The central government has given the green light to a new scheme under the Nirbhaya Fund to offer support to minor girls who have been abandoned by their families due to pregnancy from rape and have no means to take care of themselves. This scheme, which aims to provide food, shelter, legal aid, and transportation for attending court hearings, has been implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The ministry has called upon states and child welfare committees to submit proposals for critical care support for these victims. The scheme seeks to ensure both infrastructural and financial assistance for pregnant minor survivors. In order to protect the identities of the beneficiaries, the scheme has deliberately been left unnamed. The government is now focused on expediting the implementation of these measures on the ground.
Union WCD Minister, Smriti Irani, acknowledged the physical and emotional trauma experienced by minor victims of rape or aggravated assault, particularly in cases where they become pregnant. She stated that the Ministry of Women and Child Development has decided to provide medical infrastructure and financial support under the Nirbhaya Fund for these victims. She further explained that the Mission Vatsalya administrative structure, in collaboration with state governments and child care institutions, has been leveraged to provide support to minor victims.
Under the new scheme, additional support will be available to girls up to the age of 18 years at child care institutions (CCI) and to women up to 23 years at aftercare facilities. The scheme aims to provide integrated support to girl child survivors in a consolidated manner, offering access to education, police assistance, medical services, psychological counseling, legal support, and insurance coverage for both the victim and her newborn. The National Crime Records Bureau reported 51,863 cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act in 2021, with 64% involving penetrative sexual assault and aggravated penetrative sexual assault.
The scheme covers any girl below the age of 18 years who is a victim of penetrative sexual assault or rape, has become pregnant as a result of the assault, and meets certain criteria such as being an orphan, abandoned by the family, or unwilling to live with the family. It is not compulsory for the girl child victim to have a copy of the FIR (First Information Report) to avail the benefits of the scheme. Separate space will be allocated at child care homes for the beneficiaries of the scheme, as their needs would differ from other children residing there. Mission Vatsalya guidelines will ensure the provision of dedicated child care institutions for POCSO victims to facilitate their proper rehabilitation.
In conclusion, the central government has approved a new scheme under the Nirbhaya Fund to provide support to minor girls abandoned by their families due to pregnancy from rape. The scheme aims to offer food, shelter, legal aid, and transportation for court hearings. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has called for proposals from states and child welfare committees to provide critical care support. The government is focused on promptly implementing these measures. The scheme will offer medical infrastructure and financial support to minor victims, and Mission Vatsalya will assist in implementing this support on the ground. The scheme covers girls up to the age of 18 at child care institutions and women up to 23 at aftercare facilities, providing a range of services such as education, police assistance, medical aid, counseling, legal support, and insurance coverage. The scheme applies to victims of penetrative sexual assault or rape who have become pregnant and fulfill certain criteria. Separate accommodations will be provided for beneficiaries, and dedicated child care institutions will be established for the proper rehabilitation of these minors.
