Nirbhaya centers will solve half of the problems: Maneka Gandhi

Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said Wednesday that setting up 'Nirbhaya centers' for women in distress, and women helpline will together solve half of the problems of women in the country.

Addressing a press conference here, the minister said the consultations on setting up these 'Nirbhaya centers' are at an advanced stage, and these will be established in a phased manner.

"Nirbhaya centres are at an advanced stage of consideration. We are working with states to get them off the ground," she said.

"Nirbhaya centres will be integrated with women helpline 181 which is being universalized. If we can get Nirbhaya centres and women helpline up and running quickly, more than 50 percent of the problem would be solved," the minister said.

The 'Nirbhaya centers' are named after the braveheart who was brutally raped in Delhi Dec 16, 2012, and died subsequently. The 23-year-old woman, whose real name is not published as per law on protecting identity of raped women, came to be popularly known as 'Nirbhaya' for her brave attempt to fight her rapists.

Maneka Gandhi said the centers will provide all kinds of help, including police and legal aid, to women in distress.

According to ministry officials, 330 of the 660 planned centers are likely to materialise by March 2015. These will be set up in phased manner.

The minister also launched a logo for the central government's 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' scheme, saying that she was launching it on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday as it is his pet scheme.