(a) whether the Government has any proposal to set up special women helplines in each district in future;
(b) if so, the details thereof, specially in Tripura and Kushinagar Uttar Pradesh;
(c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
(d) the details of plan outlay and time limit for any such proposal in near future?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)
(a) As per the present scheme of ‘Universalisation of Women Helpline (WHL)’, States/UTs have the option of setting up of Women Helpline in the capital or in any other city as per their requirement for covering all the districts of that State/UT. Presently, there is no proposal with Government of India to set up separate Women Helplines in each district.
(b) to (d) The Scheme of Women Helpline is being implemented since 1st April, 2015 and provides emergency and non-emergency referral and information service to women affected by violence through a toll-free 24-hours telecom service. While the Women Helpline is set up in any one city of the State/UT, women from any district of the respective State/UT can avail the services of the Women Helpline. Women Helplines are operational in 32 States/UTs.
The total Budget Outlay for WHL is Rs.17.78 Crore in the current financial year. For setting up/ implementation of the Women Helpline, so far, Rs.49.70 lakhs have been sanctioned to Tripura State and Rs.237.85 lakhs to Uttar Pradesh State.
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