News Analysis India

Tag: standing committee

  • Expand Nirbhaya fund beyond crime, include welfare schemes: Parliament committee

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports in its latest report presented in the Parliament on Tuesday, recommended that the guidelines governing the use of the Nirbhaya Fund should be broadened to incentivize interventions in areas like policing, assisting victims and empowering women with skill sets and knowledge to make them employment ready.

    In its 350th report the committee, now headed by Rajya Sabha MP, Vivek Thakur, has observed that “apart from the focus on urban crimes in public spaces,” the scope of the Nirbhaya Fund, under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, “should be expanded to accommodate support and empowerment schemes like community policing in rural areas with an equal emphasis on psychological assistance to women victims and assistance for setting up women coaching centers for police recruitment which will help aspiring women candidates to get selected in the Police force and that will improve the representation of women in the Police force, especially in rural areas, which will eventually help to reduce crime against women and utilization of fund will also be improved.”

    The 31-member Committee, comprising MPs from across the party lines, observed that the funds have been utilized for establishing a one-stop centre, making safety devices, setting up fast-track courts, and procuring forensic kits for sexual assault cases among others which help the security agency to curb the crime against women.

    The Committee also notes that “emphasis on project features like optimum use of existing infrastructure and innovative use of technology have encouraged low-cost interventions oriented towards surveillance, reporting and investigation of crimes.”

    The Committee further recommends that an empowered panel should hold discussions with the concerned officials of the state Governments to understand the ground reality and the aspects which are impacting fund utilization by states so that remedial action can be taken and projects can be fast-paced in coordination with states lagging behind.

    In its assessment of the demand for grants by the MoWCD, the committee has observed that that the Ministry, on the aspect of finding avenues for CSR funds for building Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) has stated that to raise alternative sources of funding, states may involve individuals, companies, and CSR funds for the construction of AWCs purely on a pro bono basis without any obligations.

    On this, the committee has suggested that it “is of the view that in order for CSR funds to flow into this social sector scheme, the Ministry would be required to formulate parametric guidelines with suitable incentives for corporates so that such sources of funding get enhanced,” observing that “theMinistry may discuss the matter with States and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and take suitable measures towards this.”

    The committee also noted that Beti Bachao Beti Padhao – the flagship scheme of the government to end female foeticide and empower adolescent girls – has shown promising results in the recent past. The committee appreciates the new initiative and innovation under the scheme such as the Operational Manual that include an activity calendar for the whole year and the Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav campaign in convergence with the Department of School education and literacy.

    The Committee also lauds that the scheme has been expanded to all the districts and Ministry’s efforts towards skilling girls in non-traditional livelihood activities. It has also recommended that states should be encouraged to adopt innovative measures mentioned above in their women empowerment schemes for a better outcome.

    NEW DELHI: The department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports in its latest report presented in the Parliament on Tuesday, recommended that the guidelines governing the use of the Nirbhaya Fund should be broadened to incentivize interventions in areas like policing, assisting victims and empowering women with skill sets and knowledge to make them employment ready.

    In its 350th report the committee, now headed by Rajya Sabha MP, Vivek Thakur, has observed that “apart from the focus on urban crimes in public spaces,” the scope of the Nirbhaya Fund, under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, “should be expanded to accommodate support and empowerment schemes like community policing in rural areas with an equal emphasis on psychological assistance to women victims and assistance for setting up women coaching centers for police recruitment which will help aspiring women candidates to get selected in the Police force and that will improve the representation of women in the Police force, especially in rural areas, which will eventually help to reduce crime against women and utilization of fund will also be improved.”

    The 31-member Committee, comprising MPs from across the party lines, observed that the funds have been utilized for establishing a one-stop centre, making safety devices, setting up fast-track courts, and procuring forensic kits for sexual assault cases among others which help the security agency to curb the crime against women.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The Committee also notes that “emphasis on project features like optimum use of existing infrastructure and innovative use of technology have encouraged low-cost interventions oriented towards surveillance, reporting and investigation of crimes.”

