Budget allocates ₹200 cr to Nirbhaya Fund for women safety after ministry's Grant demand

Presenting the Union Budget 2022, on February 1 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not give the safety of women a miss while Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju stated the Annual Financial Document is 'inclusive'. Citing an increase of 11.11% in the budget allocation for the Nirbhaya Fund initiative, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has fructified the impact of the scheme devised under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Budget 2022 allocates Rs 200 cr to Nirbhaya Fund

Categorised under the National Mission for Safety of Women in the Demand of Grant, the Budget 2022 stated an allocation of Rs 200 crore for the Nirbhaya Fund for the setting up of fast track courts to ensure the safety of women in the country and optimise the efficacy of the scheme. Previously in Budget 2021-22, Rs 180 crore was allocated for this purpose, thus indicating a 11.11% increase in the budget for the framework.

Rs 858 crore is allocated for the development of infrastructure of the judiciary in a bid to provide grants and assistance under the Centre-sponsored scheme for the development of infrastructure facilities for the subordinate judiciary in states and UTs. Further, Rs 1 crore has been allocated for the e-courts projects' phase 3; the amount is perceived to have been allotted for token provision of e-court projects. 

What is Demand for Grant in Union Budget?

Each Ministry is expected to prepare a demand of grants for the expenditure to be incurred in the next fiscal year. Subsequently, they are presented before the Lok Sabha. The said demand comprises both charged and voted expenditure, thus providing a breakup of the expenditure. 

What is Nirbhaya Fund?

In 2019, the PM Modi-led government sanctioned nearly Rs 4,000 crore for various women safety projects under the Nirbhaya Fund that include financial assistance to rape and acid attack victims and setting up of special police units for women and children.

According to a Home Ministry document, Rs 2,919.55 crore has been sanctioned under the 'Safe City Project' across eight cities - Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Lucknow, to provide safety to women in public places.