The Government has set up a dedicated fund Nirbhaya Fund, which can be utilized for projects specifically designed to improve the safety and security of women. It is a non-lapsable corpus fund, being administered by Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance. As per the guidelines, the responsibility of Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) includes (i) nodal Ministry to appraise/ recommend proposals and schemes to be funded under Nirbhaya Fund and (ii) to review and monitor the progress of sanctioned schemes/ projects in conjunction with the line Ministries/Departments. Under Nirbhaya Fund, schemes/ projects worth Rs. 9288.45 Cr. have been appraised till date. An amount of Rs.5712.85 crore has been allocated and an amount of Rs.3544.06 crore has been disbursed/ released by the concerned Ministries/ Departments.

As per the Framework for Nirbhya Fund (available at https://wcd.nic.in/sites/default/files/Approved%20framework%20for%20Nirbhaya%20Fund_0.pdf), DEA is the nodal Ministry for any accretion into and withdrawal from the corpus. Budget allocations against approved projects are made in the budget of the respective Ministries/ Departments through Demands or Supplementary Demands for Grants. The salient features of Nirbhaya Fund like project contours, procedure for submitting proposals, procedure for processing proposals, funding pattern etc. is indicated in the aforesaid framework. Funding to Non-Governmental Orgnisations is not envisaged under the framework.

An Empowered Committee (EC) of Officers constituted under Nirbhaya Fund appraises and recommends the proposals for funding under Nirbhaya Fund and also reviews the status of implementation from time to time in conjunction with the concerned Ministries/ Departments/ Implementing Agencies. After appraisal by the EC, the concerned Ministry/ Department get / obtain approval of the Competent Financial Authority (CFA) to release the funds out of their respective budget and implement the project /scheme directly or through States/UTs / Implementing Agencies. Further, the monitoring and reporting mechanism is followed by the State/ UT Governments/ Implementing Agencies at their level as a part of the respective proposal.

This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Shri Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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BY/TFK