₹3 cr. disbursed under Aswasanidhi to 369 women, children in Kerala

Assistance to survivors of violence

The State government has disbursed ₹3.05 crore as emergency financial assistance to 369 women and child survivors of violence under the Aswasanidhi project till the beginning of January this financial year.

Aswasanidhi was launched in December 2018 in the wake of the State Crime Records Bureau reporting an increase in crimes against women and children in the period from 2008 to June 2018. A need was felt to provide immediate financial assistance to women and children who had survived sexual assault, acid attacks, gender-based violence, domestic violence and other such crimes.

Sanction was given to utilise ₹3 crore from the plan fund for complaints related to sexual assault of minors registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act, grievous physical or mental injury owing to domestic violence, in case of pregnancy on account of rape, miscarriage or loss of fertility as a result of assault and so on.

On registration of such complaints from children or women or these coming to light, district child protection officers and women protection officers concerned are to bring these to the attention of the Nirbhaya Cell State coordinator for further action.

The minimum and the upper limits of the compensation to be given have also been stipulated by the government. For instance, in cases of rape, gang rape or unnatural sexual offenses, an amount between ₹50,000 and ₹1 lakh is given, while in case of loss of life, the minimum limit is ₹50,000 and upper limits ₹1 lakh. In case of women and children rescued from trafficking, an amount between ₹25,000 and ₹50,000 is disbursed.

Since the project was rolled out in December 2018, this is the first time that full amount sanctioned for aid has been disbursed. In 2018-19, with only a few months left after the project launch, ₹48.5 lakh was disbursed. In 2019-20, ₹59.3 lakh was given, and in 2020-21, it rose to ₹58 crore.

This financial year, the disbursal has touched the sanctioned amount, courtesy the improved information, education and communications campaigns that resulted in better outreach, says Nirbhaya Cell State coordinator Sreela Menon.

Ms. Menon says they have requested for ₹4 crore for the 2022-23 financial year for Aswasanidhi.

Aswasanidhi assistance, intended as an emergency financial help, is separate from the government’s victim compensation scheme, she points out.