State approves Rs 252 crore under Centre’s Nirbhaya scheme

Mumbai: The state cabinet on Tuesday approved an outlay of Rs 252 crore under the Centre’s Nirbhaya scheme in a bid to safeguard women in public places in the city.

According to the scheme, the Centre will chip in Rs 152 crore (60 per cent) while the remaining expenditure will be borne by the state government. An official said that the Centre will provide Rs 150.20 crore, while the state will fund Rs 100.80 crore for this project.

Amitabh Gupta, principal secretary of the home department told The Asian Age that as the funds had been approved in Tuesday’s meeting, the department would implement the scheme in this financial year itself.

“The Centre will provide financial help for the first three years and later, all mechanisms like installation of CCTVs at 500 public places will be maintained by the state. We will come up with a panic button in an application (app) which will be availed on mobile so that it can be downloaded by all women for security purposes,” said Mr Gupta.

In addition to this, the track me solution application (app) will also be developed.

He also said that 70 per cent funds would be spent on technology, while the remaining funds would be spent on creating awareness and other things.

According to the cabinet decision, the CCTV networks would be extended and more than 500 public places would be equipped with CCTVs.

Tracking of abusers on social media, creation of mobile data terminals, enhancing skills by providing training to officials and personnel among other things would be done through this scheme.