Maliwal urges PM to use Nirbhaya Fund for women's security

Raising concern over the "unused" Nirbhaya Fund, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use the fund for women's security and rehabilitating sex workers.

"Trough media reports, it came to my knowledge that the Nirbhaya fund is being given to the Railways to install CCTV cameras. Prime Minister Sir, Railways already have a huge budget, thus they should use their own budget to install CCTV cameras," she said in a letter to Modi.

"I suggest that please use the Nirbhaya funds towards women's security. Perhaps installing the CCTV cameras at public places, bus stops, colleges would be right way," Maliwal suggested.

Pointing to the media reports that the Nirbhaya fund worth Rs.750 crore was being diverted to Railways to install the CCTV cameras, Maliwal suggested that the funds can also be used to build forensic labs and to rehabilitate sex workers.

"Nirbhaya fund was issued by the former government to bolster women's security. But it is really sad that the funds had not been used since last two year," Maliwal asserted in her letter.

Nirbhaya Fund was allocated in August 2013 for women's safety, following the shocking gang-rape of a student in Delhi on December 16, 2012 on a running bus. The shocking incident attracted nationwide stir.