The Cabinet of Telangana on Sunday evening decided in principle to enact a legislation for the safety of women based on the recommendations of a committee of women IAS and IPS officers recently.
The Cabinet decision was not conveyed to the media officially in the absence of a media briefing as the Assembly was in session but sources confirmed that most of the recommendations of the committee in its 62-page report to the government were accepted. It was, however, not clear whether the Bill would be introduced in the current Assembly session or at the next meet. The committee, headed by Principal Secretary Poonam Malakondiah, had made several recommendations, including a helpline for women, their induction in a big way in police department, safety for them while travelling and operation of ‘She taxis’. The panel toured Gujarat, Kerala and Delhi to study best practices.
Industrial policySources said the Cabinet also cleared the new industrial policy of Telangana to be tabled in the Assembly on Saturday. It was drafted on “plug and play” model aimed at simplifying procedures for licensing. The meeting discussed the sand policy and setting up of a corporation to implement the water grid programme of the government. They added that the discussions went into bifurcation of the Intermediate board of education, power situation, cleaning of Hussainsagar and green belt. The implementation of ‘Aasara’ scheme and the obstacles laid by the Opposition in Assembly were also discussed.