Delhi budget: Women’s safety gets Rs 1,068 crore

The Delhi government has proposed Rs 1,068 crore in the Budget for women’s safety, security and empowerment.

The AAP government will illuminate total 42,000 dark spots identified on 421 stretches of roads in the next fiscal year. These dark spots were identified after sharing of information among multiple agencies, including the Delhi police and NGOs. Adequate arrangements of lighting on those stretches shall be completed in 2016-17 with a provision of Rs 114 crore.

Putting emphasis on women’s safety in mohallas, the Kejriwal government proposed to set up Mohalla Rakshak Dal in all Assembly constituencies in next fiscal year. The government has proposed an outlay of Rs 200 crore to set up Mohalla Rakshak Dal in all the mohallas through out Delhi.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, informed the Assembly that Mohalla Rakshak Dal of civil defence volunteers has been set up in Karawal Nagar Assembly constituency as a pilot scheme. The efforts have received a warm welcome by the local residents as well by Delhi police.

For women’s security on roads, in residential areas and overall security of Delhi, a new scheme for installation of CCTV cameras and surveillance system throughout the city was proposed. An initial budgetary allocation of Rs 200 crore under the scheme is proposed for 2016-17.

The Delhi government informed that they have already installed 200 CCTVs in DTC buses and free wi-fi service was launched in December 2015 on a pilot basis in some of the DTC buses.

The AAP government has also proposed working women’s hostels in the city, as there is an acute shortage of accommodation for working women. The government is planning to construct four working women’s hostels at Dwarka, Dilshad Garden, Pitampura and Vasant Village by next fiscal year, deputy CM Manish Sisodia said.