    The Committee further recommends that an empowered panel should hold discussions with the concerned officials of the state Governments to understand the ground reality and the aspects which are impacting fund utilization by states so that remedial action can be taken and projects can be fast-paced in coordination with states lagging behind.

    In its assessment of the demand for grants by the MoWCD, the committee has observed that that the Ministry, on the aspect of finding avenues for CSR funds for building Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) has stated that to raise alternative sources of funding, states may involve individuals, companies, and CSR funds for the construction of AWCs purely on a pro bono basis without any obligations.

    On this, the committee has suggested that it “is of the view that in order for CSR funds to flow into this social sector scheme, the Ministry would be required to formulate parametric guidelines with suitable incentives for corporates so that such sources of funding get enhanced,” observing that “theMinistry may discuss the matter with States and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and take suitable measures towards this.”

    The committee also noted that Beti Bachao Beti Padhao – the flagship scheme of the government to end female foeticide and empower adolescent girls – has shown promising results in the recent past. The committee appreciates the new initiative and innovation under the scheme such as the Operational Manual that include an activity calendar for the whole year and the Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav campaign in convergence with the Department of School education and literacy.

    The Committee also lauds that the scheme has been expanded to all the districts and Ministry’s efforts towards skilling girls in non-traditional livelihood activities. It has also recommended that states should be encouraged to adopt innovative measures mentioned above in their women empowerment schemes for a better outcome.

  • We will take request for virtual meetings of standing committees to Rules Committee: LS Speaker

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has said that the demand by some standing committee chairmen to hold meetings of standing committees virtually will be examined by the Rules Committee and noted that the existing rules state that proceedings of these panels should be held in private.

    In an interview with ANI, the Speaker said parliamentary committees discuss matters of public interests, rising above the party lines.

    He said chairmen of some parliamentary committees had made a request to hold meetings virtually in view of the situation created by COVID-19.

    “Since meetings of the committees are classified as per Lok Sabha rules, they should not be held virtually or come in the public domain. We will take this request to our Rules Committee and discuss it,” Birla said.

    Rule 266 of rules of procedure and conduct of business in Lok Sabha states that “the sittings of a Committee shall be held in private”.

    Rule 267 states that the sittings of a Committee shall be held within the precincts of the Parliament House, and if it becomes necessary to change the place of sitting outside the Parliament House, the matter shall be referred to the Speaker whose decision shall be final.

    ALSO READ | Steps taken by Speaker Om Birla enriched parliamentary democracy, enhanced productivity: PM Modi 

    The rules also state that all persons other than members of the committee and officers of the Lok Sabha Secretariat “shall withdraw” whenever the committee is deliberating.

    Birla said that last time 2664 recommendations were made by parliamentary committees of which 1762 were accepted by the government.

    “Definitely, parliamentary committees hold significance,” he said.

    With the decline in COVID-19 cases, parliamentary committees have resumed their physical meetings.

    The Speaker, who has completed two years as Lok Sabha Speaker, said his attempt has been to give sufficient time to the party which has even a single member in the House.

    “In a democracy, our effort should be to respect views of Opposition members. My attempt has been to give sufficient time to the party which has even a single member in the House. In a democracy, decisions should be taken based on a broad consensus and not just majority,” he said.

    Birla, who has laid a lot of thrust on the smooth functioning of the House, said he has politely told members that showing placards and raising slogans in the well of the House were not good practices.

    The Speaker said his efforts have been that no one needs to come to the well of the House.

    “Parliament members argue that it is the tradition to show placards and raise slogans in well of the House in case of differences. I politely told them that such traditions aren’t good. My attempt has been to ensure that no one needs to come in the well,” he told ANI.

    Answering a query about the factional feud in the Lok Janshakti Party, he said matter of LJP “is not of defection but of the election of the leader of parliamentary party”.

    “They held a meeting of the parliamentary party and submitted proceedings of the meeting to Lok Sabha Secretariat, which after verification, recognized the leader elected by them,” he said.

    Pashupati Ram Paras was recognised as the leader of LJP in Lok Sabha in place of Chirag Paswan after the five of six party MPs gave a letter in his support.