New Delhi: The funds sanctioned to the One Stop Centres (OSCs), popularly known as Sakhi Centres, by Government of India to Gujarat state has witnessed a spurt in last five years. Funds sanctioned to Sakhi Centres in Gujarat has gone up from Rs 45.88 lakh in 2015-16 to Rs 6.79 crore in 2019-20. In last five years, the Centre has released a total of Rs 14.54 crore to OSCs in the state. Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani provided the information in Rajya Sabha on March 19, 2020 while replying to a question raised by MP Shri Parimal Nathwani.

According to the statement of the Minister the One Stop Centre (OSC) Scheme is being implemented under the Nirbhaya Fund since 1st April 2015. As on date 728 OSCs have been approved by Government of India in 724 districts across the country and 680 OSCs out of them have become operational so far. Out of these 33 OSCs are in Gujarat and total number of cases stood at 6133. As per the information provided in the house, the centre released Rs 45,88,047 in 2015-16, Rs 38,82,900 in 2016-17, Rs 1,27,15,269 in 2017-18, Rs 5,62,69,778 in 2018-19 and Rs 6,79,51,666 in 2019-20.

Shri Nathwani wanted to know whether Government has proposed to implement any scheme for setting up of One Stop Centres (OSCs), popularly known as Sakhi Centres to support women affected by violence and the expenditure incurred by Government for setting up such centres and the details of OSCs approved, established and functional along with the number of women registered thereunder.

The statement of the minister also said that these Sakhi Centres provide an integrated range of services under one roof including medical help, police facilitation, psychological counselling, legal counselling and temporary shelter to women affected by violence. OSCs are to be set up either in newly constructed buildings or in pre-existing buildings within the premises of or within 2 kms radius of hospitals or medical facilities. There are total 680 OSCs operational in the country and total 2,55,852 cases have been registered with them, out of which 6133 cases are registered with 33 OSCs in Gujarat, said the statement.