Lack of awareness on victim compensation scheme: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday said lack of public awareness about the victim compensation scheme was the reason the money allocated under the Nirbhaya fund was not being utilised.

The fund was created in 2013 for working towards protecting the dignity of women in India and ensuring their safety.

A bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta said this as Chandigarh Legal Service Authority (CLSA) Member-Secretary Mahavir Singh said they were short of funds and were not being provided funds by the union territory administration.

He said as against the pending claims of Rs 51 lakh, they have Rs 27 lakh only, following which the Centre's counsel said he would get the matter looked into.

The money under the victim compensation scheme are paid from the Consolidated Fund of India.

As the top court was told about the paucity of funds faced by CLSA, senior counsel Indira Jaising said a huge money was parked with the Narbhaya fund but the same was not being utilised.

The court was hearing matter relating to a 10-year-old rape victim girl who gave birth to a baby girl on August 17.

As the court directed that both the girl and the newborn have to be provided with every facility, including the victim's rehabilitation, Indira Jaising said though there was victim compensation scheme there was no scheme for rape victims or the child rape victims.

She said rape victim compensation scheme should be tailored to specific needs of the victim and specific category of people.

The top court in the last hearing had directed the CLSA to release Rs one lakh to the 10-year-old girl.

The court was told on Friday that both the victim and her newborn were stable.

--IANS

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