JOIN USChief Minister Sheila Dikshit is pitching for 33 per cent reservation for women in police force. She was speaking at the National Development Council meet on Thursday.
Women and girls have been excluded from development work in the country and this needs rectification, Dikshit said.
There is need for inclusive development to ensure the poor and the fairer sex become part of the progress, she said. The chief minister then went on to highlight the achievements of her government with regard to women.
Dikshit joined Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in condemning all incidents of violence and sexual assault against women and said they need to assure of their safety and security. “It is shameful that such incidents are still taking place in the city and other parts of the country. My government is taking a number of measures to make women feel safer and more protected. A dedicated, round-the-clock women-in-distress helpline-181 would be made functional within a couple of days,” Dikshit said.
Delhi Police have been requested to deploy more PCR vans, publicise police protocols and train personnel so they can deal with civilians, she said.
To sensitise people on women’s issues a social campaign through radio stations, advertisements and NGOs is being planned. The Delhi Commission for Women has also decided to organise a ‘Women’s Dignity March’ from Pragati Maidan to Rajghat on January 2.
Government initiatives
Stressing on the government’s initiatives for women Dikshit said: “In Delhi, gender-based budgeting has been an integral part of all our budgets. In the current year’s plan an amount of Rs 1,380 crore has been earmarked exclusively for women.”
The Ladli Scheme to encourage families to educate girls and the Kishori Scheme which distributes sanitary napkins to adolescent girls have been implemented, she added.
“The one time financial assistance of Rs 25,000 for the wedding of widows’ daughters has been increased to to Rs 30,000,” the chief minister said.
Dikshit said 65 per cent outlay was earmarked for social sector schemes and that Delhi has become the first state to introduce direct cash transfer scheme through Aadhaar numbers.
She said Delhi’s share out of Central taxes has been frozen to Rs 325 crore since 2001-02 and should be increased. She said to achieve the targets set for infrastructure, civic services and social sectors in the 12th Five Year Plan, the annual grant should be increased up to Rs 3,500 crore.