Mumbai: Concerned over the future of children born out of rape, the Bombay high court has asked the state if it has any scheme for their benefit. The high court also asked principal secretary of woman and child welfare department to remain present before the court on the next hearing. The court wanted to know if the monetary compensation would be increased upto Rs 10 lakh like Goa.
According to the petition, the state government had introduced the Manodhairya scheme in 2013 for the benefit of survivors of rape and acid attacks.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Jaeel Shaikh who requested that the Manodhairya scheme introduced in 2013 should be applicable to the victims before 2013 as well. The state had earlier informed the high court that it had mooted a proposal to hike the compensation given to victims of rape, sexual assault and acid attack from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh under the Manodhairya Yojna, depending on the nature of offence.
On Tuesday, the high court asked, “We would like to know if the government has any policy or scheme for those children who are born to women who have been victims of rape?” A division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Justice Anuja Prabhudesai was hearing a PIL filed by activist Jaeel Shaikh. Under the scheme, the Maharashtra government gives compensation of Rs 3 lakh to victims. Apart from the monetary compensation, the government will also provide counselling to the victim and vocational or educational training if required.
Earlier, another bench of the Bombay high court had termed the government’s Manodhairya scheme as “insulting, inhuman and shameful”. The bench also asked the government to consider increasing the monetary compensation.
