A committee on empowerment of women today recommended that the Government in co-ordination with all the state Governments, should make sincere efforts to give a "human face" to the tattered policing system in the country so that women in distress could approach them for redressal of their grievances.
In its report submitted in Parliament today, the committee advised the government to appoint an expert group to study the challenges being faced by the country and suggest practical solutions for the betterment of the prevailing scenario.
"Inspite of wide policing paraphernalia available with the state governments, the spate of crimes against women in Mega cities has not been contained and cases of rape, molestation, abduction of women and children have become a daily affair," the committee said.
However, the Ministry of Home Affairs in its action taken reply on the recommendations stated that the Ministry is taking every possible step to counter crimes against women in Mega cities.
"The MHA is assisting state governments for the modernization of state police force. Assistance is being provided inter-alia for procurement of modern equipment for surveillance, communications, forensic science laboratories and for training and construction of police infrastructure," the MHA said.
Providing the budgetary details, the Ministry reported that the Plan outlay of the project is Rs 3750.87 crore and Non-Plan outlay is of Rs 8195.53 crore which excludes Rs 432.90 for Mega City Policing project.
MHA informed that the project was initiated in 2012-13 and will be continued for another five years.
But the Committee cited that "Rs 432.90 crore for Mega city policing project, to be spread over in five years, is too meager an amount to make any purposeful impact."
"The setting up of an Expert group for the purpose cannot be substituted by customary assistance given by the MHA to the state governments," the Committee said adding that remedial measures should be initiated to contain the increasing trend of crimes against women.
