(a) whether the Government has released funds to State Governments to establish special courts in each judicial district for hearing/deciding offences under Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act;
(b) if so, the details of funds released and utilized so far since the enactment of POCSO Act, State/UT-wise; and
(c) if not, the reasons therefor ?
THE MINISTER OF LAW & JUSTICE
(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)
(a) to (c):Department of Justice has started a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for setting up of 1023 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) for expeditioustrial and disposal of cases related to rape andProtection of Children from Sexual Offence(POCSO) Act, in pursuance to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2018. As per the direction of Hon''ble Supreme Court of India in Suo Moto 1/2019 dated 25.7.2019, out of 1023 FTSCs, 389 exclusive POCSO (e-POCSO) Courts needed to be established in 389 Judicial Districts across the country where more than 100 POCSO Act cases were pending (as on 30.06.2019). Initially, the Scheme was for 1 year which has now been continued up to 31.03.2023 at a cost of Rs. 1572.86 crore with Central share of Rs.971.70 crore. Central share is to be met from Nirbhaya Fund. As per information received from the High Courts for the month of February, 2022, total 712 FTSCs including 399 exclusive POCSO Courts have been operationalized. The status of funds released to State/UT Governments and its utilization for FTSCs including e-POCSO Courts is given at Annexure.
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Annexure
Annexure as referred in Reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5040
Status of Central Share of Funds Released and UC Received
(as on 29.03.2022)
(Rs. in Cr.)
S.No. State/UT Amount Released in 2019-20 UC received in 2019-20 Amount Released in 2020-21 UC received in 2020-21 Amount Released in 2021-22 UC received in 2021-22
1 A&N Island 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 Andhra Pradesh 1.8 0 0 0 0 0
3 Arunachal Pr. 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Assam 2.85625 2.8562 1.86875 0.3024 3.375 0
5 Bihar 2.025 2.025 15.26255 15.26255 20.25 0
6 Chandigarh 0.1875 0 0 0 0
7 Chhattisgarh 3.375 0.744 3.375 3.375 4.259 0
8 Delhi 3.6 0 0 0 0 0
9 Goa 0.225 0.225 0 0 0 0
10 Gujrat 7.875 1.166 7.875 0 0 0
11 Haryana 3.6 3.6 3.6 1.8 3.6 0
12 Himachal Pr. 1.0125 0.644 1.51875 0 0 0
13 J&K 0.5625 0.56 0 0 2.635 0
14 Jharkhand 4.95 0 4.95 0 0 0
15 Karnataka 6.975 2.888 0 0 6.635 5.47
16 Kerala 8.4 0 0 0 0 0
17 Madhya Pr. 15.075 15.075 15.0750 15.075 26.175 15.075
18 Maharashtra 31.05 2.044 0 0 0 0
19 Manipur 0.675 0.665 0.675 0.011 0.3375 0
20 Meghalaya 1.6875 0 0 0 0 0
21 Mizoram 1.0125 1.0125 1.0125 1.0125 2.02625 0.50625
22 Nagaland 0.3375 0.3375 0.3375 0.2205 0 0
23 Odisha 5.4 0 1.3 4.23 16.2 7.64
24 Puducherry 0 0 0 0 0.1125 0
25 Punjab 2.7 0 0 0 0 0
26 Rajasthan 5.85 5.85 14.4 14.4 19.745 10.125
27 Tamil Nadu 3.15 3.15 3.15 3.15 2.59 2.59
28 Telangana 8.1 0.62 0 0 0 0
29 Tripura 1.0125 0.91325 1.0125 0 0 0
30 Uttar Pr. 13.80625 13.8062 84.29375 35.2695 24.525 16.23
31 Uttarakhand 2.7 2.2468 0 0 2.092 0
32 WB 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 140 60.42845 159.7063 94.10845 134.5573 57.6363