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Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Sexual Crimes: 7 secretaries to “personally monitor” Action Plan

EVERY month, secretaries of seven key ministries will have to personally monitor the implementation of newly-framed time-bound action plan to strengthen police and administration to combat sexual crimes against women. That’s not all. The concerned secretaries will have to…
report to the cabinet secretary and the Prime Minister’s Office every month. Here are 10 of those plans which have implications on police, transport and general administration.
1) Action will be taken to provide the facility of registering an FIR in any police station irrespective of the jurisdiction or area of the time. The FIR may thereafter be transferred to the concerned police station for investigation. This will pertain to serious crimes including issues against women.
2) It is important that citizens should not face any harassment when they come forward to assist women in distress. For this, such citizens should be protected to enable them to freely report a crime and assist the victim/police without being subjected to any interrogation or being forced to become witnesses.
3) ‘Women Only’ buses should be pressed into service. A programme is proposed to be undertaken for encouraging more women driven buses/taxis all over the country.
4) Secretary, ministry of road transport and highways in consultation with technical experts and police representatives, will examine what should be the maximum permissible level of tinting in the glasses in public transport buses. The use of curtains will be reviewed taking into account the need for passenger comfort and visibility required for security purposes. The secretary proposes to appropriately revise the standards and ensure compliance by the manufacturers of these buses.
5) Strict action will be taken against police personnel and officers found to be either displaying bias against women or neglecting their supervisory responsibilities in this regard.
6) Strict disciplinary action will be taken against any official indulging in gender bias. If action is not found to be taken against an erring official, the supervisory officer will be held accountable.
7) It will be made mandatory for a reporting officer to comment upon on the gender sensitivity of the police personnel reported upon in the Annual Performance Appraisal Report. When considering postings or promotions of police personnel, the attitude towards women should specifically be taken into account.
8) There is an imperative need to recruit more women in the police force. Women will need to be recruited in large numbers in the Delhi Police. The MHA will take necessary action to obtain necessary approvals within this financial year. Action would, similarly, need to be taken in the states as well, to recruit more women in the police force. In order to incentivize the states in this regard, MHA will formulate a suitable scheme within four weeks and obtain necessary approvals.
9) It would be proposed to have lady police personnel in at least some PCR vans, such as those deployed in the vicinity of educational institutions, cinema halls, malls and markets, as also the routes frequented by women employees of BPOs returning from work at night. A proposal for 370 PCR vans has been sent by Delhi Police for approval.
10) To impart training to girls in educational institutions in self-defence/martial arts.

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