCs planned in the state.”
She added that the delay was due to certain terms and conditions in the MoU that had to be signed between the State and the National Building Construction Corporation India Ltd.
These concerns have been ironed out and the MoU has now been signed, Ms. Ved said.
Officials with the Union Ministry of Women and Child Welfare told The Hindu that around Rs 45.88 lakh has been revalidated for use by the state government in 2016-17 for the OSC scheme. They added that OSCs approved in April 2015 in the first phase were to have been completed in 2015-16.
